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Writing in this case is no different from writing where a verbal stimulus is given. The only difference is that, here you have to take ideas from a photograph, picture, sketch or graph. Here too, you could get varied writing exercises like: letter to the Editor, report writing, debate script, article, personal letter, etc. Remember to follow the steps of effective writing.
Example
Some friends were casually flipping through the daily newspaper and saw the picture shown above along with the caption. This sets off a debate among them whether animals should be used in circuses. Some felt that it was fun to watch the antics of animals. Others felt that it was a form of cruelty to animals. What do you feel? Write out a debate script on the topic, 'Animals Should Not Be Used In Circuses', using your own ideas and those from the visual.
Model Answer
I strongly feel that animals should not be used in circuses. These animals are not there for our entertainment. It is only our sense of superiority and lack of feeling for other living creatures that makes us enjoy these cheap forms of entertainment. Making tigers and lions jump through rings of fire and elephants ride tiny bicycles is violating their rights and stripping them of their dignity. Just place yourself in their position for a minute and you will realize what a torture it is. Dancing, jumping and such antics don't come naturally to them. They are trained using steel whips, red-hot iron, electric shock etc. How then can we allow these animals to be used in circuses?
The cages where all these animals are kept are filthy and grimy. Moreover, these cages are so small that the animals cannot even stretch themselves. But how do these animals survive in these cages for years? They don't. The circus owners play a trick. If they have been granted a license for two animals, they invariably have many more than that to make up for frequent deaths in captivity. In reality, all these animals suffer from diseases and malnutrition. Chains leave them with permanent leg injuries and many become lame. Their skin is dull and lifeless, the original sheen and colour is lost. Knowing all this, should we still enjoy watching a Macan turn wheels with its beak, or bears whiz past on motorcycles in a circus? No, certainly not.
In May 2001, the Supreme Court passed a ruling that lions, tigers, monkeys, leopards and bears can no longer be used by circuses for the purpose of exhibition and performance. We must also help to ensure that this ban is implemented properly.Let us boycott circuses where animals are used. Let us make our friends realize that animals too deserve a free life and that they too must be allowed to live in their natural habitats. I am sure my worthy opponents will agree with me that once we have experienced the pleasure of seeing an animal in the wild, we will never enjoy watching a leopard walking on a tight rope.
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