Blackfish
By: Christina Alvarado
Blackfish - Official Trailer
Thesis
The documentary Blackfish demonstrates how Orca's like Tilikum kept in captivity are more likely to lash out against people because they are taken away from their environment while being treated inhumanely and have to adapt to a completely different environment.
Purpose
The purpose of this documentary is to inform people how Sea world did not leak accidents and information about the the Orca Tilikum to the public and their own staff. The public and the staff did not know Tilikum had killed other people before and that he was an aggressive animal. Tilikum ended up killing a trainer at Sea World named Dawn because oh how inhumanely and cruel he was treated a Sea World.
Achieving the Purpose
Example 1: Tilikum being captured
Tilikum was captured in Iceland at only two years old and had been held at Orlando, Florida for thirty years. One of the reasons that led to Tilikum lashing out over all these years was because he was taken from his home at a young age and had to adapt so young.
Example 2: Tilikum being "punished"
When Tilikum would not perform an act right or would rebel against the trainers he was deprived of food. Tilikum had been so deprived that he had built up frustration and aggression which caused him to lash out against people.
Example 3: Tilikum living in the dark
When Tilikum was at Sealand Pacific in Canda before coming to Sea World in Orlando he was kept in a 20 by 30 foot pool at night so no one could try and get in with the Orca or hurt him. What the staff did not understand was this was not benefiting Tilikum but only hurting him mentally.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the author's purpose for this documentary was to expose the truth about Sea World and how they captured wildlife and neglected them by interviewing former staff members of Sea World. Tilikum was treated poorly which led him to eventually cost the life of a caring human being. Tilikum was not the only animal treated poorly though, the other Orca's were treated poorly as well and had hurt a few other people but not as much as Tilikum. Sea World kept many things hidden from the public and their own staff especially how Tilikum had killed another person before gruesomely, but they never told anybody because they did not want to ruin their reputation.