ENG2602 EXAM PACK. lOMoARcPSD| | P a g e ENG 2602 EXAM PACK GENRES IN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE: THEORY, STYLE AND POETICS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 MEMORANDUM SECTION A: GENRES OF LANGUAGE QUESTION 1: PERSUASIVE PROSE: ANALYSIS OF THE TEXT – “Eyesore

ENG2602 EXAM PACK. lOMoARcPSD| 1 | P a g e ENG 2602 EXAM PACK GENRES IN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE: THEORY, STYLE AND POETICS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 MEMORANDUM SECTION A: GENRES OF LANGUAGE QUESTION 1: PERSUASIVE PROSE: ANALYSIS OF THE TEXT – “Eyesore Rubbish Island” hidden from Maldives tourists” The text is basically, a narrative-descriptive persuasive prose news report. The article was published by the Mail and Guardian online publication on 20 October 2013. Photographic imagery and emotive language has been used by the reporter to paint a gloomy picture or scenario which exists behind the Maldives tourist attraction destination. A plethora of audiences are being targeted by this article. The audience base ranges from environmentalists, general online news readers, Maldives citizens, lawmakers and policy makers in particular. By and large, the intention of the writer is to expose the bleak side of tourism industry especially on the environment and certain groups of people. Such revelations are normally swept under the carpet. The writer’s tone is blunt and direct, hence the article leaves no apprehension as to what is the writer’s position. In the text, the dumping rubbish pile at Thilafushi Island is emotively described as an “eyesore.” The use of such a lexical item suggests that the dumping site is a very ugly feature which is unpleasant to look at. Thilafushi Island, is now known as “Rubbish Island.” The use of the adjective “rubbish” vividly describe and allude to the gravity and magnitude of the rubbish pile which is hypocritically hidden from the sight of the tourists. Furthermore, the ambivalence and juxtaposition created by the writer highlights the contrast between the attractive and beautiful scenery in Maldives and the eyesore rubbish island. In the opening paragraph the reporter contradicts the “panoramic view of azure seas” exposed to the tourists when touching down the Maldives airport with the “billowing smoke in the middle distance” which “reveals an environmental calamity.” The juxtaposition of the “panoramic view” and the “billowing smoke” vehemently suggests that all those glitters in Maldives are not gold. Even though the place is very attractive, the use of the conjunction “but” and the emotive word “calamity” suggests that the “billowing smoke” is a phenomena lOMoARcPSD| 2 | P a g e which is heavily ignored even though it causes great and sudden damage and distress to the environment and people around. The verb “billowing” has been used as an adjective which also invoke the sense of sight in the mind of the reader. The picture created is that the smoke is swelling and filling up the air just like a rolling mass of cloud. By and large, the writer laments and bemoan the lack of sustainable environmental practices from the city authorities. In paragraph two and three the writer continues to expatiate on the imagery of the contradiction which exists between the beautiful features of Thilafushi Island and the “eyesore” rising smoke. The island is depicted as the “Indian ocean archipelago” and a “honeymoon destination for the rich and the famous.” Nevertheless, these rich and famous visitors are oblivious or unconcerned with the rising smoke emanating from the rubbish dump set alight by Fusin. In a nutshell, the squalid and acrid environmental conditions on the island is not an issue of concern to the tourist holidaymakers. It seems as if these holidaymakers are so myopic that “none could imagine from their plane seats” the presence of the rising smoke and its causes. Tourists are mainly concerned about enjoying their holiday. Consciously or unconsciously they are not worried about the consequences of their actions when they leave the place. By and large, by capturing such a scenario, the reporter intent to highlight the selfish motives of the authorities in Maldives. They are more concerned with attracting tourists and raising the so much needed revenue but ironically they do not utilise the money to uplift the living conditions of the “Rubbish Island” hence the writer is cynical and sarcastic in this online article. Furthermore, the writer is very critical towards the adverse effects of tourism on the environment as well as the health dangers it imposes on individual people like the “40-yearold Fusin” who is a migrant from Bangladesh. The tourists have turned Thilafushi Island into a rubbish island. In fact it is now “the biggest waste dump in the country.” To illustrate the adverse effects of the tourism industry on individuals the writers make use of Fusin’s anecdote. Despite the lucrative income brought in by tourism, Fusin’s salary is a mockery and insult. It is very little considering that he works “12-hour shifts, seven days a week.” Over and above all, he works with no safety equipment thereby compromising his health. According to the writer his “eyes [are] streaming and voice choked after four years’ exposure to thick, toxic fumes.” Maldives local tourism industry collected insurmountable revenue while Fusin collected a deteriorating health status. By and large, the presentation of Fusin’s story invokes the reader’s sympathy and perceive tourism as an evil which needs to be tamed before it destroys many people’s lives