Up the Yangtze

The Three Gorges Dam Background: Set against the backdrop of China's Three Gorges Dam project, which aims to harness the power of the Yangtze River to help meet the country's growing need for electricity, Up the Yangtze examines the climate of political and social change in China through the lives of two young people. The project is touted by the government as serving the need for more electricity, while at the same time alleviating the death toll caused when the river floods. But progress is never completely without cost; some two million people, many of them already living in extreme poverty, are being displaced by the dam as the waters rise. Up the Yangtze focuses on two young people whose lives are being shaped by the river. Yu Shui is the daughter of a poor peasant. She dreams of going on to high school, but her family cannot afford to send her. They send Yu Shui to work on one of the tourist boats run by Farewell Cruises, a company that runs luxury cruise tours on the Yangtze River for people who want to catch one last glimpse of the mighty river as it is now, before it's changed forever. We also meet Chen Bo Yu, a spoiled only-child who comes to work on the cruise ship. Your Assignment: You will write a two-page, double-spaced essay about this movie. Include the following topics in your essay: How will this affect the lives of those living along this river? What is the purpose of building such a large dam? What benefits will it provide? What are some of the consequences of building this dam? What were the overall attitudes of the Chinese people toward this project? What were the overall attitudes of the Western tourists on the cruise? Overall, do you think China made the right decision by building the Three Gorges Dam?

Give specific examples from the movie to support your writing. Points: (75pts total) 50pts For addressing all topics, using examples from the movie, good flow and organization. 25pts No grammar and spelling mistakes, correct formatting (1-inch margins, 12-pt font, double spaced)