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Kyle Hendrix
Professor Erin Dietel-McLaughlin
WR-13300
2 March 2015
Selma: Starring You
The film Selma achieves its goals through the use of well thought out rhetoric and
rhetorical techniques that help the film argue its message effectively. Herrick defines the art of
rhetoric as, the systematic study of and intentional practice of effective symbolic expression
and says that rhetoric is simply, discourse crafted according to the principles of the art of
rhetoric (7). Selma is a film directed by Ava DuVernay that is centered around the works of
Matin Luther King Jr. and his attempts to gain equal rights for African-Americans. The film
builds suspense surrounding the subject until King finally organizes and executes the Selma
March, a paramount event in the civil rights movement. When initially viewing Selma, it is fair
for one to assume that the films primary goal is to tell an entertaining story about Martin Luther
King Jr. and the Selma march. However, when delving deeper into the rhetoric of the film
including the cinematography, sound, and casting, one can see that DuVernay is attempting to
make a connection with the generation of today. The film is calling people of all backgrounds to
act; and when the viewer realizes that they are being called, they will quickly realize that they,
the viewer, are the feature of the film.
Selmas trailer differs significantly from the actual film. The best explanation for this is
that the trailer is attempting to appeal to the countrys youth and draw them to the box office.
Once the trailer has accomplished this, the full version of Selma then forces the youth to analyze
the direction in which their world is headed. The trailer includes many clues that show it is trying

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to increase interest among a relatively younger audience. First, the trailer has the hip-hop song
Say It Like It Really Is playing in the background; which is, a furious, modern hip-hop song,
promising us with beats and the promise of revolution (Blankenship). This style of song is used
in the trailer near the end when the fight scenes begin to occur. Hip-hop, a popular style among
young adults, is prefect for these types of scenes because it helps give the youth that adrenaline
rush they love so much. Also, the violence displayed in the trailer is never resolved; and this
helps create a feeling of suspense among the viewers. They realize that if they want to see the
resolution, they have to go watch the film. Thanks to the trailers cinematography, it has a fastpaced, action-packed feel to it. The viewer feels the tension rising before it suddenly comes to a
standstill between Kings followers and the police. After a brief moment, Say It Like It Really
Is begins to play as the pace picks up again and scenes flash one after another of people being
beaten by the police. As Lancioni says, Viewers construct meaning from shot content and
context, from the relationship of shot to shot, and from the rhythm of cutting, all of which
contribute to the films visual rhythms and constitute an important part of its rhetoric (109).
The rapid and intense rhythm in Selma just so happens to be the preferred pace of todays youth;
this is no coincidence.
In the actual film, the pace is slowed down in comparison to the trailer and this gives the
viewer time to think and reflect. The film takes on a much more thematic approach. Through the
use of symbolism and imagery, the film does a brilliant job of portraying its message. The film is
driven by its dialogue, but a wordy trailer would never attract a youthful audience. King is wellknown for his riveting speeches and the writer of the movie had to carefully plan what it was he
wanted King to say while preserving his unique style and historical accuracy. Creating a
message involves thinking critically about the facts available to you (Herrick 20). Because of

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the deliberate words chosen for King to express, a powerful message was created. Movies
inspired by true stories are especially difficult to make because the director has to walk the fine
line between maintaining authenticity and entertaining the audience. DuVernay does just that by
viewing the facts she had available to her and then applying this to her message. Being a visually
satiated world, visual symbolism is the most effective modern way of delivering a message and
Selma takes advantage of this. We live in cultures that are increasingly permeated by visual
images with a variety of purposes and intended effects (Sturken & Cartwright 10). Sure, Selma
could be viewed on the surface as simply a film telling of how King helped lead people against
racism; but if the viewer actively watches the movie, the placement of symbols can lead them to
the much more in depth message of Selma. One symbol that sticks out is the use of the
presidential portraits hung up in the White House. When King is talking to President Johnson, a
photograph of George Washington is clearly visible between the two of them. Washington can be
seen as the bridge between the two men; he owned slaves, but he also founded this country and
helped orchestrate the ideal that every man is created equal. When Governor Wallace is shown, a
portrait of Andrew Jackson is visible behind him. Jackson, like Wallace, is viewed as one of the
nations most ruthless and unrelenting presidents. Just like Andrew Jackson, Governor Wallace is
always being stubborn. When actively viewing Selma, the viewer can gain so much more insight
into the actual goal of the movie of calling people to action rather than gaining maximum profit.
In accordance with attempts of appealing to a younger audience, the film tries to
modernize the works of King by using well-known actors, having a modern soundtrack, and
using deliberate cinematographic techniques. This helps create a connection between the
problems King fought and the problems the world is currently facing. Selma succeeds in
modernizing itself by using actors and actresses that are iconic figures to society and young

