Daily Work Class 6

By definition, uncivilized refers to a place or group of people that are not considered to

be culturally, socially, or morally advanced. My research essay will look at the uncivilized

actions human consumption and pollution may have on their health and the environment. This

topic is wonderfully illustrated in the 2012 version of The Lorax. The introduction and first song

in this film shows a technologically advanced community that is plagued with a consumeristic

mentality, but oblivious to the impact this mindset may have on their health and environment.

Taking care of the planet and minimizing human impact is considered moral and ultimately part

of a civilized society. In the opening song, the Thneedville residents mention that everything is

made in factories, including their trees. The air quality is so poor that the resident must buy

bottled air. According to the song, the locals do not want to know where all of the chemicals,

smog and trash go. Unlike Thneedville, a civilized community asks questions regarding waste

disposal and pollution. This clip also shows one child going swimming in a local steam and

emerges from the water glowing green. The audience can easily infer that the factories are

irresponsibly deposing their toxic chemicals and waste into the nearby water system. Clean air

and water are basic human rights that are not upheld in the uncivilized community of

Thneedville.

Language can either cause a society to be uncivilized by deception or help a community

to become civilized by freely communicating information. Language is the medium through

which observations are communicated, feelings are expressed, and knowledge is shared. Absence

or deficiencies in language may result in a society that is deemed uncivilized. For instance,

in The Lorax clip, residents clearly state they do not question or talk about waste management.

Thneedville companies even censor information given to the community. These businesses
essentially use language to keep the town uncivilized by neglecting to share accurate information

and even dupe the residents by using persuasive advertisements.

The Lorax is a family-friendly animated film which targets both children and adults. This

kid-friendly genre of movie is typically very colorful and consists of several catchy songs. The

songs in The Lorax communicate messages to the audience which are further enforced by adding

actions with the lyrics. Quests or good-versus-evil archetypes are also common in this genre and

both are used in this film. The creators addressed the dangers of pollution and consumerism by

using humor, music, and adventure in the storyline.