ThomasMatysik

GeneralOutlineforDearWhitePeopleVisualAnalysis
9/30/15
Thesis
DearWhitePeopleholdsamirroruptothecurrentstateofracerelationsandracial
identityinhighereducationbyutilizingrhetoricalmethodssuchasvarious
audio/videotechniques,characterdevelopmentandinteraction,theuseofmediaand
technologybythecharacters,andastrong,indirectlyrelatedintroandconclusion.

Topic#1
OneofthewaysthatDearWhitePeopleevokesthoughtsandemotionsregardingthe
relationshipbetweenracerelationsandracialidentityisthroughtheuseofpowerful
visualsandediting.

Framing
o Samshands
o Refertotextthatmentionsframing
IntroductionandConclusion
o Givesthefilmcredibilitytosuggestthatasituationlikewhat
happenedinthefilmcouldhappeninreallife.
o Forcestheviewertorecognizethatthereracismanddiscrimination
stillexisttodayandthatitaffectsthewayblackpeoplethinkabout

themselvesandtheworldaroundthem.
Introductionstonewcharactersandsettings
o Literalboxesaroundthepeople
o Oftenshowsstereotypesofeachgroup/person.Introducesthemas
whopeopleattheschoolthinktheyareratherthanwhothey

actuallyare(Samvs.Lionelisactuallyswitchedbytheendofthe
film).
o Refertotextthatdiscussescharacterdevelopment
Topic#2
Anotherwaythatthefilmmakershighlightissuesofracialidentityineducational
institutionsisthroughthepaceandvolumeofsound,orthelackofsound.

Samsradioshowhertoneatthestart,thefireinherresponses,thenthe

silenceatthelastradioshow
Silence?
Climaticsounds(partyscenewhenLionelshowsup,getsbeatupbyKurt)
SoundasthecharacterswatchTVattheend
Refertotextthatdiscussestheimportantofsound
Refertotextthatdiscussestherhetoricalvalueofsilence

Topic#3
Characterconstruction,development,andtheinteractionbetweenthesecharactersis
criticaltounderstandinghowthefilmmakersusetheserelationshipstomakeclaimsabout
racialidentityata21stcenturynationaluniversity.

RelationshipbetweenLionelandeveryoneelse
RelationshipbetweenKurtandTroyandbetweentheirdads
Troyandgirlfriends
SamwithTA/Reggiestruggle
CocowithTVproducerandtryingtofitin

Topic#4
Anotherinterestingwaythatracialidentityisincorporatedintothefilmisthroughthe
mediaandtechnologythatisusedbythecharactersinthefilmtoconnecttoother
charactersordisplaytheiropinionwithoutdirectlyconfrontingsomeone.Thisalso
enhancestheaudiencesunderstandinghowracismexiststoday.

Socialmedia,Party,usedbySamandKurt
Radioshow,Samusesitalmostlikeashieldtohidebehindasshesays
thingsthatshewouldntbeabletosayinpublic
TheTVshowguy(Helmut)
o Thewaythatheinfluencesthewaycharactersact,espCoco
o Howhethinksaboutraceb/cdesensitizedthroughrealityTV?
Onlylookingforhoodchicks
MakesassumptionsaboutCococuzsheisfromthesouth
side

Topic#5
Thefilmmakersmakeuseofextremestatementsandactionstodrawtheaudiences
attentiontoparticularlyimportantscenesandideasregardingracialidentity.

Samsextremestatementsontheradioshow
Reggiesextremeactions(oratleastattempttoorganizeextremeactions)
Lionels(andhisfollowers)burstofoutrageattheparty
LionelkissingKurtandthefightthatensues