Last Week, a typhoon hit Guiuan,Philippines. It has been said that there hasn't been this much activity since World War II. Now people are left with no homes, no food, no clothing, nothing. There were approximately 100 deaths, which may not seem like a lot, but the territory damages are massive. Everything was destroyed. "Not a single roof was left intact..."(Jacobs).
Although, Jacobs did not witness himself the actual typhoon, he quotes many people who saw it and have nothing now. He also uses many statistics like death rates.
He manages to report the information without making it sound boring. He makes it sound like a story, especially by quoting of people. He also talks about people who are practically helpless like Ms. Bagores. She had neither insurance nor savings to begin with. How was she supposed to send her daughter to school now?
By using people like Ms. Bagores, Jacobs appeals to pathos. He allows the audience to feel bad and want to contribute in helping them. He says, "Elenita Bagores, an unemployed teacher, put on her best face as she and her 15-year-old daughter, Rica, washed out blankets and school clothes in a pail. Behind them sat a pile of lime-green wood that had been their home" (Jacobs). He makes them appear pitiful, hopeless, and lifeless.
This typhoon was indeed one of largest catastrophes in many years. That is why this situation, in general, is so significant. By writing this article, Jacob is able to show how catastrophic this event truly was and the immense amount of damages that are left behind.
Although the typhoon has occurred in the Philippines, Jacobs wants to share the situation with the entire world so that they can help people there. Doctors are needed, and supplies,like food and clothing, are needed. Right now the Philippines has nothing. They need all the help that they can get. And by getting this message through the world, Jacobs is able to convince outside countries to help them.
Andrew Jacobs didn't just re-tell a happening; he told a story. But it wasn't a "once upon a time" type of story. It was a real story and it is still happening today. By using pathos and statistics, Jacobs is able to show the audience that the people in the Philippines are practically ruined and they need help.
"A family in Guiuan outside a makeshift shelter they constructed after their home was destroyed. The town bore the full brunt of Typhoon Haiyan." (Bryan Denton for The New York Times)
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