Jake Janesch Rhetorical Analysis of Blackfish the...

Jake Janesch

Rhetorical Analysis of Blackfish the Documentary

SCOM 381

May 6, 2015

Rhetorical Analysis of Blackfish 2

Abstract

SeaWorld was exposed during a documentary, as tangible footage and personal

interviews express wrongdoings. Previous information indicates the motives of the director

include using the theme of environmental non-fiction and exposure to create a reaction.

Researchers lack knowledge, however, about the specific rhetorical devices that can be used to

further criticize and analyze the film. This study will investigate how Burke’s pentad can

examine the documentary Blackfish through the director’s use of conscious and subconscious

motives. Terministic relationships will be evaluated, focusing on how the act-scene ratio

prominently features SeaWorld’s exposure controlling the inhumaneness of killer whales. The

discussion will then allow the audience to further understand the overarching themes, making

additional connections between the analysis and rhetorical aspects.


SeaWorld is a well-known United States chain that owns various marine mammal parks,

stating they are the “leading theme park and entertainment company that blends imagination with

nature and enables guests to celebrate, connect with, and care for the natural world” (SeaWorld,

2015). Prior to 2013, this may have been the case until the documentary Blackfish was featured.

Now the humaneness and safety of SeaWorld’s practices are being questioned and negative

actions have already resulted. After the release of the film, Duke (2013) indicated “Martina

McBride, Cheap Trick, 38 Special, Barenaked Ladies, REO Speedwagon, Trisha Yearwood and

Willie Nelson cancelled scheduled concerts” (p. 2) at SeaWorld Parks. SeaWorld is continuing to

dispute the accuracy of the film and has released statements. Now through rhetorical analysis, the

film can be analyzed in order to learn about the motives of the director and understand the

controversies attached.

Blackfish is a documentary that was directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite in January of

2013, which first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival that same year. Magnolia Pictures and

CNN Films quickly picked up the film and “it became majorly popular when it aired on US

television in November 2013” (Kaufman, 2013, p. 1). Blackfish tells the story of a performing

killer whale named Tilikum that killed several people while in captivity at SeaWorld. Overall the

documentary displays a journey from Tilikum being captured in 1983 to major incidents that

occurred over the years, along with interviews from several SeaWorld trainers.

Previous research states the shocking footage and sensitive interviews are complied to

explain a “killer whale’s environment, distressing capture, punishing captivity” (Silverstein,

2013, p. 546) and pressures with trainers. One of the trainers featured in Blackfish, John

Hargrove, is releasing a critical book called “Beneath the Surface,” which is about SeaWorld and

its treatment of orcas. He appeared on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” in April 2015 and


now SeaWorld has begun a major public relations campaign as a result. The campaign is meant

to create a better image of SeaWorld after the documentary, through the use of print, TV and

online communication. These reasons are why Blackfish is an important documentary to analyze.

It will be important to analyze the nature of all these components to understand the process that

occurred. It is overall an emotional and rigid story that challenges viewers to evaluate the

relationship with nature and humans (Smaill, 2014, p. 61). It also reveals highly intelligent

animals, allowing the viewer to understand performance killer whales and the operations of

SeaWorld (Pevere, 2013, p.1).

The film created an overall strong reaction from viewers, SeaWorld employees, and those

connected to the documentary itself. The main target audience is SeaWorld because the director

continues to mention them, seeks a reaction, and “makes the audience believe that they are only

in it for the money” (Sicinski & Wingard, 2013, p. 3). Also it targets people that visit SeaWorld,

people who have heard about the fatal Tilikum incident, and animal enthusiasts in general. Since

the film is a documentary, the speaker is talking directly to the audience and everything being

shown is for the audience to evaluate. Thus the personal testimonies from experts and residing

stories are meant to reach the audience on a more personal level.

This essay will therefore create an argument that Blackfish can be rhetorically analyzed in

a way to learn the motives of the director. The Burkean pentad is the premise to understand how

SeaWorld’s exposure controls the inhumaneness of killer whales. The method is shown to be

ultimately useful because it displays how the components of the pentad contribute to the

perspective of the rhetor. First the literature review will discuss the thematic premise of the

documentary, which goes into the category of environmental non-fiction. Following that, the

literature review will discuss the exposure of SeaWorld that is presented as an underlying theme.


Concluding, the literature review will examine how the film uses historical archives to prove

their main points. Succeeding the review, the method section will provide a way to understand

the artifact. It will ultimately be used to analyze and discuss the motives, controversy and

purpose of the film. All will contribute to the rhetorical analysis of the documentary Blackfish.

