Christina J.

So
6/24/2019
Rhetorical Analysis

“Why do we need zoos?” An interesting title for an article sure to grab the attention of
curious Americans after the shooting and killing of Harambe, a silverback gorilla. Many have
speculated the thought of why zoos exist in proximity of humans and the unethical practice
humans have had throughout the generations. On May 28, 2016 at the Cincinnati zoo, a 4-
year old boy slipped away from his mother and fell into an enclosure forcing zoo officials to
shoot and kill a silverback gorilla with a single rifle shot a day after his 17 th birthday. This
sparked the outrage that made global publicity all over social media and made top news. While
pro-zoo advocates claim that zoos are much more valuable and educational for all age groups,
anti-zoo advocates these enclosures are confining and causing unethical harm to our wild life.
Many others blamed the fault of the mother failing to keep an eye on her son and the zoo
director for not taking other actions than choosing the path to end the life of Harambe even
after the fact he has spoken out that it was far too much of a risk to tranquilize the primate.
Over all people are wondering and asking why is a zoo necessary?

Through J. Weston Phippen; a senior associate editor of The Atlantic, article “Do We
Need Zoos,” published in The Atlantic on June 2nd, 2016th he addresses the debate of the
necessity of conserving zoos across the nation against pro-zoo and anti-zoo advocates.
Through his emotional writing towards curious individuals who regularly attends zoos arises
after controversies sparked through Harambe’s death; he leads his readers into questioning if
zoos really are beneficial or inhumane by providing statements and studies done by both
parties.

With the use of logos he uses an example from a sociologist, Eric Jensen who specializes
in research science and engagement. Jensen had published a study he did titled Conservation
Biology that studied what children learned when attending a zoo. He states a day out at the zoo
is more than just a fun day out and instead boosts children’s science and conservation
education beyond traditional class teachings. His argument is children became more
knowledgeable about the importance of endangerment and conservation efforts after
physically attending a zoo. Phippens provides a quote from one of Jensen’s studies such as:
“One-third had a positive learning experience, meaning they’d learned something factual…
About 15 percent of the kids picked up incorrect information” calling zoos a “consciousness
expander." This is an example of how he uses logos in his article to give credibility that research
has been done by a professional on such matter and gives authority by providing numbers and
research done through a reliable study. By referencing proof through Jensen, he is allowing the
audience to accept that zoos may be a positive enforcement because a “professional” had done
factual proof.
Phippens also establishes pathos in his article by quoting the concern against zoos
through Plymouth University in England. In their study they mentioned an exhibit such as the
Cincinnati zoo causes depression and aggression within the animals confined and caged away
from its natural habitat when an enclosure is “empty and boring.” When Phippens mentions the
1980 study done at the San Diego zoo which had been defined as a “bad” zoo he uses words
such as “tranquilizing”, “malnutrition”, and “suffered.” This gives the reader a sense of sadness
and sympathy towards the animals and gives a great example of how pathos work. Phippens
goes back into history and brings another example through California and New York’s law
against keeping killer whales in captivity. After the 2013 documentary “Blackfish” was released,
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment agreed to discontinue the breeding of captive whales. He
brings up this topic as a way of showing how pathos can affect change into the community. A
certain group of individuals had a shared belief that it was wrong for killer whales to be
confined and breeded. So the question arose if it is unethical to keeping an orca in large tanks
why isn’t it for the animals kept in zoos?At a first glace of looking at the article “Why Do We
Need Zoos,” there is an obvious photo of a statue of a gorilla carrying a young infant gorilla on
its back. In front and all around the statue are bright, vibrant flowers placed by by-passers and
visitors. In front of the statue and flowers are people staring and observing them. The reactions
of the by-standers faces are emotions of sadness, sympathy and a bit of moment of silence.
This is another example how he executes his pathos rhetoric by starting his article with a photo
to grab the emotions of readers into a heart breaking image.

Not only does the photo Phippen's so carefully chose is an example of pathos, it is also
an amazing example of Kairos. The author J. Weston Phippens purposely pertained to this
photo as a way of showing relevance to time and place. It was right after Harambe was shot
and killed and it is a powerful image of a gorilla carrying an innocent infant on its back. The
time and place of the photo assists in keeping the reader on topic as to why there are still anti-
zoo activists.

After reading the author’s article, it is clear the debate on conserving zoos will continue
and just like any issues, it has pros and cons. There are bad zoos and there are good zoos but
an attempt to depict an enclosure of a species is high priority. J. Weston Phippens executed his
main idea by giving examples of professional backgrounds of both parties to ensure credibility
in his text. He used multiple rhetoric appeals such as logos from the statistic of Eric Jensen's
study on the affect of zoos within children, pathos to show sympathy through the University of
Plymouth and Kairos providing a powerful relevant photo to help send a message in the
beginning of his article. Although I would have loved to read on where he places his own
thought on the issue. Instead of focusing on his own thought, he concentrated on allowing
readers to think for themselves and come up with their own conclusion for their belief. He did
not push towards one viewpoint but stayed in the middle to provide information he has
conducted. I still believed he provided an educated, well rounded article that provides a
curious reader much information.

Word Count: 1,078

Source:
Phippen, J. Weston. “Why Do We Need Zoos?” June 2, 2016. The Atlantic.
Www.Theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/06/harambe-zoo/485084. June 24, 2019