Joey Benevento

Marc Bousquet
English 212
October 6, 2014
On the Use of Melora!atic "hetoric to #ncrease
the $!erican Mar%et for $sian &ar' Meat
(ilver an bighea car', belonging to the genus Hypophthalmichthys, are fresh)ater fish
native to eastern $sia, an are often referre to collectively as *$sian car'+, -hey are !e!bers
of the fa!ily &y'riniae, also %no)n as the !inno) fa!ily, but unli%e !any !inno)s, they are
not s!all fish, an usually reach a length of at least t)o feet )hen fully gro)n+ -hey are highly
s'eciali.e filter feeers, an catch tiny 'lan%ton by 'u!'ing )ater through a s'onge/li%e
a''aratus in their gill region+ -hey )ere both introuce into the Unite (tates in the 1010s to
control algae in fish far!s, but both esca'e soon after into )il )ater)ays+ (ince then they
have s'rea throughout !ost of the Mississi''i "iver basin, an can be foun in the Mississi''i,
Missouri, Ohio an #llinois rivers, in !any of their tributaries, an in !an/!ae reservoirs+
-hey are re!ar%ably abunant in !uch of their introuce range, an in so!e locations they
co!'rise !ore than half of the total fish 'o'ulation 2(ass, 13 4arvey, 25+
$sian car' see! to be essentially unani!ously acce'te as har!ful, angerous, invasive
s'ecies+ $ lengthy 'lan for their control 'ublishe in 2001 concees that *the 'otential averse
effects of $sian car's are 'oorly unerstoo,, but asserts that *reucing the abunance of feral
'o'ulations is li%ely to benefit native s'ecies an syste!s, 2&onover et+ al+, vii5+ $ co!'arable
re'ort fro! 2014, )ith a 'articular focus on %ee'ing $sian car' fro! beco!ing establishe in
the 4reat 6a%es, says that *the ecological an econo!ic a!age in the Mississi''i )atershe
that follo)e the bighea an silver car' invasion, fore)arns the a!age $sian car' coul o in
the 4reat 6a%es 2#llinois 7e'art!ent of 8atural "esources et al., 95+ #t goes on to e:'lain ho)
$sian car', )ith their efficient filter/feeing, fast re'rouction an gro)th, an tolerance for a
)ie range of te!'eratures, are ca'able of isru'ting the foo )eb, outco!'eting native s'ecies
for nutrients 29/45, an thereby a!aging co!!ercial an recreational fishing inustries 265+ #t
also !entions the anger silver car', )hich lea' high out of the )ater )hen startle, can 'ose to
boaters 265+ -he threats 'ose by $sian car' are clearly ta%en seriously, as the U+(+ $r!y &or's
of Engineers !aintains electric barriers to %ee' $sian car' fro! entering the 4reat 6a%es
through the &hicago (anitary an (hi' &anal, an in 2010 *co!'lete a 19/!ile 'hysical
barricae intene to 'revent $sian car' fro! by'assing the electrical barriers uring floos an
heavy rainstor!s, 2&raig5+
-here is absolutely no nee, then, for !e to argue that reucing silver car' 'o'ulations
)oul be esirable, both for the sa%e of reucing the ris% of their entering the 4reat 6a%es an
for the sa%e of allo)ing the Mississi''i )atershe to recover+ -here is no nee, either, for !e to
brainstor! strategies for cutting o)n their nu!bers;'lenty of those have alreay been
suggeste+ -he 2001 'lan !entione in the 'revious 'aragra'h 'ro'ose *nine 'otential
strategies to eraicate or reuce, $sian car' 'o'ulations, ranging fro! releasing a car'/%illing
isease to 'oisoning the )ater 2&onover, vii5+ Of 'articular interest to !e, though, is the
suggestion to *increase co!!ercial harvest of $sian car's,, an, as 'art of the effort to o so,
*create ne) !ar%ets for the!, 2:vi5+ -he 'lan later e:'lains that *!ar%ets for $sian car's in the