Literature Review

Environmental Non-fiction Film

A rhetorical feature of documentaries includes the aspect of factual records that consist of

official pieces of written, visual and/or other matter. The documentary Blackfish features these

aspects, while creating a non-fictional presentation of animals in the environment. According to

Brereton and Hong (2013), environmental non-fiction films include the “important caveat that

realism and truth making is not an optional extra within this format” (p. 175). Therefore in order

to make Blackfish a success, the director had to provide the viewers with footage that would

feature the truth. Cowperthwaite provided this in the film through the use of previous recording

from the capture of killer whales and moments at SeaWorld. These recording were further used

because they added to the “persuasive cognitive logics, but also because of the deep eco-

memories and emotional affect that it evoked” (Murray and Heumann, 2009, p. 195). This

connects with the pathos of the director and how environmental films create nostalgia for the

viewer. Thus the film is mot powerful “when it draws on environmental nostalgia, a nostalgia

that we all share for a better, cleaner world” (Brereton & Hong, 2013, p. 175). In this sense the

“cleaner world”, by Cowperthwaite’s standards, includes not capturing killer whales for

entertainment purposes. Her message gains “rhetorical force when an environmental nostalgia

with emotional appeal is effectively evoked” (Brereton & Hong, 2013, p. 176).


A point of concern presented by Cowperthwaite that contributes to her motives of outing

SeaWorld, contains the capture of the whales rather than highlighting them in nature. Mills

(2010) evaluates the ability of humans to enter “environmental realms without negatively

impacting on them,” supporting the idea that humans can be “responsible caretakers of the

planet” and minimize their consequential behaviors (p. 200). Environmental films like Blackfish

therefore can “engage citizens in environmental debates” (Mills, 2010, p. 193). Opposing this

environmental non-fiction film basis, SeaWorld is presented to believe that “entering the

‘whales’ realm becomes not only ethically justified: it also becomes necessary, in response to

environmental concerns” (Mills, 2010, p. 201). Through their motives, SeaWorld tries to justify

“their actions as ones benefiting the very species whose rights are being moralized away” (Mills,

2010, p. 201).

Exposure of SeaWorld

“Documentary practice is in and of itself the operations of the will to inventing new

modes of knowing” (Auguiste, 2015, p. 21). In the case of Blackfish, the motives of the director

involve the exposure of SeaWorld because her display presents how their actions are unjust. The

information presented therefore benefits Cowperthwaite’s work. This documentary is ultimately

trying to present the argument that SeaWorld is capturing these animals immorally, confining

them in tight spaces, and showing them off for the entertainment of others. All things considered,

Pevere (2013) concludes “Blackfish nevertheless mounts a powerful case for the fundamental

inhumanity of using creatures like Tilikum – intelligent, affectionate and fiercely family-oriented

– for purposes of high-profit amusement” (p. 1). Connecting to the purpose of documentaries,

exposure is used as a tool through the use of “private archives collections not placed in the public


sphere” (Auguiste, 2015, p. 8). Cowperthwaite used hidden footage showcasing the capture of

whales and moments at SeaWorld that were not completely public.

This is where a large gap within the research presents itself because there has yet to be

research regarding if the actions of the director were immoral to publicly display. The exposure

of SeaWorld is a major motive from the director’s standpoint because SeaWorld is the “oceanic

equivalent of a zoo, an arena for containing and gazing at non-domesticated animals” (Murphy,

2014, p. 102). Ultimately SeaWorld is made out to be a company that harms innocent animals

and is only looking for a profit. This shows that SeaWorld is being exposed through the use of

this documentary, which is a tactic used by filmmakers.

Historical Archives

According to O’Sullivan (2013), “in the world of the historical documentary, the archive

footage arms of large media corporations control our access to images from the past” (p. 231). A

large portion of the documentary Blackfish is footage from the capture of the killer whales,

moments at SeaWorld and interviews with previous trainers. The uses of these historical records

contribute to the director’s purpose and are a large rhetorical feature because “archive footage

and photographs are an essential element” (O’Sullivan, 2013, p. 232) of any documentary.

Keith Beattie (2004) notes, “central to the documentary presentation of an argument or

arguments about the world is the role of narrative” (p. 119). This connects with the idea from

Auguiste (2015) that the use of “archives is integral to narrative structure and modes of visual

address” because it allows the viewer to “begin to address any endemic problem in documentary

films” (p. 8). For instance, there is a scene that shows how SeaWorld separates orcas from their

families, hunt their families, and kill whales in their natural habitat. A seaman recalls, “an orca

had to be stuffed with rocks to make it sink to the bottom of the ocean floor” and was quoted


saying “it was the worst act I’ve ever been part of” (Chaudhry, 2014). This scene adds to the

narrative and supports the notion that “storytelling is at the heart of the documentary genre”

(Dinmore, 2014, p. 123). This means the archives contribute and create the stories. Research by

Dinmore (2014) also suggests “these films often work by building a persuasive and compelling

case about aspects of the socio-historical world, and pivotal to this rhetorical function is the

construction of a narrative” (p. 124).

