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Linsey Whipple
Emily Litle
ENG121001
7 March 2021
Hope and Strength in All of Us
The Olympics and Paralympics are combinations of a variety of athletes from all around
the world. These athletes are respected, inspirational, and hardworking. The main purpose of the
Olympics and Paralympics is for not only athletes but people in general to come together to
appreciate sports. The games contribute to world peace by bringing people of all cultures
together by sports, from the athletes competing to people watching from their homes. Being an
athlete competing in events must demonstrate many traits and attributes such as determination,
respect, hard work, as well as control of their bodies and minds. The advertisement promoting
the Olympics and Paralympics displays all the above, using a Paralympic athlete born in Siberia,
adopted into an American family, and worked diligently to get where she is today. The Olympics
and Paralympics games teach today's youth that multiple skills translate over from sports to the
real world.
In this commercial promoting the Olympics and Paralympics, stars Paralympic thirteen
time gold medalist swimmer, Jessica Long. In the beginning Jessica is in a large body of water
with darkness surrounding her, she begins to swim. Then, alone at a desk, there is a woman from
an adoption agency. With an unhopeful tone the woman says there is a baby girl that is ready for
adoption. Soon after Jessica swims into a nursery where Jessica sees herself as a baby. As she
swims past the nursery it begins to snow as the adoption operator says she is from Siberia. Also
adding that Jessica was born with a rare condition and that her legs will need to be amputated,
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the adoption operator says in a distressed tone as if she knows most people don’t want a child
with this type of birth defect. A bright room with orange, blues, and pinks shows the Long family
room. Where Jessica around the age of two or three appears walking with prosthetic legs and
crutches. Her mother is shown on the couch smiling and cheering for her.
Jessica continues to swim into a locker room where she is seen around the age of twelve
years old. The single yellow light shines upon Jessica as she is sitting down with her swimsuit
on, as she looks at herself in a full body mirror. As she is looking at herself, she slowly places
her goggles over her eyes. Then she places both of her hands on her hips and lifts her chest as if
she is posing. I believe at this moment she was proud of who she was and is becoming. During
this scene the woman from the adoption agency says “I know this is difficult to hear. Her life
won’t be easy.” Assuming her disability is a tragedy to her and this family adopting her. But it
was anything but a tragedy. As the twelve-year-old Jessica dives into the pool, the current day
Jessica swims horizontally past herself. I believe this scene represents when her goal to become a
Paralympic swimmer began.
The camera then shifts to a first person view of Jessica swimming. Her head in and out of
the water. Each time she goes up for a breath the crowd changes. First, there is a coach which is
walking alongside her, rooting for her to finish. Then, there are a few parents in the stand.
Jessica’s mother and father standing near the pool cheering for her. Finally, a huge crowd
appears with a bright red Toyota sponsor barrier, at Paralympic games. Once Jessica finishes
first, her gaze finds her mother and father in their family kitchen. “It might not be easy, but it’ll
be amazing. I can’t wait to meet her.” her mother gratefully replies as she grabs Jessica’s father’s
hand.
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I noticed many elements containing pathos during this advertisement. I realized the
woman from the adoption agency spoke about her disability as if it was going to ruin her life. As
she was talking to the Long’s she never sounded very hopeful in Jessica’s adoption. Yet Jessica
didn’t let her disability define her, instead she embraced it and became successful. It is very
important for young children to be aware of people with disabilities because most people think of
these kinds of disabilities as unfortunate but people such as Jessica prove them wrong.
Toyota is a sponsor for the games and used Jessica’s story in this commercial to display
ethos. Ninety percent of Toyota’s vehicles will be used at the Tokyo 2020 games in efforts to
lower the pollution rate of any official motor vehicles used. Toyota also supports the games
operations with other companies, including the Sora Fuel Cell bus, assisting vehicles that help
lift passengers to their seats and are designed with an attached slope to enable wheelchair
passengers to access the vehicle through the back door. With this knowledge of Toyota’s
commitment in providing automobiles that are not as harmful to the environment and support for
people with disabilities by creating handicap accessible vehicles, more people are willing to
support the company.
The audience is able to notice logos in this commercial by the chronological order of
Jessica’s life. From Jessica’s birth, her younger years when she first found her passion for
swimming, and now to her successes in the Paralympic games. The adoption center employee
informs the audience of Jessica’s adversity. The audience is able to recognize Jessica’s rare
condition which caused her legs to be amputated. During the remainder of the advertisement the
audience acknowledges her passion and success.
Throughout this commercial the audience is able to see that most of these athletes had to
overcome struggle and hardships but their determination and tenacity to achieve their goals got
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them to where they are today. Which is necessary for children and young adults to understand
because most don’t realize that they have to work hard to earn their accomplishments. Not only
does this commercial but also the Olympic and Paralympic games teaches many children and
young adults that one will succeed with drive and determination.

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Whipple 1

Hope and Strength in All of Us

Paralympic swimmer began.

support the company.

audience acknowledges her passion and success.

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