Just as the boldfaced words express, the visual elements in this image work to convince viewers that water correlates directly with life on Earth. The image further suggests that there is an urgent shortage of water on Earth, and thus life itself is threatened. Many people don't care to take action to stop this wastefulness, so images like this are necessary. The author wants viewers to share his concern of this crisis and work to conserve water. The author uses elements such as color, shape, and repetition to portray a metaphor that links a fish in a bowl to human life on Earth.

At first glance, the simplicity of it brings us a sense of serenity and calmness. With little on the page to look at, the eye immediately focuses on the main subject of the poster: the fish. Its bright gold and orange colored scales draw the viewer's attention to the creature immediately, as he is the only colored object in the image. His vivid, energizing color may also serve to represent vigor, and life itself. The fish bowl is circular, imitating the globe. According to the same logic, the fish in the tank represents all life on earth. To connect life on earth to the existence of water, the image uses this metaphor of the fish in a tank. Fish need the oxygen in the water to survive, without this water, the fish will cease to live. In this argument where the fish represents life on earth, we are led to believe that all life on earth needs water to survive. This is, in actuality, a true statement. Most, if not all living things, require water to survive. While all living things aren't fish, and don't use water in the same ways that fish do, the principle holds true that water is a necessity for life.

Now that we are aware of the metaphor of the fish and its need for water, the image's details go on to outline a global issue. The tank's water level is dangerously low, signifying the imminent emptiness of the bowl, and soon after, the death of the fish. Action is needed immediately, as so much damage has already been done. How does a low water level connect to a global water depletion issue?  If we revert back to the metaphor, we find the answer. The tank, in its spherical shape is a representation of the world, and the fish, all living things in the world. If our global water supply really is disappearing, we are sure to run out completely at some point. If this happens, we face a serious threat to life on Earth. As with the fish's scenario, this situation calls for immediate attention and manageable solutions to change wasteful behavior.

Water waste is a serious and real threat. The valve, or faucet depicted in the image is steadily leaking water from the fish tank. It is a visual representation of the everyday waste of water. From this steady drip, a puddle of water is forming on the surface of the table, signifying copious amounts of water being wasted. This water in the puddle is not being used, and is thus a senseless waste of water. This water, that if not wasted, could have kept the fish in the tank alive. The goldfish is arguably one of the least intelligent animals in the world, and yet he still acknowledges the harm being done: it seems the author wants us to believe that the fish is aware of his imminent death if the water waste continues. As a result, the image is meant to instill a sense of guilt in the viewer. His only necessity for life is being taken from him, only to be wasted by some entity on the outside, who controls his right to live.

This brings us to this image's goal, which is to persuade the viewer to stop wasting water. While there is a sense of guilt in harming this fish, there is in fact, a much larger impact. The words in the image reiterate this; "save water. save life." Notice that the word 'life' is not plural, suggesting the author only meant to address the fish's life. However, you may also connect this to our established metaphor, and consider 'life' as a reference to all life on Earth. The use of periods and capitalization in the phrase make the message come across as urgent.  No longer are you being requested to save water, but now ordered to, as the periods provide such an insistent tone. The author also employs repetition, repeating the word "save". This repetition again gives the words a more serious connotation. The definition of the word "save", as defined by Dictionary.com, includes "to rescue from danger or possible harm, or loss, to keep safe, preserve, to avoid the consumption, or waste of, to keep, as for reuse, to treat carefully". This definition, if we relate it back to saving water, paints water as a delicate, and valuable thing that should be protected and saved, not wasted. The use of the word "save" helps to back up the message laid out for the viewer with the visual images.

The color gradation is also a notable aspect of this image. The white on the side where the fish is, draws the eye's attention to the fish. The white surrounding the fish makes him seems pure, good, innocent, and peaceful, as the color white typically represents. On the contrary, the side opposite is dark and gloomy. The darkness is on the side of the image where a person might stand in order to run the tap. Darker colors convey danger, fear, and a certain heaviness. As we see the dark colors in relation to the problem being addressed, they bring a sense of severity, and imminent danger to the issue. This color juxtaposition forms a connection between the person wasting water as being dark, villainous, and problematic, and water as light, sacred, and life-encompassing.

Looking at the image, the viewer has a clear sight of the tap, and seemingly, the ability to loosen the tap if it were possible to reach into the image.  Here, the author is suggesting that everyone, is responsible for wasting water. Moreover, everyone is responsible for saving lives. Instilling this sense of guilt in the viewer is exactly the author's goal in creating this image. With guilt, the viewer is more likely to take action on the water crisis being depicted with this analogy of the fish bowl.
