Ochoa 1

CarolinaOchoa
Dr.McLaughlin
WR1330
10April2015
Selma:RhetoricalAnalysisoftheMarchforChange
TheUnitedStatesduringthe1950sand60swasfullofracialtension.Slaveryhadbeen
outlawedfordecades,butitseffectslingeredon,particularlydownintheSouth.Assistancefrom
theCivilRightsMovementpromptedthemajorityofthenationtodesegregate,butnoteveryone
wasonboard.Somesouthernstatesresistedandrefusedtoletgoofthepast.Eventually,this
oppositionbroughtcivilrightsleaderMartinLutherKingJr.andothersfromtheSouthern
ChristianLeadershipConferencetoSelma,Alabama,whereAfricanAmericanswerestillbeing
deniedtheirrights.Oncethere,amarchwasledinprotestagainstthedenialofvotingrightsfor
AfricanAmericansoftheregion.ThathistoriceventwasrelivedintheatersthroughouttheUS
bymeansofahistoricalfilmcalledSelma.DirectedbyAvaDuVernay,Selmaretellsthehistory
oftheSelmaMarchonamorepersonallevel.Selmachoosestohighlighttheemotional,and
physicaltolltheparticipantsofthe1960scivilrightsmovementenduredinordertostressthe
difficultnatureofchangeandillustratewhycurrentsocietymustnotregressinlieuofcurrent
socialtension.Thefilmsrhetoricillustratesthesepointsbyuseofcinematographyeffectssuch
ascloseupsandslowmotion,alongwithdialogue.InthewordsofJamesHerrick,rhetoricis
definedas,thesystematicstudyandintentionalpracticeofeffectivesymbolicexpression(7).
Selmasrhetoricaccomplishesthisbyusingwordsandimagestoclearlyandeffectivelyconvey

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thesufferingoftheCivilRightsMovementandtounderscorethedangersofrelapsingbackto
thoseactionstothetargetedaudienceofAmericancitizens.
Whetheritisforphotographyorfilm,mobileframing,themovementofthecamera,
encouragesviewerawarenessbetweenseeingandknowing(Lancioni105).InSelma,theuse
ofcloseupmobileframingallowstheaudienceaglimpseatthepainandstrainsofthecivil
rightsleadersandparticipantsinordertoemphasizethedifficultnatureofchangeandofwhy
societymuststayfirminitscurrentholdonequality.Thechangesoughtforwasequalityof
racesinAmerica,whichwaswonbutatacost.TherearevariousscenesinSelmathatillustrate
thiswithuseofcloseups,bringingtheviolentsideofthemovementtotheviewersattention.
Forexample,closeupshotswereemployedinscenesofmurdersandbeatingsofactivists,
enhancingthescenesemotionalimpact,suchasthesceneofJimmieLeeJacksonsmurder.
AfterJimmie,hismotherandgrandfatherfleefromcorruptpolicemen,whowerepreviously
seenbeatingonpeacefulprotesters,theyareseeninarestaurantwithfrightenedandanxious
expressions.Therearecloseupshotsoftheirfaces,givingtheaudienceasenseofwhatJimmie
andhisfamilyfeel.AstruggleensuesasthreepolicemenburstinandviciouslybeatJimmies
elderlygrandfatherasanotherholdshismotherbythethroatwithabaton.AsJimmietriesto
intervenepeacefully,thethirdpolicemanbeginstomercilesslybeatonhimbeforecallously
shootingJimmieatpointblackrange.Jimmiesfaceofpain,confusion,anddespairisclearly
andslowlyseenbeforehefallsdown,dead.Hismother,atjustwitnessinghersonmurderedin
coldblood,beginstocryhystericallyandcradlesherdeadsoninherarmsasthegrandfather
passesoutafewfeetaway.