Archives therefore create a narrative through persuasive efforts, which is an integral part

of any documentary. Blackfish benefits from the use of historical archives because “deeper and

potentially more considered understanding of the material” (Dinmore, 2014, p.131) can be

understood. Just like any other documentary, historical archives are used as a rhetorical feature to

enhance the purpose.

Methods

Blackfish is a documentary that can be analyzed through various approaches, but the

Burkean method known as Pentadic is ultimately useful because it is formed by the ratio between

five elements and includes questions from the perspective of the rhetor. The five elements

include: act, scene, agent, agency and purpose.

Kenneth Burke was an American literary and rhetorical theorist who became prominent

in the 20th-century, best known for his analyses on the nature of knowledge regarding literature

as symbolic action (Clarke, 2011, p. 2). His ideas of symbolic action are ultimately founded in

the pentad, deriving from his dramatistic methods that consider “human communication as a

form of action” (Fisher, 1984, p. 1). According to Hansen (1996), Burke is considered a

rhetorical theorist because his “theory provides a systematic means for tracking down the

significance of different ways of speaking within varied contexts” (p. 52). Also Burke (1945)


named his method dramatism, in his book Grammar of Motives, because it “invites one to

consider the matter of motives in a perspective that, being developed from the analysis of drama,

treats language and thought primarily as modes of action” (xxii). Therefore, this popularized

approach, allows pieces of rhetoric to play-off the dramatistic pentad.

The Pentadic approach is a good method in general because it, as stated before, allows

language to be extracted that will examine assertions about the situation. It also allows the

audience to interpret any utterance that may create a further situation. Thus, the linguistic action

can be examined from the action, agent, agency, scene and purpose. When breaking it down even

further, it allows the audience to understand the what, who, how, where/when and why. This

explains why people use this method and find it valuable. Burke seeks to “simplify the subject by

this pentad of key terms” and use it to generate a “principle of our investigation” (Clarke, 2011,

p. 1). Hence, I think this is a good choice to analyze the documentary Blackfish because it allows

the audience to understand the motives of the director. It will also help describe what the director

did to make it such a controversial film, how the director was able to make a case against

SeaWorld, and why the director decided to create this film.

The first step in using this method includes configuring the five major parts of the pentad,

but rather from the rhetor’s viewpoint. Thus, the parts will not describe specific scenes, but what

the rhetor wants us to see. Then once the elements of the pentad are confirmed, procedures for

using the method continue that “identify the predominant “ratios” that construct the speaker’s

overall rhetorical worldview” (Brigham & Noland, 2014, p. 53). This ratio creates the next step

in featuring two of the five terms, such as act-scene or act-agency. It ultimately creates a

relationship between the terms and shows what element is “controlling” over another element.

For example, “by analyzing the act-to-scene ratio, we can gain information about how a


scene, or social context, was influenced by the act” (Moxley, 2011, p. 2). This will allow the

audience to understand the relationships between the components of the pentad presented and

help the overall understanding of the rhetorical perspectives being offered.

Other than distinguishing the procedures used with this technique, it has to be confirmed

that Burke’s Pentad will work as a method for rhetorical analysis. In an academic journal by

Rountree (1998), it is explained how “Pentadic analysis allows the rhetorical critic to reveal how

a discursive text works within the grammar of motives to effectively represent motives for

rhetorical purposes” (p. 219). This demonstrates that Burke’s Pentad can be used as a method for

analysis and is reliable. Further, it is explained that “the strategic representation of motives

involves two rhetorical functions: (1) directing the attention and (2) both characterizing pentadic

terms and terministic relationships” (Rountree, 1998, p. 219) and has been used as a tool for

analysis throughout history. For instance, David Ling (1970) analyzed Senator Edward

Kennedy's speech on Chappaquiddick, illustrating such functions. The terms were defined, such

as the “agent (Kennedy as irresponsible), agency (driving under the influence), attitude

(careless)” (p. 82). It was also used to characterize a terministic relationship, implying the scene

controlled the act. Other examples of artifacts that have been analyzed using this method include

Reagan's visual image on television, sermons of Charles Haddon Spurgeon on the Calvinist

doctrine of election, and simply nonverbal text such as cartoons (Rountree, 1998, p. 220). It is

described that rhetorical critics can use the pentad to find “terministic references in a wide

variety of forms, from very general to quite specific.” This shows that others have effectively

used the method and that it can be used in future analysis. The pentad can be used to analyze

motives of the rhetor by looking for ways in which “statements direct attention to particular


pentadic terms, characterize the terms, and characterize terministic relationships” (Rountree,

1998, p. 220).

