dear white people essay: learn about your own stereotypes

7/23/2019 Dear White People Essay: Learn About Your Own Stereotypes

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Nazario 1

Jorge Nazario

Dr. McLaughlin

Multimedia Writing & Rhetoric

12 October, 201

Learn About Your Own Stereotypes

Rhetoric i! "erha"! the mo!t "o#er$ul techni%ue o$ "er!ua!ion. t! main "ur"o!e i! to

in$luence and "er!uade, but it i! al!o u!ed to clari$' and !ometime! e(en gi(e a dee"er

under!tanding o$ #hat i! being anal'zed or di!cu!!ed. Rhetoric i! not merel' limited to

language) rather it i! limited to an' $orm o$ !'mbolic e*"re!!ion a! long a! it communicate!

meaning. +uch $orm! o$ !'mbolic e*"re!!ion include multimedia, mu!ic, ob-ect!,

cinematogra"h', !ign!, #ord!, and ba!icall' an'thing that ha! the ca"acit' to con(e' meaning. n

the $ictional mo(ie Dear White People, the blac $ilmmaer, Ju!tin +imien u!e! multi"le o$ the

"re(iou!l' mentioned rhetorical de(ice! throughout the entire mo(ie to hel" "ro(e hi! central

argument. Dear White People i! a !ocial !atire, in$luenced b' the $ilmmaer/! li$e e*"erience!,

that de"ict! the da' to da' li$e o$ (' League college !tudent! in the not"o!tracial merica, and

the main "oint o$ the $ilmmaer i! to demon!trate that raci!m and "reconcei(ed "re-udice! are

t#o "roblem! that !till "re(ail in to" educational "rogram! o$ the nited +tate!. he main "lot o$

the mo(ie in(ol(e! the main character, +amantha 3+am4 White, a rebel blac !tudent, #ho i!

$ighting again!t Winche!ter/! "redominating #hite !tudent! and the in!titution/! "olicie! $or

letting the blac culture in cam"u! die) the $ilm include! an in!ecure ga' blac !tudent named

Lionel 5iggin!, the 3"o!ter child4 blac !on o$ the Dean o$ the ni(er!it', ro' 6airban!, the

blac !tudent di(a, 7olandrea 37oco4 7onner!, and the rich #hite id, !on o$ the 8re!ident o$ the



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ni(er!it', 9urt. With the u!e o$ audio, mu!ic, dialogue, and cinematogra"h' techni%ue!, the

$ilmmaer o$ Dear White People "ro(e! that "eo"le in the 21!t 7entur' !till hold "reconcei(ed

"re-udice! and !tereot'"e!.

he $ilmmaer em"lo'! the u!e o$ audio de(ice! to "ro(e that racial "re-udice! and

!tereot'"e! are "re!ent in the ne#! media, the (ie#ing audience it!el$, and the uni(er!it' li$e.

6rom the !tart, the $ilmmaer i! bombarding the (ie#er #ith care$ull' cho!en audio: ne#!

broadca!t!, ra", realit' ;, and other (oiceo(er!. he!e di$$erent t'"e! o$ audio #or a!

rhetorical de(ice!) the' in(ite the audience to be a#are that !tereot'"e! and "re-udice! are !till

e*i!tent in the 21!t centur' and the' "ro(e that the audience ha! the !ame !tereot'"e! a! the ne#!

media. he $ir!t line! o$ multi"le ne#! broadca!ter! and realit' ; anchor! are heard go!!i"ing

about thing! !uch a!, 3$ort''ear old <ar(i!, 'ou are not the $ather,4 3a nigger $rom Ne# =or,4

and 3!ome !ecret! that are $eeding +haun/! cr'!tal meth addiction,4 thu! !ho#ing u! that the!e

commentator! are di!re!"ect$ul and raci!t not onl' b' ho# the' re$er to blac "eo"le, but b' ho#

the' a!!ociate it them #ith drug! or $amil' "roblem!. 6ollo#ed b' thi!, mu!ic i! u!ed to illu!trate

a ra" !ong that ha! a dee" ba!!, a hi"!ter (ibe, and a ra""er that ha! an accent that mo!t "eo"le

#ould a!!ociate #ith a blac "er!on. he intere!ting thing o$ the mu!ic and the (oiceo(er! in

thi! !cene i! that the $ilmmaer doe! not e*"licitl' let u! no# that he i! !tereot'"ing blac

"eo"le, and 'et #e, the audience, no# that he i! re$erring to blac "eo"le. >ut ho# i! thi!