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Thebrutalnatureofthisscene,intensifiedbycloseupshots,showsthehorrorsendured
inorderforchangeandequalitytocomeabout.TheaudienceseesthatJimmiewasmurderedfor
change.TheSouthwasfirminitsresistanceandasaresult,thousandsofinnocentAfrican
Americans,likeJimmie,andothercitizenssupportiveofcivilrights,werebeatenandmurdered.
Thepurposeofthecamerascloseupsinthisscenewastocallattentiontothesufferingfeltby
thesecharacterstounderscorethearduousnatureofchange(Lancioni110).Infilmand
cinematography,reframingisoftenusedtoprovidecloseupsofindividuals[oranyobject]
barelynoticeableintheoriginalandcanbeseenasinvitingviewerstoquestionandengage
withthemedium(Lancioni106).Here,theviewerisinvitedintothestrenuousprocessofchange
intheDeepSouth,inadditiontoitscruelty.ThisinvitationtotheinjusticesoftheSouthhasan
emotionalappealthataim[s]eithertoelicitanemotionortoengagetheaudiencesloyaltiesor
commitments(Herrick13).Here,theaudiencescommitmenttociviljusticeandobedienceto
thecountrysinstitutions,suchasthepoliceforce,andtheirmoralsaretested.Moreover,these
scenescanbeseenassomewhatsimilartorecentracialtensionsofthecountry,suchas
Ferguson1,anddemonstratetotheaudiencewhatwasenduredforabetterfutureandwhysociety
nowmustensurethesecurityofthatfuture.
Inadditiontocloseups,theuseofslowmotionforcinematographyeffectfurtherhammers
hometheideathatchangeistoughtocomebyandofwhyourchangedsocietymustnotregress.
Theuseoflongtakes,slowpans,andtightcloseupsinvitetheviewerstoexploreimages[and]
reflectontheirpossiblemeaning;anexampleofsuchcanbefoundatthebeginningofSelma,
withtheexplosionofachurchplayedoutinslowmotion(Lancioni109).Inthisscene,the
1 Ferguson is a city in Missouri where riots and protest took place as a result of the
killing of an unarmed black teen, Michael Brown, by a white police officer.

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audiencewitnessesfiveAfricanAmericangirls,dressedintheirSundaybestoutfits,walk
downstairsandasonegirlstopsbehindtheothersonthestaircase,anunexpectedexplosion
occurs.Insteadofhavingtheexplosionplayoutinregulartime,itisdecelerated,showingthe
movementofthedebrisandbodiesoftheinnocentgirls.Thescenethencutstoblackandslowly
pansout,overtherumblesofthechurchwiththebodiesofthegirlscoveredinitsruins.The
decreasedmovementoftimewithslowmotionextendsandaugmentsthetragedythathasjust
occurred.Theeffectofthismobileframingmakes[the]viewerssymbolicenactorsofthevery
acttheywouldcondemnasinhuman[e](Lancioni111).Slowmotiondoesthisbyprolonging
theinhumanact,makingtheaudienceabituncomfortableandevenoutraged.Anappealis
madetotheaudiencesemotionstoagaindemonstratewhathasbeensufferedforabetterfuture
andwhysocietynowmustsafeguardthesecurityofthatfuture.Also,theslowmotionofthis
scene,andeventhesceneofJimmieLeesmurder,createsthesenseofanextendedtime,which
symbolizesthedurationoftheinjusticesandhowlongittookforchangetocomeabout.The
lengthenedshotofthechurchexplosionisametaphorforthelengthytimeittookforthis
countrytochangeitsoldways.Theaudienceswhoarewitnessingthistravestyarelikethe
peopleofthecountrywhowerewatchingthehumiliations,beatings,andmurdersofAfrican
Americans.Thishasthepurposeoftestingtheaudiencesmoralsandshowingwhysocietycant
allowforracialdifferencestobringaboutsuchimmoralactions,suchaskillinginnocent
children.
Speechanddialogueisalsoacrucialpartofafilmsrhetoricasonesymbolsystemto
communicatemeaningtotheaudience(Herrick6).Selmasdialogue,particularlyintimate
dialogue,betweencharacterssuchasMLK,JohnLewis,andCorettaKing,doessuchasit

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highlightsthetolltakenonthoseinvolvedinthechangeofcivilrights.Forexample,someofthe
intimateconversationsbetweenMLKandhiswifeCorettashowthestrainstheirmarriageand
themselveswereunderduringthemovement.AlthoughCorettawasnotapartoftheSelma
March,shewastargetedduetoherconnectionwithMLKanddealtwithagreat,emotional
struggleoverconcernsforherfamilyssafety.Shewouldreceivemenacingphonecallsof
threatsdirectedtowardsherfamilyorcallsthatattemptedtodestroyhermarriagebyusing
recordingsofMLKsallegedaffairs.EventhoughCorettabottledupmostofherworries,she
occasionallyexpressedherdistressandsadnesstoKing.Moreover,Kingwouldalsoexpresshis
owndoubtsandworrieshehadhimself.WhileMLKandJohnLewis,acivilrightsleader,rode
inacar,KingrevealedtoJohnthewearinesshefeltandhisdoubtofcontinuingthemarchin
Selma,sincechangewasdifficultandpeoplewerebeinghurt.Tothis,Lewisrespondsby
sharingwithKinghisexperienceontheMontgomerybusridewherehisfriend,Jesse,was
savagelybeatenunconsciousbyawhitemanandhisdaughter.LewisthenproceedstotellKing
thatdespitethefactofbeingbadlybeaten,LewisstillattendingagatheringKingheldthe
followingday.LewistellsKingthistoencourageandassurehimthatalthoughchangeisdifficult
tocomeby,itwillcomeifitistrueandright.Currently,thatchangehasbeensoughtand
instilledinsociety,butonecanseeglimpsesintothepastwithrecenteventssuchasFerguson.
ThedialoguebetweenMLK,Coretta,Lewis,andothercharactersofthefilm,paintsthepicture
ofhowmuchdamagedwascausedandhowmucheffortwasputintothecivilrightsmovement
forconstitutionalchangetohappen.
However,onemayarguethatthedialogueofSelmaillustrateshowfragiletheinner
workingsofthecivilrightsmovementwas.Thedialoguemayportraythisinthesensethatit

