The Overview
Throughout your day to day lives, you are being persuaded to take sides in some argument. In this particular case, I am referring to the academic definition of argument in which the creator of a text presents a stance/position on a topic and attempts to persuade their audience to consider that perspective. From the advertisements that flood your social media feeds, to the memes you like and share, to the products lining store shelves, our perspectives are constantly being influenced and shaped by more than just written language. Whether they are selling a product or an idea, whether explicit or subtle, rhetoric (the arts of persuasion) is the primary influencer in how we read and respond to these texts.
The first formal essay of the semester will be focused on developing your understanding of how rhetoric works in relation to forms of argument that have become more popular in our day to day lives. Rather than limit our analyses to written texts (which are not the only genre that arguments are presented in), we will expand our options to look at a selection of different multimodal arguments. Multimodality is, in short, the combination of different mediums to create a singular “text.” While this might be a new term for some of you, I can assure you that you have a lot more familiarity with multimodality than you might think. In this particular case, the arguments we will be working with will involve language (written and spoken), audio, and visuals. And it is through the combination of all of these mediums together that create a more substantive practice in understanding rhetoric.
To complete this essay progression, you will be watching/reading a selection of arguments that involve a combination of mediums. After reading and discussing each of these arguments, you will eventually focus on one for an analysis. You will also be reading several supplementary articles to help you understand both the rhetorical techniques that might be utilized within any of the given arguments. You will use these texts, as well as any sources that you uncover via your scholarly research (specifically those that provide insight into these mediums), in order to engage in an exploration of how we, both individually and societally, affect and are affected by the dynamic power of arguments as they exist throughout our world.
The Texts:
You will be encouraged to watch multiple short documentaries listed below, but you will only choose ONE of these texts to focus your essay on.
Scholarly Texts:
Laura Bolin Carroll – “Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps Towards Rhetorical Analysis”Links to an external site.
Christine Photinos & Ramie Tateishi – “Rhetorical Analysis of Film – Elements of Film”Links to an external site.
Short Documentary Options:
Kelsie Moore – “The Gray Area”Links to an external site. (17 minutes)
Scott Farris & Meg Griffiths – “Into the Circle”Links to an external site. (17 Minutes)
Daniel Lambroso – “American Scar” (14 minutes)
The Writing Task:
In an organized and focused essay, identify the central argument of a short documentary film and provide an analysis of the rhetorical strategies used by the filmmaker that persuade the audience to consider that argument.
Criteria for Success:
Length: Essay contains four (4) full pages of writing (not including the Works Cited Page).
Format: Use of MLA Formatting and Works Cited Page. (See the MLA Style GuideLinks to an external site. for more detailed examples/instructions).
Source Usage:
Detailed summaries, descriptions, and/or use of quotations from the documentary film (with proper citations).
Use of direct quotations from Carroll and Photinos & Tateishi to define, contextualize, and support the analysis. You can use additional resources you have found on your own, but these will not count towards the source usage requirements, and you will need to contextualize and cite the sources appropriately.
Focus: While you are being asked to summarize the central idea of the text, the primary focus of this essay should be on analyzing the rhetoric used within the text.
See rubric (on the Essay 1 Submission Page) for more specific grading criteria.
Essay Development:
Your essay should include the following:
Context and information that identifies the significance of taking a closer look at how documentary films use rhetoric.
Consider answering the question: why should the reader care about analyzing the rhetoric of a documentary film?
Identify the rhetorical situation (ex: audience, exigence, constraints).
Who is the argument designed for? What situation/issue is the argument responding to? What constraints/limitations might dictate choices of the author?
Identify the main argument and / or purpose of the multimodal argument.
This will not always be explicit (like arguments in essay format often are). To identify the purpose and argument, you will want to pay close attention to the information that is presented throughout the text and ask “how does this information work together.” What is the filmmaker/creator asking me to believe and/or consider? (What is the filmmaker persuading the audience to think/believe?)
Provide a brief summary of the text for context. (This will also help to establish your own credibility).
Examine the ways in which the aim of the argument is developed and supported through rhetorical and persuasive strategies.