Unite states are currently fe) an li!ite to 'ri!arily ethnic !ar%ets, 2<95+
$ ifferent 'a'er fro! 2012 focuses al!ost e:clusively on the 'ros'ect of reucing $sian
car' 'o'ulations in one 'articular river through co!!ercial fishing, saying that
*car' ensities an bio!ass in the #llinois "iver are high, but relative to !a=or fisheries
an aquaculture 'rouction of the )orl 2e+g+, 1+4 billion 'ouns of silver car' alone5 are
)ell s!aller than those in fisheries that have colla'se, incluing the one in the s'ecies>
native ?angt.e "iver,, 24arvey et+ al+, 95
'ointing out si!ultaneously the ability of co!!ercial fishing to eci!ate a 'o'ulation an the
viability of $sian car' as a foo fish+ @o)ever, the 'a'er also inicates that the !ar%et for $sian
car' in the U+(+ has not !uch i!'rove since the 2001 'a'er )as )ritten, saying that *successful
fishing requires an incentive on behalf of co!!ercial fishers an 'rocessors, because e!an
an selling 'rice are currently very lo), 245+ -he 2014 re'ort !entione earlier also brings u'
co!!ercial fishing as a viable control !easure, but see!s even less o'ti!istic about the !ar%et,
saying )ith a''arent hesitation that *there is a 'otential that $sian car' coul be use as a
hu!an foo source, 2#llinois 7e'art!ent of 8atural "esources et+ al+, <A5+
Everyone see!s to agree that $sian car' 'o'ulations shoul be reuce, an that
co!!ercial fishing )oul be an effective !etho of oing so+ Borl)ie, $sian car' are eaten
by the billions of 'ouns+ ?et the fro.en sections of $!erican grocery stores, stoc%e )ith far!/
raise catfish an tila'ia, in aition to e:'ensive sal!on, co, flouner an tuna scra'e fro!
the botto! of )inling )il 'o'ulations, never inclue $sian car'+ #t )oul see! a 'rouctive
ste', then, to eter!ine a )ay to 'ersuae $!ericans to overco!e their a''arent 're=uice
against car' !eat an give it a try+ # believe that it )oul be 'ossible to o so by using
!elora!atic rhetoric to cast silver an bighea car' as villains )ho victi!i.e both native fish
s'ecies an 'eo'le )ho e'en on rivers an la%es for recreation or e!'loy!ent+ #f 'eo'le sa)
$sian car' as a villain, then they coul see the!selves as heroic si!'ly for 'urchasing an
eating a lo)/cost, 'erfectly goo foo fish+ More s'ecifically, # believe that an entertaining
ocu!entary about the $sian car' invasion of $!erica coul reach an 'ersuae enough 'eo'le
to bring $sian car' into the U+(+ !ar%et+
One 'ro!inent an oft/!entione feature of !elora!a is its use of the *victi!/hero+,
8o)ell/(!ith says the 'rotagonist of a !elora!a is a *'assive or i!'otent hero or heroine,,
)ho, if not fe!ale, is fe!ini.e 28o)ell/(!ith, 1025, )hile Billia!s says that !elora!a
*nees a victi! )hose visible suffering trans!utes into a 'roof of virtue, 2Billia!s, 205+ One
obvious caniate for the role of fe!ini.e victi!/hero in a !elora!atic ocu!entary about
$sian car' )oul be the s!all, hel'less 'lan%ton/feeing fish that car' outco!'ete for foo+ #t
!ay not soun feasible to !a%e the suffering of a starving fish *visible,//their facial e:'ressions
never really change !uch+ @o)ever, $n%er 'oints out that *)hen souns an i!ages are
'rouce at the sa!e ti!e on screen, they beco!e reflective of each other an beco!e fuse into
a ne) )hole,, carrying a !eaning that neither of the! coul have conveye se'arately 2$n%er,
215+ -hus, if a voice/over e:'lanation of the $sian car'Cs ability to outco!'ete native s'ecies