"o!!ible? hrough the u!e o$ rhetorical audio, the $ilmmaer mae! the audience it!el$ bring

$or#ard their o#n "reconcei(ed !tereot'"e! o$ blac "eo"le to in$er that he i! re$erring to them.

n the $ir!t eight !econd! o$ the mo(ie, the $ilmmaer "ro(e! the (ie#ing audience ha! the !ame

!tereot'"e! a! the ne#! media. n addition, thi! alert! u! that !ociet' !till ha! !tereot'"e! o$

grou"! o$ "eo"le in the 21!t 7entur', and challenge! the belie$ that there are no "re-udice! or



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!tereot'"e! in merica. +ome ma' challenge m' (ie# that the !ong and (oice o(er! are not

nece!!aril' !tereot'"ing blac "eo"le becau!e in realit' man' "eo"le, #hite and blac, do li!ten

to ra" !ong! !uch a! the one "re!ented and #hite "eo"le are -u!t a! in(ol(ed #ith drug! a! blac

"eo"le. 5o#e(er, in the conte*t o$ the mo(ie, #a! led to belie(e that the audio "iece! #ere, in

$act, re$erring to blac "eo"le in a (er' racial and !tereot'"ical #a'. M' !ub-ecti(e e*"erience

#hen #atching the mo(ie made me belie(e the !ong #a! tr'ing to $rame me #ith the idea that

the t'"e o$ mu!ic blac "eo"le li!ten to i! lie that one, and that the ne#! media #a! tr'ing to

$rame me #ith the drama and go!!i" o$ blac $amilie!. belie(e it #a! not a coincidence that

the!e audio line! brought $or#ard m' !tereot'"e on blac "eo"le) the $ilmmaer had all the

intention on doing it and did it #ith a brilliantl' "lanned and e*ecuted u!e o$ rhetorical audio.

nother !cene in #hich the $ilmmaer u!e! audio techni%ue! to incite a#arene!! about

raci!m and "re-udice! among the !tudent! in the uni(er!it' i! the !cene in #hich #e are

introduced to Lionel 5iggin!. n thi! !cene, the $ilmmaer em"lo'! the u!e o$ a (oicemail tone to

!ho# u! the "re-udiced hara!!ment o$ #hite !tudent! to#ard ga' blac !tudent!. n the !cene,

Lionel 5iggin! i! #aling u" the !tair! to the <arner 5ou!e, #here he li(e!, #hen he realize! he

i! loced out, and decide! to call 9urt, the hou!e 8re!ident, onl' to be directed to the ne#

(oicemail tone 9urt ha! had the time to !et u": 35e' bo'!!!!, 'ou/(e reached Lionel 5iggin!!!,

the onl' bitch on cam"u!!!! #ho/ll gi(e 'ou a dic!!!count. hat/! right hunt', the bigger the

dic the le!! 'ou/ll ha(e to "a' me to !!!!uc it.4 hi! !cene de"ict! a (er' reali!tic e(ent that

could ha""en in a uni(er!it', and add! #eight to the $ilmmaer/! argument that there are

"re-udice! again!t ga' blac "eo"le among the !tudent! in real li$e uni(er!itie! a! #ell a! the

$ictional Winche!ter ni(er!it'. he (oicemail tone con(ince! the (ie#ing audience that

"re-udice! are a real "roblem in the uni(er!it' li$e. t i! al!o im"ortant to con!ider that the



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$ilmmaer had a rea!on $or including the (oicemail tone in the !cene. he audio in thi! !cene ha!

an incredible "o#er o$ "er!ua!ion, it clearl' "ro(e! to the e*tent "re-udice and di!crimination

!till "re(ail in the 21!t 7entur' among college !tudent!. 5e alert! u! that "re-udice! and

di!criminator' comment! are no# communicated through technolog' !ource! and that e(en

though thi! ha""ened to the $ictional character o$ Lionel 5iggin! in !"eci$ic, it ha""en! in real

li$e to homo!e*ual "eo"le a! #ell.

7inematogra"h' techni%ue! !uch a! mobile $raming, re$raining, and editing are other

rhetorical techni%ue! the $ilmmaer em"lo'! in the mo(ie to "ro(e that !tereot'"e! are

commonl' held b' man' "eo"le. n the cam"u! arri(al !cene, in #hich #e are "re!ented the

di$$erent uni(er!it' !chool!, the $ilmmaer u!e! editing techni%ue! to create the label o$ the

!tudent!, #hile the mobile $raming and re$raining techni%ue! are u!ed to alterate the $rame and

com"o!ition o$ the !cene to engage the reader in @a critical, re$lecti(e anal'!i! o$ the #or.4

ALancioni 10BC. (er' e*"licit e*am"le o$ all three cinematic techni%ue! combined i! the !cene

in #hich the audience i! "re!ented the !tereot'"e o$ the !tudent! that !tud' in the >ing +chool o$

>u!ine!!. We are "re!ented a (ie# on a hand $ull o$ !tudent! #ho are all #earing $ormal clothe!

and are "ortra'ed to loo a! i$ the' don/t care about an'thing. 5al$ o$ them are te*ting, and thi!