To help you identify these strategies, consider some of the following: What is the creator’s purpose? What is the argument/thesis of the text (which might be implicit or explicit)? What assertions/claims are made? Are there fallacies, contradictions, or inconsistencies? What is the attitude or viewpoint of the creator? What is the tone of the piece?
What rhetorical appeals does the filmmaker use to present their point? How does the structure and the detail elements of the text help achieve its purpose?
To focus your ideas, select the use of appeals that are most relevant to the film’s central argument. Explain why these seem to be the most persuasive and analyze how the filmmaker uses them to convince an audience.
Provide a conclusion in which you reflect on the analysis provided and consider the larger implications.
I have chosen the short documentary “The Gray Area” to use for this essay. Below is my Works Cited (Note: I’ve included 2 additional sources that will be helpful for writing this essay):
Carroll, Laura B. “Backpacks vs.
Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis.” Writing Spaces: Readings on
Writing, vol. 1, Parlor Press, 2010, pp. 45-58.
Csarmann, Georg. “The Gray Area.” Short
of the Week, 21 February 2020, https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2020/02/21/the-gray-area/.
Moore, Kelsie, and David Fuchs. “The
Gray Area.” RadioWest Films, https://films.radiowest.org/thegrayarea. Accessed 15 June 2024.
Photinos, Christine, and Ramie
Tateishi. “Rhetorical Analysis of Film – Elements of Film.” Writing Commons,
2023. https://writingcommons.org/section/research/research-methods/textual-methods/rhetorical-analysis/rhetorical-analysis-of-film/.
The
Gray Area. Directed
by Kelsie Moore, music by Brian Casey Lee, RadioWest Films, 2020.
Additionally, here is a related assignment I submitted for the brainstorming of this essay:
2b. Physical qualities of the film: Describe all that apply.
Music
Somber instrumental, very basic, and lacks large orchestral sounds. Most likely to highlight the direness of the situation, and sort of mimic the lack of resources Cory, Seren, and Skip have.
Live action
The documentary depicts a real family, in real situations. It aids in the impact of the film, since the visuals are raw and unfiltered.
Narration/voice over
There is no voice-over or narration at all in this documentary. All we hear are the voices of the family, with the occasional question from the interviewer. The lack of narration makes this documentary feel personal, as if we are right there with them, and not watching behind a screen.
Interviews (Who did the filmmaker interview and for what purpose?)
The documentary centers around a homeless family of 3, Cory, Skip, and son Seren. The film highlights their struggle to survive within a system where they are unable to receive government support, but are simultaneously unable to earn enough to get themselves out of homelessness. The purpose of their interview is to bring awareness to the many individuals who live in this gray area. Their situation is often overlooked and many in their position are blamed for their “lack of competence” and/or shunned from society due to their circumstances.
Dramatizations or reenactments
There are no reenactments or dramatizations. This helps add to the authenticity of the film. Even in the scene where Cory and Skip have a slight argument, there is no overdramatization or reenactment. The camera doesn’t capture their entire bodies, solely audio. However, this works as a benefit since the whole ordeal feels more akin to real life.
Note how camera angles, lighting, music, narration, and/or editing contribute to creating an atmosphere in this documentary.
The cinematography is intentional every step of the way. While filming inside a closed space, the camera is positioned in ways to make the viewer feel cramped, and enclosed, similar to how the family feels living inside their RV. Contrastingly, when a family member is shown to be outside, the camera work is wide and open. It emphasizes the vast emptiness of the desert where their RV resides and works as a way to demonstrate that not only do they have little in the vast open world, but they are also alone, unable to receive any form of government help. They only have each other. The music is basic, and towards the end is more somber. Throughout the film, the music never escalates or complexes itself. It remains very simple, perhaps alluding to the simplicity of their livelihoods. Similarly, the lack of complex music can be a way to highlight how their lives are lacking.
What is the mood or tone of the documentary? What emotions does the documentary evoke in its viewers?
