Kyalwazi ! Beverly Kyalwazi Dr. Erin Dietel-McLaughlin Multimedia Writing & Rhetoric, ection !" !! #cto$er %&!

" 'he ocial (etwor) *naly+i+ ,n the %&!& widely acclaimed -ilm ada.tation, The Social Network director David /incher u+e+ the modern invention o- /ace$oo) to illu+trate a +tory a$out college +tudent+ that integrate+ theme+ o- -riend+hi.+, +ucce++, and +ocial cla++e+. 'he +tory )ic)+ o-- when 0arvard +tudent, Mar) 1uc)er$urg, get+ dum.ed $y hi+ girl-riend Erica *l$right. ,n retaliation, Mar) -uriou+ly $log+ har+h thing+ a$out Erica and u+e+ hi+ advanced com.uter +)ill+ to +et u. a .rogramming +ite that allow+ +tudent+ to rate college women. hoc)ed with the .o+itive re+.on+e he get+ -rom .eer+, Mar) decide+ to ta)e thing+ a lot -urther with the creation o- /ace$oo), the ultimate +ocial networ)ing +ite. 'hu+ in attem.t+ to $low o-- +team, Mar) .lant+ the +eed -or a glo$al +ocial networ)ing +ite right -rom the com.uter in hi+ 0arvard dorm room. Mar)2+ only -riend Eduwardo averin and the mani.ulative -ounder o- (a.+ter, ean 3ar)er, aid him in hi+ endeavor+. 0owever, in the end Mar) end+ u. with two law+uit+ -iled again+t him one $y Eduwardo and the other $y the righteou+ Win)levo++ twin+, other 0arvard men, who accu+e Mar) o- +tealing intellectual .ro.erty. 'hroughout the +tory, narrated in a +erie+ o- -la+h$ac)+, viewer+ witne++ the tran+-ormation o- character+ and the deterioration o- -riend+hi.+ in direct correlation with +ocial media. The Social Network i+ a -ilm that revolve+ around +ocial media and it+ growing .o.ularity in +ociety. 0owever, the u+age o- immediacy, .atho+, and logo+ em.ha+ize the negative e--ect+ +ocial media, .articularly /ace$oo), ha+ on u+er+ a+ well a+ creator+.

Kyalwazi % ,mmediacy, a rhetorical com.onent that $ring+ the audience into direct involvement or contact with +omething, i+ u+ed to allow viewer+ to o$+erve )ey character tran+-ormation+ and the interaction+ $etween character+. 4iewer+ are drawn into the central con-lict o- the -ilm involving the -iled law+uit+ again+t Mar) through +.eci-ic -raming and the u+e o- -la+h$ac)+. *+ viewer+, we are a$le to ta)e .art in the event+ -rom the -la+h$ac) leading u. to the de$rie-ing a+ well a+ the actual de$rie-ing that ta)e+ .lace over the law+uit+. 'he article 5,mmediacy, 0y.ermediacy, and Remediation6 $y Bolter and 7ruin +tate+ 5the goal o- virtual reality i+ to -o+ter in the viewer a +en+e o- .re+ence8 the viewer +hould -orget9and acce.t the gra.hic image that i+ o--ered a+ her own vi+ual world6 :%%;. 'he -ilm achieve+ immediacy in thi+ way $ecau+e a+ the -la+h$ac)+ un-old in -ront o- our eye+ we -orget where we are until we are .ulled $ac) to reality through the de$rie-ing .ortion o- the -ilm. 'hi+ u+age o- immediacy i+ crucial to viewer+ under+tanding o- Mar)2+ character tran+-ormation that ta)e+ .lace through the -la+h$ac)+. /rom the +tart o- the -ilm Mar)2+ character i+ .re+ented to viewer+ in a negative manner. We are .re+ent when Mar) ta)e+ advantage o- +ocial media to degrade women, in .articular hi+ girl-riend Erica *l$right. ,n addition to thi+, we witne++ Mar) con+tantly neglect and undermine the accom.li+hment+ hi+ loyal -riend Eduwardo. Mar)2+ mi+treatment o- hi+ -riend+ +tem+ -rom hi+ con-idence in the a$ility he ha+ to navigate through technology +y+tem+. 0i+ character -urther deteriorate+ a+ the -ilm .rogre++e+ due to hi+ a$+or.tion in /ace$oo). ,mmediacy allow+ viewer+ to get a -ull +en+e o- Mar)2+ manneri+m+ and character -law+ $ecau+e we are +o connected into hi+ everyday li-e. Becau+e o- thi+, we +tart to $uild u. re+entment toward+ Mar) and hi+ egoti+tical ideal+. Mar) i+ $linded $y the .erce.tion+ other+ have o- him $ecau+e he i+ +o wra..ed u. in trying to .er-ect /ace$oo). *+ a re+ult he come+ o-- a+ a.athetic and di+re+.ect-ul in hi+ interaction+ with other+. When lawyer+ are de$rie-ing Mar), viewer+ directly o$+erve the