)ere acco!'anie, for e:a!'le, by an i!age of so!e s!all gi..ar sha e:iting the ca!era shot
to !a%e )ay for a school of bighea car', the unifie i!'ression )oul be create that $sian
car' are 'o)erful bullies against )ho! native fish are hel'less to efen the!selves+
$n even !ore useful victi!/hero to 'ortray, though, )oul be the 'eo'le )ho have been
affecte by the silver car' invasion+ #ntervie)s coul be hel )ith co!!ercial fisher!en )ho
have been force to quit ue to losses in catfish an buffalo;<0 'ercent of the fleet in one
region 2(har'5//an )ith 'eo'le )ho have suffere in=uries li%e *bro%en =a)s, noses, ribs, ar!s
an legs, 2(har'5 at the hans of =u!'ing silver car'+ Dersonal, firsthan accounts of suffering
)oul invo%e the 'athos essential to successful !elora!a+ -he ocu!entary coul 'ersuae its
vie)ers to feel sorry for a fe) s'ecific 'eo'le )ho have been affecte aversely by $sian car',
an then guie the! to generali.e their 'athos for those fe) 'eo'le to the general 'o'ulation of
those )ho live an fish an have their being aroun $!ericaCs )ater)ays+
-hat is not to say that the ocu!entary )oul ai! to !a%e anyboy cry+ Many
iscussions of !elora!a begin by 'ointing out ho) !elora!a is so often scoffe at, is!isse
as *si!ultaneously heightene an hy'erbolic, flat an )ooen, 24ill!an, 45, or as *)hat
vulgar, naEve auiences of yesteryear thrille to, 2Billia!s, 115+ -herefore, it )oul be
unesirable to !a%e the re'resentation of fish an 'eo'le har!e by $sian car' so 'athetic an
so e!otional that auiences )oul laugh it off as *!elora!atic+, #nstea, it )oul be ieal for
the ocu!entary to see! !ostly ai!e at entertain!ent, an for its anti/car' !essage to see!, if
still fairly e:'licit, seconary to the concern of !a%ing an en=oyable !ovie+
Ma%ing an entertaining, 'o'ular fil! about an invasive s'ecies !ay soun li%e a nearly
i!'ossible tas%, but only to those unfa!iliar )ith Mar% 6e)isCs Cane Toads: An Unnatural
History, a highly successful 10<< $ustralian ocu!entary. -he fil! iscusses the invasion of
cane toas in $ustralia, an !aintains a largely co!ic tone+ #t alternates intervie)s of colorful
characters such as a stoner )ho uses toa 'oison as a 'sycheelic rug, an ol !an )ho li%es to
)atch the toas !ate, an a s!all girl )ho %ee's an enor!ous 'et toa na!e 7airy Fueen,
)ith scenes that focus !ore irectly on the toas, an 'ortray the! as ravenous an se:/cra.e+
$ ocu!entary about $sian car' coul )or% si!ilarly, an still subtly !aintain a !elora!atic
rhetoric+ #t coul see% out strange an interesting 'eo'le )ith a!using things to say about $sian
car', an si!ultaneously !a%e sure that so!e of the 'eo'le reveale ho) car' )ere causing
the! har!+ #t coul give hu!orous 'ortrayals of the silver car'Cs =u!'ing antics an of its
s'a)ning 'ractices, )hich involve a nu!ber of !ales =oc%eying for 'osition to fertili.e the
!illions of eggs a fe!ale can release, yet !a%e sure that its auiences connect the =u!'ing an
'rolific re'rouction )ith angers to boaters an native fish s'ecies+
#f the !ovie achieve the sa!e success as Cane Toads, then the !any 'eo'le )ho
)atche it together )oul for! the sort of grou's that "anall &ollins argues are essential to
successful social !ove!ents+ &ollins says that the e!otional yna!ics that efine social
!ove!ents are set in !otion by situations of *high ritual ensity,, for )hich he says there are
three *ingreients, 22<5+ @e first !entions *the 'hysical asse!bly of 'eo'le, 22<5, )hich )oul
