Interpretation of The Personal Perception of The Cove

Entering the Classroom

As I walked into my final class of the day, I noticed the lights were dimmed. I instantly grew excited, as I knew that signified we were going to watch a movie. Although I had no idea what the movie consisted of, anything beats an hour and fifty minutes of taking notes from a Marine Biology PowerPoint presentation. I walked to my assigned seat, which was located at the front center of the classroom. I guess being a chatterbox my senior year of high school caused most of my assigned seats to be located in the front of the classroom. As I waited patiently for the last bell to ring, I saw my best friend walk in. I smiled to myself because I noticed the look on her face when she also realized what the plan for today’s class was. Of course, her assigned seat was as far away from me as possible since she can also be quite a chatterbox.

Introduction to "The Cove"

When the final bell rang, my professor walked in and immediately grabbed the attendance sheet. I couldn’t tell you if he had a nice smile because he was always so serious. After jotting down whoever was absent, he began to inform us about the documentary we were going to watch for the day. He told us that it involved dolphins and at parts, it could be pretty graphic. He added that we were welcome to step out of the classroom if we felt the need. I immediately felt concerned because, as a huge animal lover, I can barely stand the animal abuse TV commercials. He then announced the title of this graphic documentary, The Cove (Psihoyos, 2009).

Revelations and Betrayal

As the documentary was thirty minutes in, my head felt like it was about to explode due to all the information that had just flooded it. I felt like I was betrayed. Betrayed because something I once loved as a kid was a complete lie. Growing up, the TV series Flipper was one of my favorites. I love all types of animals, but marine animals have always fascinated me, hence the marine biology class I was currently in. Flipper was a TV series about a boy and his pet dolphin. I loved the show because I thought it was unbelievable the tricks this brilliant dolphin could perform. I was always curious as to how they got a sea creature to achieve these magnificent actions. Turns out, the TV series wasn’t as simple as a 15-year-old boy and his pet dolphin.

Ric O’Barry’s Transformation

A man named Ric O’Barry is talking to the camera and begins to explain how he feels responsible for the truth behind what’s really happening to these dolphins. He begins with a line I don’t yet understand but won’t ever forget, “A dolphin's smile is nature's greatest deception” (O'Barry, as cited in Psihoyos, 2009). He began his career as a capturer and trainer of the dolphins used in Flipper. He was studying dolphins and their behavior. Sooner or later, he became attached to them. Training captive dolphins wasn’t just his job anymore. He truly loved and cared for them; they were his passion. So the day one of the Flipper dolphins committed suicide in his arms, it completely changed his life around. He saw what holding these beautiful marine animals captive did to them. He feels responsible because Flipper is what began the multi-billion-dollar industry such as SeaWorld (Hargrove, 2014).

Confronting the Horrors

As I continued to watch the documentary, I debated whether to step out or not. It began to show how aquariums go about capturing dolphins. It is unbelievable how humans can be capable of such horror. My stomach felt sick and tears began to fill my eyes as I watched boats crowding around a family of dolphins. These boats each had a metal rod in the water. They banged the rod with a hammer to make a sharp loud noise underwater. This noise stresses out the dolphins and makes them easier to catch. I can’t help but feel anger towards these men that are about to steal the freedom of these innocent dolphins. The men have to be picky about which dolphins to choose because the younger the dolphin, the more money it will sell for. As soon as they began to show what happens to the dolphins that don’t get sold, I basically ran out the door.

Reflection and Awareness

I am now sitting outside the classroom with puffy eyes. A million thoughts are crossing my mind. Once you are exposed to some of the horrors in life, you realize how naïve you can be at times. As upsetting as this documentary is, it is nothing but reality. It is the truth behind closed curtains. We see dolphins jumping through hoops at aquariums, and we all smile. Ric O’Barry made it his mission for everyone around the world to be informed with the truth about these industries. He started a dolphin project, which is a group that aims to educate the public about the captivity of dolphins (Dolphin Project, n.d.). He never stopped caring for these animals and is devoted to saving as many as he can. He started his career building an industry that, for the rest of his life, he will try to destroy.

References

• Dolphin Project. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved from https://www.dolphinproject.com/about-us
• Hargrove, J. (2014). Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish. St. Martin's Press.
• Psihoyos, L. (Director). (2009). The Cove [Film]. Lionsgate.