TOW #8- Boston Cruise Line Introduces New Whale Ramming Tour by The Onion (written text)

This article was written by The Onion. The Onion is known for writing satirical, false articles about popular current news topics. Although this article is written using a seemingly serious tone, it is actually being satirical throughout its entirety. The article writes, “‘Our new tour gives passengers the chance to observe firsthand some of the ocean’s most majestic animals as we relentlessly bash into them at speeds up to 40 miles per hour,’ said Captain Richard McDermott” (paragraph 3). The incongruity used as an element of satire in this quote by putting together the “chance to view the majestic animals” and “relentlessly bashing into them” at high speeds helps contribute to the satirical tone. In this way, the article is able to portray the idea that people who seemingly treasure the whales are actually harming the whales (even if they are not directly hitting the whales with their boats). The purpose of the article is to portray the idea that the whales are in a diminishing situation in which they cannot escape those who believe they are not harming the whales. For example, although most of the details in the article are false, the article writes, “...in an attempt to warn their pods of danger as they vainly attempt to evade the tour company’s sonar-equipped watercraft” (paragraph 7). It is true that boats are now able to listen and interrupt whales’ sonar communications, even if their intent on doing so is innocent. The audience of the article are the “innocent” people who believe they are not doing anything to harm the whales (since they feel as though they are not taking such extreme measures such as hitting the whales with their boats). Additionally, the article uses understatements as an element of satire in order emphasize the extremities in other parts of the article. For example, the article writes, “The captain cautioned, however, that the tour may not be ideal for those who are easily made seasick” (paragraph 11). The reader is able to obviously see that there are more elements that can make the reader sick on the tour besides seasickness, yet the article only emphasizes the seasickness. As a result, the reader can clearly see that the negative effects of the boats’ actions when contrasted so clearly with the simplicity of the caution of seasickness. By using these elements of satire, the article is able to effectively accomplish its purpose of satirically commenting on the situation of the whales. 

 Article:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/boston-cruise-line-introduces-new-whale-ramming-to,37277/