occur )hen 'eo'le gathere in a theater, a ho!e, or a classroo! to )atch the !ovie, an secon
!entions a *share focus of attention, 22<5, )hich )oul be, of course, the funny !ovie that
everyboy )as )atching+ @is thir criterion is that *the focus of attention beco!es a !utual
focus of attention,, an that 'eo'le beco!e a)are that they are all intereste in the sa!e thing
22<5+ -hat )as certainly the case )hen !y high school biology class )atche Cane Toads, as !y
friens an # quote funny lines fro! the intervie)s to each other for !onths after)ar+ #eally,
a ocu!entary about $sian car' )oul be si!ilarly ca'able of holing a grou'Cs focus+
#solating &ollinsCs three criteria for *high ritual ensity, grossly oversi!'lifies his
stan'oint regaring the i!'ortance of e!otional yna!ics, an it is unli%ely that he intene
his analysis of large/scale social !ove!ents an revolutions to be a''lie to an issue as
co!'aratively s!all as 'ersuaing 'eo'le to buy $sian car' !eat+ @o)ever, it is easy to
i!agine ho) a !e!ber of a grou' of friens that ha )atche the ocu!entary together an that
fit the criteria he escribes, if he or she encountere $sian car' in a grocery store, !ight buy it
=ust for the sa%e of getting to say to his or her friensG *guess )hat # bought at the store toay+,
-he friens )oul then 'robably res'on )ith interest, as%ing )hat it cost an )hether it )as
goo+ #f $sian car' 'rove as 'leasing to $!erican consu!ers as they have to other !ar%ets,
then, there )oul soon be large nu!bers of 'eo'le )illing to buy the!+
-he grou' !entality escribe by &ollins fits naturally )ith !elora!a, )hich 4eroul
calls a *e!ocratic genre of 'o'ular art, esigne for large !ass auiences, 2<5+ @o)ever, if the
ocu!entary )ere eft enough in its control of !elora!atic rhetoric, then it )oul be ca'able
of inciting to action even so!e 'eo'le )ho vie)e it alone+ $n%er says that !elora!as shoul
contain *the three characters of a ruthless villain, a suffering victi!, an a heroic savior )ho can
reee! the victi!Cs virtue through an act of retribution, 2245 an this 'a'er has alreay
e:'laine ho) car' coul be 'ortraye as a villain, )hile both native fish an fisher!en coul be
sho)n as victi!s+ -he thir %ey role, then, )oul be that of a hero )ho coul 'unish the $sian
car' for their eviloing an rescue all of their innocent victi!s+ # believe that such a role coul
be fairly si!'ly 'lace on the shoulers of the vie)ers of the ocu!entary the!selves+
8ear the en of the fil!, )hen, if all has gone )ell, the vie)ers are both thoroughly
engage an thoroughly convince that the $sian car' !ust be sto''e, the fil! coul lay out
very si!'ly a 'lan for sto''ing the!+ -hrough the voice/over an 'erha's intervie)s )ith so!e
e:'erts, it coul convey an argu!ent along the lines of the follo)ingG *$sian car' coul be
ra!atically reuce by co!!ercial fishing, an have been in other countries+ @o)ever,
$!erican co!!ercial fisher!en are reluctant to 'ursue the! because $!ericans see! un)illing
to 'urchase their !eat+ -herefore, if $sian car' are to be sto''e, $!ericans !ust start buying
an eating the!+, $ing 'erha's an intervie) )ith a chef li%e 7avi 7ra'er, )ho asserts that
$sian car' are *not only eible, but also elicious, 27ra'er5, the fil! coul convince its vie)ers
that it )oul be easy an even en=oyable to beco!e the saviors of the fish an the 'eo'le )ho
frequent $!ericaCs rivers an la%es+
-here is not s'ace in this 'a'er to e:a!ine )ho s'ecifically )oul be intereste in