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showstheuncertaintyfeltbythecharactersaboutthecivilrightsmovement.Anexampleofthis
doubtcanbefoundintheconversationbetweenMLKandLewisinMLKsvehicle.Inaddition
torevealingtoLewishiswearinessandapprehensionwithfollowingthroughwiththemarch,
KingapologizestoLewisfortheproblemshehasbeenencounteringwithhisstudent
organization.LewissgroupseemstobeatadivideduetothearrivalofKingandhis
organization.AlthoughinSelmatohelp,thepresenceofthesecharactersstirsupmixedfeelings
fortheorganization,especiallyforitsotherleaderJamesForeman.Foremandoesnotlikethe
factthatKingisinSelma,inspiteofthembothhavingthesame,ultimategoal.HeseesKings
presenceaspotentiallyharmfultotheircause,andisinitiallyreluctanttothemarch.Thissortof
unrestbetweencivilrightsactivistsandleaders,inadditiontoMLKs(theprimaryfigureforthe
movement)tiredness,seeninthefilmcanpotentiallybeattributedtothenotionthatthecivil
rightsmovementwasmorefragilethanmostpeoplewouldbelieve.
Althoughthatinterpretationisplausible,itisnotwhatthedialoguehintsat.Infact,there
arekeymomentsinthedialogueofSelmathatshowsstrengthinthemovement.Forexample,
whencivilrightslawyerFredGray,playedbyCubaGoodingJr.,isspeakingtoJudgeJohnson,
hesaysthat,hundredsofpeople[are]travel[ing]acrossthecountrytoattendtomorrows
march.ThemarchGrayreferstothesecondattemptatmarchingfromSelmatoMontgomery,
AL.Afterthefirstattemptwasthwartedbybrutishpoliceforcethroughmeansofphysical
violence,MLKputsoutapleaforAmericanstotakeaction,whichmanydo.Thesecondmarch
isnoticeablylargerwithmanymoreparticipants,mainlywhitepeople,joininginthebattle.
Regardless,thisstillisntenoughforchangetooccur.SomeoftheSouthernwhitepeoplestill
resistandrefusetoacknowledgeblacksrights.Otherextremisttreatthosewhoassistinthecivil

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rightsbattleasbadorworstthantheAfricanAmericans,sincetheyareconsideredtraitors.This
isseenwhenReverendJamesReebsismurderedbyanger,whiteSouthernersforbeingawhite
nigger.ThiswhitemansspeechofhateanddisregardforthelifeofAfricanAmericans
sympathizersshowshowdifficultitwastotrytoimprovethesocialandpoliticalstatusof
AfricanAmericanintheregionandforsocialjusticetocomeabout.
Selmaisanextraordinaryfilmthattakestheaudienceonatriptothepast.Thepurposeof
thistripwastoeducatetheaudienceonthestorybehindtheSelmaMarchandofthebattle
foughtinorderforchangeandjusticetocomeandtriumph.Thefilmsrhetoricillustratesthese
pointsbyuseofcloseups,slowmotion,anddialoguetoconveyasenseofthetaxingworkthe
civilrightsleadersandactivistsperformedinorderforalltobetrulyequal.Theirvaluablework
mustbepreserved.Currently,racialtensionsreflectahintofareturntothepast,inwhichsociety
mustovercome.Thecountryasawholemustcometogether,likethemarchersinSelmadid,to
maintaintheeffortsoftheCivilRightsMovementandthekeepthedreamthatMartinLuther
KingJr.hadalive.

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WorksCited
Herrick,JamesA."AnOverviewofRhetoric."TheHistoryandTheoryofRhetoric:AnIntroduction.
2nded.Boston:AllynandBeacon,2001.123.Print.
Lancioni,JudithA."TheRhetoricoftheFrame:RevisioningArchivalPhotographsinTheCivilWar."
RhetoricalAnalysisandHistoricalDocumentary:ACaseStudyofTheCivilWar.Philadelphia,
PA:TempleU,1994.10515.Print.
Selma.Dir.AvaDuVernay.ByPaulWebb.Perf.DavidOyrlowo.ParamountPictures,2014.Film.