Kyalwazi " +arca+tic and indi--erent re+.on+e+ Mar) give+ the lawyer+ a+ i- they :viewer+; are at the ta$le +itting with them. *t the end o- the -ilm when Mar) lo+e+ the law+uit $attle, he realize+ that +ocial media ha+ negatively im.acted hi+ li-e $y de+troying hi+ relation+hi.+ with other+. Mar) ma)e+ the +tatement8 5,2m not a $ad .er+on,6 when he come+ to thi+ realization. Mar)2+ character tran+-ormation, de.icted with thi+ +tatement, come+ at an im.ortant .oint in the -ilm when viewer+ are emotionally inve+ted. 'hu+ it .lay+ a huge role in de-ining the -ilm+ underlying theme that +ocial networ)ing ha+ negative e--ect+ on .eo.le. 'hi+ theme can $e -urther enhanced through analy+i+ o- the way+ in which the action+ o- certain character+ +ha.e viewer+2 emotional re+.on+e. /incher .re+cri$e+ to .atho+, or an emotional re+.on+e -rom viewer+, to .ronounce certain negative con+e<uence+ that re+ult -rom inve+tment in +ocial media. 0e doe+ thi+ through hi+ de.iction o- certain character+ who+e intention+ or motive+ run .arallel to tho+e o- the audience. 0ence, *ri+totle2+ de-inition o- enthymeme8 5an argument $uilt -rom value+, $elie-+, or )nowledge held in common $y a +.ea)er and an audience6 .re+ented in the article 5*n #verview o- Rhetoric6:=;, i+ +een a+ a rhetorical com.onent u+ed $y /incher. ,n thi+ ca+e, the audience i+ com.ri+ed o- viewer+ o- the -ilm 'he ocial (etwor). 'he -act that the theme+ and +etting+ +een in thi+ -ilm revolve around college li-e, can lead one to conclude that the viewer+ or audience are .rimarily young adult+. *+ a re+ult, the character+ in the -ilm and their e>.erience+ are generally re.re+entative o- ty.ical college +tudent+. 'hi+ i+ +een through the +ocial a+.ect+ o- college li-e -rom the e>clu+ive 5/inal+ ?lu$6 to .artie+ de.icted in the -ilm. ,n the -ilm, +ocial +tatu+ .lay+ a role +imilar to that in the live+ o- young adult+ today. ,t i+ the intangi$le o$@ect that everyone trie+ to heighten or gain. Mar) ma)e+ the comment that he need+ to do +omething $ig to get .eo.le2+ attention. 'hroughout the -ilm, he al+o e>.re++e+ hi+ de+ire to ma)e an u.ward

