May 2017 – Paper 1 – Text C and D – Exemplar #3

Both texts explore the link between wealth and happiness. Text C, an opinion column from the “Japan Times” written on the 6^th of January in 2013 responds to the ranking of Japan in the middle of the world happiness levels, according to the new “Gallup Polls”. The text focuses on informing and persuading government and current workers in Japan and loosely the world, to consider their choices/morals and re-evaluate their own life satisfaction in relation to materialistic gain. Text D is a documentation of the first-hand experience of life of the urban poor in London, England documented by American author Jack London in the summer of 1903, he aims to inform potential immigrants to London, Americans or generally the average workman, of the materialistic and superficiality of a workman in an urban environment linking it to the lack of happiness when in this mindset. Both texts similarly aim to inform the people that live in a materialistic society to re-evaluate their choices, however text C provides solutions and uses ethos while text D uses natural imagery and pathos to simply inform.

In contrast, both texts develop their protest from different contexts. Text C responds to scoring low on the Gallup Polls with “Japan ranks somewhere in the middle of world happiness level” by emphasizing the issue of scoring low and comparing it to other countries like that of “Canada/highest college graduation levels” “Qatar the highest income”, by emphasizing its unsatisfactory position on the Gallup Polls, text D on the other hand comes from a personal action to actively comment on the lives of urban poor people. Written in 1907 in the midst of the industrial era of England, Jack does not use specific terms in referring to London but rather universal terms such as “workman” “man”, he does not attach England but rather comments specifically on the issue of life in urban areas as an “Abyss”. In this sense, it differs as Jack does not compare but states his opinion as a fact that “city life is an unnatural life”.

Another contrast is the stylistic features used to develop their purpose to inform or persuade their audiences of the link between happiness and health. Text C mainly does this through ethos. Text C as an opinion column from an online newspaper uses the title “happiest people in the world” to draw the audience in as it is a bold statement leaving the audience questioning who. By doing so, the audience is initially informed of the extreme that they as a country has not achieved. Furthermore, through ethos, text C uses the study of “Jeffrey Sachs, director of Earth Institute of Columbia University” to develop text C’s aim to inform the audience of valuing happiness as a criterion. Furthermore, it refers to “Bhutan’s well-known Gross National Happiness” index. Text C chooses to refer to the index as “well known” to suggest that this knowledge is common putting text C as a smart, intelligent source of news further suggesting that their information is supported. Text D simply informs the audience of the fact that urban life in London is depressing. Jack uses natural imagery to provide a subtle contrast, similarly to that of text D when emphasizing, to provide reason to his opinions. Jack connects urban people’s happiness being “content of the full belly” referring to the one major goal of every animal. Furthermore, he refers to countrymen as “fresh from the soul” implying workmen are grown like plants and harvested to be used. Jack’s natural imagery does not just strike fear into his audience but pity. Through pathos, Jack informs his audience of the urban poor’s lives.

Both texts similarly use the same modality to suggest urgency and certainty in their facts. Text C uses modal verbs such as “should,” “but an essential,” “it does not have” to develop the ethos and certainty that the change they are pushing for is needed. Text C even further comments on solutions and that the changes “should no longer be considered exclusively as individual choices” further developing ethos as Text C comments from a point of certainty and confidence. Text D also similarly does this as a way to ensure what is read is the fact and to further emphasis pathos. Jack mentions the urban poor “are stupid” and “city life of London is utterly unnatural”. Jack further pushes using strong modality verbs to suggest the needed urgency that this type of life is not ideal.

Similarly, both texts suggest an alternative type of life which is happiness focused rather than wealth. Text C does this quite explicitly compared to text D from an ethos approach it is needed. Text D does so because rather than informing it aims to persuade. Text D on the other hand does this subtly through pathos and natural imagery. Jack suggests city life is “unnatural” and by describing loss of “physical stamina are broken” by workman “fresh from the soil” alluding to countrymen who come from London to who seek a better life and ultimately are “broken”. Jack describes the ordinary worker to allow the audience to relate and in turn to suggest a life outside of the city, in natural environments.

In conclusion, both texts explore how broken modern society is both presently and in 1903 by exploring the link between wealth and happiness. Text C responds to the low rating in the Gallup Polls in attempt to change government incentives through ethos and high modality. Text D similarly informs the audience in attempt to subtle suggest a different lifestyle through natural imagery and pathos. Both texts do similarly push for change however text D is explicit while text C is implicit.