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adults. For example, Oprah Winfrey is adored by many because of her charitable acts. When the
viewer watches her in Selma, they will make connections between the film and helping out the
less fortunate. They also chose Common, a popular rapper among late 1980s and early 1990s
children. Associating his name with the film helps transcend Selma into the future because of the
audience drawn in by his name. The song during the credits mentions Ferguson, which is a
pressing issue in todays world. By deliberately choosing a song with these lyrics, DuVernay
shows that the problems that go along with racism still exist, despite Kings best efforts, and that
todays people must continue to stand up for equal rights for all. Finally, the film modernizes
King and enhances its argument is through its cinematography that implants the viewer into the
actual scenes of the movie. Lancioni discusses the use of the moving frame and gives the
example of, Slowly panning the photograph of slaves at work in the cotton fields creates the
illusion that the line of slaves stretches on eternally (110). Selma uses similar strategies by not
showing the ends of lines of protestors, which makes the viewer feel as if they are witnessing a
popular movement they can both figuratively and literally get behind. The viewer is in front of
King during his speeches as if they were sitting in the Church listening to him along with
everyone else When people are beaten, the film uses the moving frame to make the audience
member feel as if they are doing the beating. Various strategies help modernize Selma which in
turn helps viewers connect to the movie and realize that the film is calling the viewer to action.
Some critics might argue that Selma may have a message calling people to act, but would
question how its possible that King isnt the main character of the film. First, if DuVernay
wanted to make this a biography on the life and acts of King, King would have most likely
been the name of the movie. By calling it Selma it gives the title a sense of community. Second,
the film uses a number of techniques to make the viewer feel as if they have an active part in the

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movie and this helps influence them to have an active role in the real world once they exit the
theater. Finally, King is humanized in this film and isnt always shown to be as big of a hero as
many may have thought. The film stresses that he had his faults, and that none of his work would
have been possible without the support of those who loved him and his message.
King is often thought of as the ideal human being; however, Selma shows the human side
of him and shows that one of the worlds greatest leaders of all time, made mistakes and doubted
himself. These are the two biggest reasons people are scared to stand up for what they believe,
but Selma demonstrates that these fears are not a valid excuses. The first time the viewer meets
King, they dont even see him; they hear him rehearsing a speech. This has an immediate
humanizing effect on the character of King. Most people know King for his influential speeches
and rarely think of the preparation that had to go into making them. Kings vices and mistakes
are also put on display in the film. For example, Kings wife receives a voicemail of a man and a
woman having sex and it is implied that the man is her husband. She demands that he admit to
being unfaithful before the scene cuts out. Another time King is criticized is when a seemingly
infinite line of supporters is on a bridge and King kneels, prays, and decides to turn around and
not march onward toward the officers awaiting them. This, at first, was deeply criticized by
many and King had trouble accepting the fact that many thought he had given up. King often
has fears of what will come to be of the movement he started. Throughout the movie, King uses
the word tired continuously which is an emotion everybody can relate to. When in jail, he has a
conversation where he questions whether its even worth going through with what he has begun
or if it is even possible to overcome racism. King relies on others to help pick him up when he
has fallen and during this conversation his face emerges and enters the light.

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Despite what many would view as mistakes, King goes on to become one of the most
revered and influential leaders of all time. His I Have a Dream speech is arguably the most
famous speech by an American man of all time. By the end, he was able to ignite a movement in
which he had millions of supporters willing to put their life on the line for his movement. Many
regular people, including King, faced brutal violence daily, were thrown in jail, and even
killed. None of these people started out extraordinary; they were just average people who
decided to say yes, and stand up for their beliefs no matter the consequence. In Selma, King
states, Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson? Every Negro man and woman who stands by
without joining this fight as their brothers and sisters are brutalized, humiliated, and ripped from
this Earth. He is saying that everyone is responsible for protecting every mans rights; and if
any one person decides to be a bystander and not make an active effort, they are just as
responsible. Selma doesnt center around King on his own, it encompasses every living person
and calls them to fight against anything that they believe is an act of injustice.
Herrick makes an observation as to why Kings actions were so effective. He states,
Through his rhetorical efforts, King built a community of discourse that enabled people to
think and act with unity to address a wide range of serious social problems (Herrick 23).
Rhetoric is the key to everything because it is used every time somebody is trying to make a
convincing argument. Selma uses rhetoric effectively because it uniquely makes the viewer the
focal point of the film. The film uses techniques to draw in youth and young adults because the
world is in their hands. They are responsible for continuing the fight against racism and ensuring
equal rights for everyone. Selma asks the viewer how they are going to react to what they have
witnessed. After reflecting on Selma to savor its true effect, any person, having actively viewed
it, will be prepared and ready to act against any injustices they see in todays society.

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Works Cited
Blankenship, Mark. Can Public Enemy Make Selma Feel Modern? Tribeca. Tribeca
Enterprises LLC.
Herrick, James A., The History and Theory of Rhetoric. 2nd ed. Allyn & Bacon, 2001. Print.
Lancioni, Judith. The Rhetoric of the Frame: Revisioning Archival Photographs in the Civil
War. Western Journal of Communication. Western States Communication Association,
1996. 105-116. Print.
Selma. Dir. Ava DuVernay. Paramount Pictures, 2014. Film.
Sturken, Marita, and Lisa Cartwright. Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture.
Oxford University Press, 2001. Print.