INTRODUCTION
This essay analyses how the Island of Despair report produces, defines, and legitimates responsibility. In doing so, it explores how various textual, formal and aesthetic strategies in the report are adopted to shape and address the issue of responsibility. Island of Despair was published by Amnesty International, which declared itself to be independent of any government, political, ideology, economic interest or religion. Amnesty International attempted to portray itself as a neutral institution of truth-telling and to create an impression that the information contained in Island of Despair is credible and reliable. This establishes a trustworthy atmosphere and encourages its audience to accept that all allegations regarding …show more content…
The refugee is facing back at the camera, and is looking down at the ground. His gesture signifies his despair and hopelessness. The escalating altitude of the dilapidated rocks in front of the refugee further highlights the adverse and severe situations faced by refugees. The phrase “Australia’s processing of refugees” then suggests that Australia is responsible for the suffering of refugees on Nauru. In accordance with the visual rhetoric analysis of Hesford, the unidentified Iranian refugee in the cover photo represents an archetypal victim in need of rescue on Nauru. This cover photo attempts to allow the despair and suffering experienced by the refugees to enter its audience in order to make the audience feel responsible for the refugees on Nauru, and compels the audience to feel sorrow for those refugees. The generated responsibility and sorrow may gather support from the audience for urging the Australian and Nauru Governments to stop abusing those …show more content…
Among these refugees, there are refugees who suffered from self-harming attempts and survived. At the same time, there are refugees that observed how other proximate refugees conducted self-harming activities. A Pakistani refugee tried to kill himself by drinking washing liquid and he said that he would rather die than continue living on Nauru. Simultaneously, he also knew that his refugee friend on Nauru died from setting himself on fire and he could not believe that his friend appearing to be optimistic and kind would commit suicide as well. He represents as a subject of victim suffering from the life of torture at the Nauru detention centres. Through victim subjectification, Island of Despair sought to persuade its audience to believe how vicious and inconsiderate the Australian Government has been in the treatment of its refugees, and the extent of maltreatment was so great that it triggered multiple and continuous self-harming incidents on Nauru. This aims at stimulating the audience’s sympathy and moral responsibility for these self-harming refugees, and inspiring people to urge the Australian Government to set its refugees
This essay analyses how the Island of Despair report produces, defines, and legitimates responsibility. In doing so, it explores how various textual, formal and aesthetic strategies in the report are adopted to shape and address the issue of responsibility. Island of Despair was published by Amnesty International, which declared itself to be independent of any government, political, ideology, economic interest or religion. Amnesty International attempted to portray itself as a neutral institution of truth-telling and to create an impression that the information contained in Island of Despair is credible and reliable. This establishes a trustworthy atmosphere and encourages its audience to accept that all allegations regarding …show more content…
The refugee is facing back at the camera, and is looking down at the ground. His gesture signifies his despair and hopelessness. The escalating altitude of the dilapidated rocks in front of the refugee further highlights the adverse and severe situations faced by refugees. The phrase “Australia’s processing of refugees” then suggests that Australia is responsible for the suffering of refugees on Nauru. In accordance with the visual rhetoric analysis of Hesford, the unidentified Iranian refugee in the cover photo represents an archetypal victim in need of rescue on Nauru. This cover photo attempts to allow the despair and suffering experienced by the refugees to enter its audience in order to make the audience feel responsible for the refugees on Nauru, and compels the audience to feel sorrow for those refugees. The generated responsibility and sorrow may gather support from the audience for urging the Australian and Nauru Governments to stop abusing those …show more content…
Among these refugees, there are refugees who suffered from self-harming attempts and survived. At the same time, there are refugees that observed how other proximate refugees conducted self-harming activities. A Pakistani refugee tried to kill himself by drinking washing liquid and he said that he would rather die than continue living on Nauru. Simultaneously, he also knew that his refugee friend on Nauru died from setting himself on fire and he could not believe that his friend appearing to be optimistic and kind would commit suicide as well. He represents as a subject of victim suffering from the life of torture at the Nauru detention centres. Through victim subjectification, Island of Despair sought to persuade its audience to believe how vicious and inconsiderate the Australian Government has been in the treatment of its refugees, and the extent of maltreatment was so great that it triggered multiple and continuous self-harming incidents on Nauru. This aims at stimulating the audience’s sympathy and moral responsibility for these self-harming refugees, and inspiring people to urge the Australian Government to set its refugees