The tone of the documentary is somber and bleak, heartwarming and bittersweet. The family is desperately struggling. Their lives are difficult in ways that most of us can not imagine. However, despite their challenging circumstances, they are united by the love Cory and Skip have for each other and the love they both share for Seren. The scenes of Cory and Skip are gloomy. Cory is very straightforward, understandably so. She explains the situation without any sugar coating. Skip is similar, opening up about his mental health issues. Although Skip tries to be optimistic, he can’t hide his pain and the toll on his mental health. However, their outlooks are extremely contrasted by Seren. He is always seen as optimistic, and never as somber as his family may be. He appreciates the few small things he has. The ending highlights the theme of family, at the end of the night, the family comes together sharing a small meal cooked inside their RV. Although far from the stovetop dinner from a suburban home that they dream of, their love resonates as strongly as any family.
(Background noise/Special effects, Animation, Color/Black and White does not apply)
Step 3. Post-viewing (or repeated viewing)
Answer the following:
What is/are the central message(s) of this documentary? Be specific. Use examples from the documentary to support your choice.
The central message of the documentary surrounds the struggles and life of a family that lives in a financial state that is becoming more and more common in the U.S. due to the growing income gap. The documentary highlights the topics of family and class by focusing on one particular family that provides insight on their personal struggles in their current socioeconomic state.
Discuss the bias in the documentary (point of view of the filmmakers). Consider whether this bias affects the overall message/purpose of the documentary.
A bias in the documentary that may affect the overall message of the documentary is selection bias. The filmmaker (Moore) chose to only focus on one family and their specific circumstances, which leads to an unbalanced representation of the demographic in the “Gray Area.” While Moore’s intention may not have been to totally portray the individuals and families living in the Gray Area, the title of the documentary and the topic of socioeconomic struggle presented in the documentary could mislead the audience to think that that was the purpose and may lead the audience to believe that the family in the film is representative of those who are currently living in the Gray Area.
Consider the effectiveness of the film in communicating its message. As a tool of communication, what are its strengths and weaknesses?
I would say the documentary’s strength is also its potential weakness. The documentary is impactful because it is very personal and emotional. It is an empathetic, insightful, and vulnerable story about a family and their struggles. However, as aforementioned, the audience could be led to think that this documentary is a commentary on the Gray Area as a whole, and making the film to appeal strongly to the audience’s pathos may lead to criticism of the film’s approach. Thus, I believe that the emotional and personal aspect of the documentary is also its weakness.
How do you think the filmmakers wanted the audience to respond? What evidence is there that the filmmaker was looking for this response?
I think the filmmakers wanted the audience to be sympathetic and feel inspired to become more informed on class struggles. This is due to the film’s focus on dialogue that mentions lack of resources available to those who are homeless and struggling. As a viewer, I felt evoked to learn more about how California handles homeless populations. Moreover, the documentary illustrates the desolate living conditions of the family, highlights each member’s character and attitude, and presents their vulnerability, which could be intended to make the audience feel sympathetic to their situation and evoke an emotional response.
Does this film appeal to the viewer’s reason? What about emotion? How does it build credibility? Explain the role of each rhetorical appeal in this documentary.
The film appeals most to the viewer’s emotion (pathos) and then the viewer’s reason (logos) through a real-world case study. I believe it appeals to the viewer’s ethos the least, but builds credibility by establishing the abilities and qualifications of the family members, particularly Cory’s. By detailing Cory’s education and work history, viewers may feel more inclined to listen to the family’s story, since it’s possible they may have biases or preconceived notions of the “type” of person someone is if they are homeless. Pathos is most prominent in this documentary, because the documentary as a whole heavily draws on the audience’s emotions and sympathy.
Write a question to the filmmaker that is left unanswered by his/her documentary. Do you believe the question was left unanswered purposefully? Why or why not?
“Where does the family go from here?” I believe this question, paired with similar questions of “what’s the family’s plan and what will they do as Seren gets older?” was left unanswered purposefully because it’s something that the family can’t afford to think about right now. Since the family is struggling to survive day by day, their priorities are likely not the same as those of the audience. It also leaves the audience wondering what they would do in this situation, which makes the documentary much more impactful.