-u!t add! to the idea that the' thin the' are 3cool4 and are the be!t and mo!t intelligent "eo"le

on cam"u!. he $ilmmaer u!e! the mobile $raming techni%ue to gi(e the illu!ion o$ a !lo#

motion mo(ement that in(ite! the (ie#er! to re$lect on the !tereot'"e being "re!ented o$ bu!ine!!

!tudent!. +imilarl', the re$raining techni%ue i! u!ed to "ro(ide a clo!eu" on the !tudent!/

arrogant and nonchalant $ace! to 3in(ite the (ie#er! to %ue!tion #h' thi! i! !o.4 ALancioni 10BC

+imultaneou!l', editing i! u!ed to label the !tudent! and !ho# u! ho# ea!' it can be to label a

grou" o$ "eo"le and !tereot'"e them. hrough the u!e o$ mobile $raming, re$raining, and editing



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the $ilmmaer e*aggerate! and e(en ridicule! the di$$erent !chool grou"!, -u!t a! "eo"le do in

real li$e. he re$raining techni%ue i! "erha"! the mo!t im"ortant techni%ue in thi! !cene becau!e

the clo!eu" (ie# mae! %ue!tion, re$lect, and anal'ze #hat the $ilmmaer i! tr'ing to tell u!.

Lancioni a$$irm! that the!e %ue!tion! highlight the rhetorical con!truction o$ the $ilm. No# the

audience no#! that the main "ur"o!e o$ thi! !cene i! to mae u! re$lect on our o#n !tereot'"e!

and alert u! that #e are con!tantl' maing !tereot'"e! o$ grou"! o$ "eo"le ba!ed on #hat the'

!tud' or loo lie. n thi! !cene, the $ilmmaer !ucce!!$ull' "ro(e! hi! main argument #ith the

hel" o$ rhetorical de(ice! to do !o.

Dialogue i! another techni%ue u!ed b' the $ilmmaer to !ho# u! that adult! ha(e

"re-udice! and !tereot'"e! -u!t a! college !tudent! do. While the cinematogra"h' techni%ue! o$

re$raming and mobile $raming are u!ed in care$ull' cho!en !cene! to highlight the rhetorical

con!truction o$ the mo(ie, the dialogue i! u!ed throughout the entire mo(ie to "ro(e the main

argument. n the !cene #here #e are $ir!t introduced to 7oco, the di(a, ha(ing an inter(ie# #ith

a blac realit' ; "roducer in hi! mid0/! named 5elmut, the $ilmmaer combine! dialogue

and cinematogra"h' techni%ue! to !ho# u! 5elmut/! and 7oco/! "re-udice!. he re$raining

techni%ue in thi! !cene i! u!ed to zoom in on the character!/ $ace! to mae the audience re$lect,

anal'ze, and ob!er(e their reaction!, #hile the dialogue e*"licitl' !ho#! u! 5elmut/! and 7oco/!

"re-udiced (ie#! to#ard! their o#n culture. We are "laced #atching the clo!eu" reaction o$

7oco #hen 5elmut a!! her i$ !he li(e! in one o$ the t#o blac communit' cam"u! hou!e! and

!he re"lie! 3traditionall' it/! #here the ho"ele!!l' $rocentric gather to "roce!! their guilt o(er

not going to an 5>7, #here the negro! be at,4 and goe! on to !a' that the +ha' 5ou!e, the rich

#hite id!/ hou!e, i! more her !t'le. he !cene continue! #ith 5elmut a!ing 7oco #here !he i!

$rom, and !ho#ing u! 5elmut/! "re-udiced reaction to#ard! 7oco/! home. 7oco !a'! !he i! $rom



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the EFth !treet in 7hicago and 5elmut re"lie!, 3+e(ent' Gighth i! +outh!ide !#eetheart. nd 'ou

no# #hat the' !a'. =ou can tae the girl out the hood but,4 #hen he i! !uddenl' interru"ted b'

7oco, 3in/t nothing hood about me.4 hi! !cene i! (er' im"ortant in "ro(ing the $ilmmaer/!

central argument that "re-udiced (ie#! !till e*i!tent in the nited +tate!, and not onl' among

#hite "eo"le) in thi! "art o$ the !cene #e !ee ho# 7oco i! re-ecting her culture b' li(ing #ith

rich #hite id! and #e al!o !ee that !he ha! a !tereot'"e o$ blac "eo"le that li(e together a!