Kyalwazi A movement in hi+ +ocial +tatu+. 0e goe+ a$out achieving thi+ through the creation and u+age o+ocial media. #n the other hand, Eduwardo doe+ hi+ $e+t to .lea+e Mar) de+.ite Mar)2+ lac) oe--ort in their -riend+hi.. *+ a re+ult, he get+ heavily entwined in the /ace$oo) +cheme+. /inally, the Win)levo++ twin+ who are ultimately concerned a$out u.holding their image a+ 50arvard Men6 +ee) to create a -orm o- +ocial media that -unction+ in an e>clu+ive way. Each o- the+e character+ +trive+ to achieve de+ire+ held in common with many young adult+ +uch a+ .o.ularity, +ocial +tature, and -riend+hi.. *ll o- them ha..en to get involved with +ocial media in order to .re+cri$e to their de+ire+, and mu+t -ace the unde+ira$le outcome+. *t the end o- the movie, Mar) end+ u. gaining the attention o- many .eo.le a+ the creator o- /ace$oo), $ut only at the co+t olo+ing hi+ only -riend Eduwardo. Eduwardo trie+ +o hard to gain Mar)2+ a--ection yet realize+ he ha+ wa+ted hi+ time when Mar) $etray+ him later. 'he Win)levo++ twin+2 involvement in +ocial media lead+ them to $e greedy and -ile a law+uit again+t Mar), in the .roce++ ruining their image a+ civil 50arvard men.6 Becau+e viewer+ o- the -ilm are a$le to emotionally relate to the character+ due to +imilar de+ire+, they are a$le to $etter under+tand /incher2+ argument that a$out +ocial media and how it lead+ to character+2 down-all+. ,n addition to .atho+, /incher im.lement+ a..eal+ to logo+ in attem.t to ma)e viewer+ correlate action+ that are di+a..roved with +ocial media. 'he main character o- the -ilm Mar) i+ enthralled with the idea o- creating the ultimate +ocial networ)ing +ite. 0e $ecome+ +o entranced with hi+ creation o- /ace$oo) that hi+ character i+ .lagued $y +el-i+hne++ and ungrate-ulne++. *t the clima> o- Mar)2+ involvement with /ace$oo), he goe+ to ?ali-ornia during the +ummer to team u. with ean 3ar)er, the -ounder o- another ty.e o- +ocial media, (a.+ter. 0i+ +cheme+ are -unded $y a $an) account Eduwardo +et u.. When Eduwardo return+ -rom hi+ intern+hi. venture+, Mar) di+regard+ him and hi+ involvement with the -ounding o- /ace$oo). Mar) i+ +o

Kyalwazi B -ocu+ed on achieving the 5cool -actor6 through +ocial media that he will .u+h a+ide any .eo.le or relation+hi.+ that he doe+n2t thin) he can gain -rom. Becau+e Mar)2+ character i+ .ortrayed in a negative light, viewer+ can correlate thi+ to hi+ .artici.ation in +ocial media. 'he .ortrayal oean 3ar)er i+ al+o u+ed to +trengthen the argument that +ocial media corru.t+ .eo.le. ean 3ar)er ta)e+ intere+t in Mar) when he learn+ a$out /ace$oo) -rom a college +tudent he wa+ having an a--air with. ean +ee)+ out Mar) and .ro-it+ o-- the hard wor) he .ut into /ace$oo). /urthermore, he i+ mani.ulative and ha+ a--air+ with women +everal year+ younger than him. *t the end o- the -ilm he throw+ a .arty that @eo.ardize+ the re.utation o- /ace$oo) and everything Mar) ha+ wor)ed -or. Li)e Mar)2+ character, ean2+ character i+n2t a -avora$le among viewer+ $ecau+e +ocial media taint+ it. ,n the article, 54i+ualizing Rhetoric6 *ri+totle2+ de-inition ologo+ i+ de-ined a+, 5the actual te>t o- the +.eech, which wa+ directly a++ociated with the u+e orea+oning to convince an audience o- the author2+ .oint o- view.6 'he -ilm allow+ viewer+ to a++ociate character2+ $ad deci+ion+ with their involvement with +ocial media thu+ /incher2+ argument that +ocial media ha+ negative e--ect+ on it+ viewer+ a+ well a+ it+ creator+ i+ +trengthened. 'hough /incher u+e+ rhetorical element+ to em.ha+ize the negative e--ect+ +ocial media ha+ on u+er+ and it+ creator+, he al+o .rai+e+ +ocial media .articularly /ace$oo) -or it+ -unction a+ hy.ermedia. ,n the Bolter and 7ru+in cha.ter on rhetoric a hy.er$ole u+ed $y Bo$ ?otton and Richard #liver i+ u+ed to de-ine hy.ermedia8 5an entirely new )ind o- media e>.erience $orn -rom the marriage o- '4 and com.uter technologie+.6 :<td in Bolter and 7ru+in "!;. With the goal o- ma)ing thing+ +eem tangent to viewer+, hy.ermedia i+ a com$ination o- +ound, te>t, animation, and video. 'hi+ i+ a .er-ect de-inition o- the /ace$oo) Mar) create+ in the movie. Mar) i+n2t im.re++ed with other +ocial networ)ing +ite+ +uch a+ 0arvard ?onnection and +ee)+ to

