THESIS/ARGUMENT: The rhetoric in the film Dear

White People succeeds in proposing a problem of

racial divides and how these divides create social
barriers in modern society, however it lacks in its
advocacy to solve the problem, thus making the racial
divide greater.
COUNTERARGUMENT: This film does not make the
racial divide greater because it shows the common
differences in African American and white people.
QUOTES FROM READINGS:
IDENTITY: Another common assumption about identity is
that it is shape by our personal choices or decision.
According to this viewpoint, to understand identity we must
examine the choices we make in our daily lives- choices
about our social relationships and anything else we care
about. (Under Assumption 3 Sub-Heading)
Regardless of how interesting a topic may be to you as a
writer, readers always need to know what is at stake in a
text and why they should care. All too often, however, these
questions are left unanswered, mainly because writers and
speakers assume that audiences will know the answers
already or will figure them out on their own. (So What? Who
Cares? Paragraph 1)

The rhetoric in the film Dear White People succeeds

in proposing a problem of racial divides and how these
divides create social barriers in modern society,
however it lacks in its advocacy to solve the problem,
thus making the racial divide greater.
Characterization:
-HOW IS HAIR SYMBOLIC?
-ADD DEAN FAIRBANKS & PRESIDENT FLETCHER, and
possibly KURT
-Coco: Static Character, Always worried about the
look of herself to others. Wants the book to be
judged by the cover. Scenes: *Interview with HelmutShe denies her heritage in Chicago despite Helmut
knowing she is not from Hyde Park. *Helmut pressures
her to create controversy, especially when she tries to
make a blog post. *She is the emcee of the party and
is extremely out of place and eventually angry about
everything that has happened.
-Troy: Static Character. Pressured by his father and his
fathers past judgments and fights. Worried about
the look. Scenes: *When Sofia and him are in his
apartment and she is trying to have sex, however he
is extremely uncomfortable. *Smokes in the restrooms
and writes jokes-which is his true aspiration, however
is father doesnt want him to be the stereotypical
black guy.
-Lionel: Dynamic Character. Gains confidence and is
extremely comfortable by the end of the movie. He

does promote positive change at the university

because he changes from the quiet, awkward kid to
being a role model and a kid that doesnt care about
what other people think. Scenes: *Editors of the
newspaper: at the studio, when the editor busts a
move on him, when they get scared when they see
him. *He gets locked out of his own house and calls
dean Fairbanks. *Kurt makes a rude voicemail
message on the house phone. *He breaks up the party
and eventually gets beat up. *He tries to sit at the
lunch table in the black house however even he
gets kicked out because he doesnt live there.
-Sam: Dynamic Character. Was worried about the look,
however by the end you see her not caring what other
people think and following her heart. This is an
extreme change. Scenes: *Gets caught cheating with
Reggie. *Dates/is seeing her white TA. *She films
everything.

OUTLINE/DRAFT
INTRO/THESIS>ThefilmDearWhitePeopleisasocialsatire
that
CHARACTERIZATION(Howarestereotypes/characters
displayedtoaudience?)>Labels play an important role in how someone is
characterized. Physical labels can be the first impression of a character. This plays
an important role in how the plot is developed and how the relationships within the
movie can grow. When we are first introduced to some of the characters in Dear

White People, a label is cast over an image of the person. Lionel Higgins, for
example, has a label that says: Lionel Higgins: Philosophy (crossed out)
Undeclared. This shows his uncertainty about his future and more importantly his
lack of confidence which is extremely important later on in the film. This label,
paired with stereotypical actions of a character that lacks confidence and social
identity such as slouching, a frown, and a lack of style, provides the audience with
a first impression and a glimpse into the characters identity. The perception of
identity and how it amplifies social problems helps to amplify the problem of race;
Another common assumption about identity is that it is shaped by our personal
choices or decision. According to this viewpoint, to understand identity we must
examine the choices we make in our daily lives- choices about our social
relationships and anything else we care about.. In this film, identity is a
cornerstone of the problem of race relations. Coco Connors is uncomfortable with
her true identity. We are first introduced when her label is cast over her image in
one of her blog posts. The text in the label says Collandrea (crossed out) Coco
Connors. This represents her desire to change her identity to something it is not,
as well as her inability to express her true identity without worrying about what
others think. During her interview following the blog clip, there is a sense of
tension that is developed between her and interviewer, Helmut West- a reality TV
producer, developed through quiet music and the scene itself with the two sitting
directly across from each other facing off. Her identity is in flux until she says
shes from Chicago. When this is said, Helmut further interrogates her by asking
what neighborhood, Coco says Hyde Park, which is an upper class and higher end
neighborhood. The producer asks the street, and Coco says Seventy Eighth
and Helmut cuts her off and says, Seventy Eighth is Southside Sweetheart
and you know what they say, you can take the girl out the hood but you cant take
the hood out the girl.

CHARACTERRELATIONSHIPS(Howdothe
stereotypes/charactersinteractandhowaretheseinteractions
presented?)>
SETTINGS(Howisthesettingreflective/paralleltothe
characterrelationships?)>
LABELS(Fitintocharacterizationandsetting)>
CONCLUSION
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