"athetic negroe! that onl' tal about their guilt $or not going to a negro !chool. he dialogue here

e*"licitl' !ho#! u! 7oco/! re-ection o$ her o#n culture and her o#n "re-udice o(er blac

!tudent! that li(e together, #hile the re$raining o$ 7oco/! $ace de"ict! her in!ecurit' and mae!

u! %ue!tion #h' the $ilmmaer i! de"icting her the #a' he doe!. When 7oco re"lie!, the

$ilmmaer "ut! u! clo!eu" to #atch her o$$ended emotion! and e(en the di!gu!t in her $ace. hi!

!cene e*"licitl' !ho#! u! the "reconcei(ed "re-udice 5elmut ha! again!t 7oco/! home culture,

and al!o !ho#! u! 7oco/! re-ection o$ her o#n culture. he $ilmmaer #ant! u! to re$lect on the

$act that blac "eo"le and adult! ha(e "re-udice! -u!t a! #hite "eo"le and college !tudent! do.

he $ilmmaer o$ Dear White People !ucce!!$ull' em"lo'! the u!e o$ dialogue, audio,

mu!ic, and cinematogra"h' techni%ue! to !ho# the (ie#ing audience that !tereot'"e! and

"re-udice! e*i!t in the 21!t 7entur'. he!e de(ice! are all u!ed to create a "lanned, ada"ted,

!ituational, and "er!ua!i(e!eeing rhetorical di!cour!e, !uch a! the one! 5erric and >itzer

anal'ze, that #ant! to con(ince it! (ie#ing audience ho# common it i! $or u! to ha(e !tereot'"e!

and "re-udice! and call! $or u! to change. he mo(ie call! $or the audience to re$lect on their o#n

!tereot'"e! and "re-udice! !o that the' can change their current habit!. We anal'zed ho# audio

and mu!ic #ere u!ed at the beginning o$ the mo(ie to "ro(e that racial "re-udice! and !tereot'"e!

are "re!ent in the ne#! media, college!, and the (ie#ing audience it!el$. he $ilmmaer goe! the



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e*tra mile to "ro(e that !tereot'"e! and "re-udice! are e*i!tent in the 21 !t 7entur' b' ha(ing the

(ie#ing audience it!el$ bring $or#ard their o#n !tereot'"e! and "re-udice!. We al!o !ee the

im"ortance o$ the u!e o$ cinematogra"h' techni%ue! !uch a! mobile $raming and re$raining in the

!cene #e are introduced to the bu!ine!! !tudent!. >oth techni%ue! are u!ed to mae u! re$lect on

our o#n !tereot'"e! and alert u! that #e are con!tantl' maing !tereot'"e! o$ grou"! o$ "eo"le

ba!ed on #hat the' !tud' or loo lie. We $inall' !ee in the !cene #here #e are $ir!t introduced

to 7oco ho# im"ortant dialogue i! to !ho# u! that adult! are a! "re-udiced a! college !tudent!,

and ho# blac "eo"le ha(e a! much "re-udice! and !tereot'"e! a! #hite "eo"le do. Without the

"ro"er u!e o$ the!e techni%ue! the mo(ie #ould ha(e ne(er !ucceeded hal$ a! much a! it did in

"ro(ing that di!crimination, "re-udice, and !tereot'"e! are !till e*i!tent in merica in all grou"!

o$ "eo"le. t -u!t goe! to !a' that the rhetorical de(ice! the $ilmmaer em"lo'ed ha(e had the

"o#er to clari$' the "ur"o!e o$ the mo(ie, con(ince u! o$ the central argument, and "er!uade u!

to change our current habit! o$ ha(ing "re-udice! and !tereot'"e!.

$ter an anal'!i! on a $e# o$ the man' rhetorical techni%ue! the $ilmmaer em"lo'!

throughout the entire mo(ie, ha(e to !a' that the mo(ie doe! an incredible -ob em"lo'ing it!

rhetorical techni%ue! to "ro(e it! central argument. he mo(ie #a! able to bring $or#ard m' o#n

!tereot'"e! o$ grou"! o$ "eo"le and all the "re-udice! that can and !till occur in the nited +ate!

becau!e o$ !in color or !e*ual orientation. hi! mo(ie i! a microco!m o$ the larger !ociet', and

in(ite! u! to re$lect and !to" ha(ing "re-udice! and !tereot'"e!.



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Works Cited

Lancioni, Judith . @Rhetoric o$ the 6rame.@ Rhetorical nal'!i! and 5i!torical Documentar':

7a!e +tud' o$ he 7i(il War. 8hiladel"hia, 8a.: H"ubli!her Not denti$iedI, 1K. 8rint.

5erric, Jame! . @n O(er(ie# o$ Rhetoric.@ The History and Theory of hetori!" An

#ntrodu!tion$ >o!ton: ll'n and >eacon, 200. 12. 8rint.

>itzer, Llo'd 6. @he Rhetorical +ituation.@ 8hilo!o"h' and Rhetoric 1, 1 A1BFC: 11K. 8rint.

dear white people essay: learn about your own stereotypes

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