'roucing a !elora!atic ocu!entary on $sian car', nor is there s'ace to e:a!ine ho)
quic%ly or s!oothly 'o'ular e!an for car' !eat )oul translate to increase co!!ercial
fishing+ @o)ever, the belief that increase e!an for $sian car' !eat in the Unite (tates
)oul hel' ecrease the car' 'o'ulation is longstaning an )ell su''orte+ Hurther!ore, the
scholarshi' arguing for the )ie/reaching 'ersuasive 'o)er of !elora!a is e:tensive+ (ince
invasive $sian car' len the!selves so )ell to the role of a ruthless villain, then, as they overrun
the nation in huge nu!bers, ta%e foo fro! the !ouths of both native fish an local fisher!en,
an cause 'hysical in=ury to innocent recreational boaters, it see!s only natural to use a
!elora!atic rhetoric to call for their 'unish!ent+ &o!bine the naturally villainous nature of
the $sian car' )ith 'athos/invo%ing firsthan accounts of suffering an the !ulti/sensory a''eal
of fil!, an you shoul have quite a 'ersuasive 'iece;one )hich coul contribute to the ecline
of t)o e:tre!ely estructive invasive s'ecies+
Bor%s &ite
$n%er, Elisabeth+ IJillains, Jicti!s an @eroesG Melora!a, Meia, an (e'te!ber 11+I
Journal of Communication AA+1 2200A5G 22/91+ Marc Bousquet Enlish !"! #all !$"%
&ylla'us. Beb+ 24 (e't+ 2014+
&ollins, "anall+ *(ocial Move!ents an the Hocus of E!otional $ttention+, (assionate
(olitics: Emotions and &ocial Mo)ements. E+ Jeff 4oo)in, Ja!es M+ Jas'er, an
Hrancesca Dolletta+ &hicagoG University of &hicago Dress, 2001+ Emory *nline Course
+eser)es. Beb+ 21 (e't+ 2014+
&onover, 4+, "+ (i!!ons an M+ Bhalen, Eitors+ Manaement and control plan for 'ihead,
'lac,, rass and sil)er carps in the United &tates+ $sian &ar' Bor%ing 4rou', $quatic
8uisance ('ecies -as% Horce, Bashington, 7+&+, 2001+ Emory -i'raries and
.nformation Technoloy. Beb+ 24 (e't+ 2014+
&raig, "obin Kunis+ *$sian &ar' an the 4reat 6a%esG Bhen is irre'arable har! Cli%elyC an
Ci!!inentC enoughL, Trends. /"01120034 42+4 220115G 1/14+ Academic &earch Complete+
Beb+ 9 Oct+ 2014+
7ra'er, 7avi+ *@o) to Hillet $sian &ar'+, The 5ild Chef. Hiel an (trea!, 2A Mar+ 2019+
Beb+ A Oct+ 2014+
4arvey, Ja!es E+ et al+ *Hishing 7o)n the Bighea an (ilver &ar'sG "eucing the "is% of
#nvasion to the 4reat 6a%es+, AsianCarp.us. $sian &ar' "egional &oorinating
&o!!ittee, 2012+ Beb+ 9 Oct+ 2014+
4eroul, 7aniel &+ I-he $!ericani.ation of Melora!a+I American Melodrama+ 8e) ?or%
&ityG Derfor!ing $rts Journal Dublications, 10<9+ Drint+
4ill!an, (usan Kay+ Blood Tal,: American +ace Melodrama and the Culture of the *ccult+
&hicagoG U of &hicago, 2009+ Drint+
#llinois 7e'art!ent of 8atural "esources, et al+ Asian Carp Control &tratey #rame6or,.
AsianCarp.us. $sian &ar' "egional &oorinating &o!!ittee, 2014+ Beb+ 9 October
2014+
8o)ell/(!ith, 4eoffrey+ *Minelli an Melora!a+, Mo)ies and Methods: An Antholoy. E+ Bill
8ichols+ 6os $ngeles, University of &alifornia Dress, 10<A+ Emory *nline Course
+eser)es. Beb+ 21 (e't+ 2014+
(ass, 4reg 4+, -ha "+ &oo%, Kevin (+ #rons, Michael $+ Mcclellan, 8erissa 8+ Michaels, -+
Matthe) O>@ara, an Matthe) "+ (troub+ I$ Mar%/reca'ture Do'ulation Esti!ate for
#nvasive (ilver &ar' 2@y'o'hthal!ichthys Molitri:5 in the 6a 4range "each, #llinois
"iver+I Bioloical .n)asions 12+9 220105G 499/96+ E'sco Host+ Beb+ 21 (e't+ 2014+
(har', Eric+ *$lien #nvasion a 4reat 6a%es 7ile!!a+, 7ational 5ildlife. 8ational Billife
Heeration, 1 $ug+ 2001+ Beb+ 4 Oct+ 2014+