Kyalwazi D come u. with hi+ own +ite that will com$ine +ound, te>t, and animation in a way that draw+ in u+er+ to interact with technology $y changing +etting+ and dragging icon+. /incher +how+ hi+ -a+cination in the a$ility o- a college +tudent to create a glo$al +ocial networ) $y directing a -ilm with the invention o- +ocial media a+ the central theme. 'hroughout the -ilm, the $ene-it+ and .rai+e o- /ace$oo) can $e +een a+ a re+ult o- the .o+itive re+.on+e it get+ -rom a diver+e .o.ulation o- .eo.leC however, there i+ al+o a +en+e o- he+itancy -rom the -aculty at 0arvard to get on$oard with Mar)2+ invention o- a new -orm o- hy.ermedia. 'he+e .o+itive and negative re+.on+e+ toward+ /ace$oo) mirror the re+.on+e+ +een in +ociety toward+ new -orm+ ohy.ermedia. ome .eo.le are all -or new -orm+ o- +ocial media that have many $ene-it+ +uch a+ connecting .eo.le -rom di--erent .lace+ or e>.anding $u+ine++ adverti+ement. #n the other hand .eo.le criticize the -al+e +en+e o- intimacy and +el--a$+or.tion that come with +ocial networ)ing. 'he -ilm addre++e+ $oth o- the+e view.oint+ through the de.iction o- character re+.on+e to +ocial media avenue+ +uch a+ /ace$oo). 'hi+ and the com.le>ity o- the -ilm due to it+ theme and rhetorical techni<ue+ interwoven throughout the -ilm ma)e thi+ a ca.tivating -ilm to watch. 'he ocial (etwor) i+ acclaimed $y many and received eight academy award+. 4iewer+ ultimately ma)e the determination a$out <uality o- a -ilm $a+ed on whether or not it elicit+ a de+ired re+.on+e. Director+ +uch a+ /incher are +ucce++-ul $ecau+e they recognize their audience and im.lement rhetorical com.onent+ +uch a+ immediacy, .atho+, and logo+ that .er+uade viewer+ to +ee their underlying argument+ in di+crete way+.

Kyalwazi E

Kyalwazi J Wor)+ ?ited Bolter, Fay David, and Richard 7ru+in. G,mmediacy, 0y.ermediacy, and Remediation.G Remediation: Understanding New Media. (...8 n..., %&&&. %%-"!. 3rint. 0erric), Fame+. G*n #verview o- Rhetoric.G The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction. Bth ed. (...8 n..., %&!%. =-!". 3rint. ,MD$ ,nc. G'he ocial (etwor).G IMD The Social Network. *mazonH ,MD$, n.d. We$. !! #ct. %&!". Ihtt.8HHwww.imd$.comHtitleHtt!%JB&!DHK. Fohn+, Fohn. G4i+ualizing Rhetoric.G !i"# $isual Rhetoric % $isual &ulture % 'edagogy. (..., n.d. We$. J #ct. %&!". Ihtt.8HHviz.cwrl.ute>a+.eduHnodeHE&K.