Since it has been proven that Burke’s Pentadic method of analysis has been successful

within analyzing other artifacts, the approach should be able to work with the documentary

Blackfish. Going forward, I will specifically use this method in relation to the film, by reflecting

upon the motives of the director. The film became extremely controversial and it is important to

understand the who, what, where, when, why, and how from the perspective of the rhetor. By

defining the components of the pentad and the terministic relationships, some of the key

rhetorical situations can be answered. It will be important not to exclusively focus on the scenes

and assign the areas of the pentad to specific components of the film, but rather how the audience

is encouraged to interpret the themes of the documentary. Also it will be important to distinguish

how certain elements of the pentad are being “controlled” over a second element. For instance,

the use of background information or interviews from previous trainers used throughout the film

will be important to analyze for the interpretation of motives. The method of Burke’s pentad will

now go into effect, as the act, scene, agent, agency and purpose will be further evaluated.

Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical analysis of Blackfish starts with the examination of the pentad that focuses on

how the director uses conscious and subconscious motives that resulted in increased controversy.

Next, terministic relationships are evaluated, focusing how the act-scene ratio is prominent and

how SeaWorld’s exposure controls the inhumaneness of killer whales.

Pentadic Components

The documentary Blackfish, displaying Tilikum being captured and major incidents that

occurred at SeaWorld over the years, received extensive attention by viewers that sparked


controversy. The film represents an example of environmental non-fiction ideals that

incorporates historical archives to prove a point. There is also an emphasis on the act, scene,

agent, agency and purpose of the film that contributes to the analysis of the director’s motives.

There are also multiple pentads within the film and first all of the elements need to be identified.

The pentad is a set of basic terms, identified by Kenneth Burke (1945), “through which

people most commonly discuss human motives and actions” (xii). The act describes what the

agent did and refers to all human action, connecting with the exposure of SeaWorld. However,

the agent could commit an array of acts, causing multiple pentads to be identified. For instance,

the act many be the exposure of SeaWorld, but it could also be the documentary or the

exploitation of whales by SeaWorld. The agent performs the act of creating the documentary, but

also displays the exploitation of whales. With these actions, the resistance of SeaWorld and the

presentation of whales fighting back have also been outcomes of the film. Numerous acts are

therefore performed, suggesting various elements of the pentad exist.

The scene is the location in which the situation occurs and according to Rountree (1998)

refers to the “context surrounding the act” (p. 220). Cowperthwaite displays the scene as the

inhumanness, abuse, and suffering of the whales. The agent includes the people or entities that

perform the action, basically showing who commits the act. As previously discussed, elements

throughout the film suggest various acts are performed, which accordingly shows multiple agents

can also be present. So in one sense, the agent can be the filmmaker because they initiated the

exposure of SeaWorld. In another way, SeaWorld and its staff could be an agent due to their

exploitation of the whales. The use of historical archives and personal interviews with former

trainers directly shows how the agent is performing this act. One could even argue that a whale

fighting back (i.e. Tilikum) is an act being performed by another agent, the whales themselves.


The retaliation of being violent in their tank and killing trainers was an act that the agent decided

to display. All things considered, when viewing the documentary from the perspective of the

filmmaker, these agents identify the cruelty toward whales rather than simply making a

documentary with the exposure of SeaWorld. Perhaps, this explains the true act.

Next, the means through which the act is completed relates to the agency. According to

Comprone (1978), “Agency is the technique or method by which the agent achieve their goals.

This may be a sequence of acts encompassed by an idea or principle,” (p. 337) thus Blackfish or

the creation of a documentary is the agency. The goals of the film were to present the actions,

which was successful with multiple pentads existing with different acts and agents. From the

exposure of SeaWorld to the exploitation of whales to the resistance of SeaWorld to the whales’

retaliation – all acts could be seen through the agency. Last is the purpose, which in this case is

the protection of animals and keeping them in nature. The purpose of Blackfish is the intentions

of the agents involved, focusing on the overall goals that the agent has in mind for the act. This

describes why the act was done. With all things considered, the purpose was to expose different

components that made the documentary Blackfish extremely controversial. For instance, the

purpose can be explained through the creation of the film and the exposure of SeaWorld overall.

More specifically, the purpose could be displaying the mistreatment of animals in confined areas

and how those animals use retaliation to get their message across.

Moments that the act is displayed throughout the film include the use of historical

archives and interviews with past trainers. From the opening credits, SeaWorld becomes the

target as an incident report recording with 911 is presented to the audience. “A whale ate one of

the trainers” (Cowperthwaite, 2013) were the first words that the audience was exposed to and

directly hurt the ethos of SeaWorld. Following, the story of Tilikum being captured from the


North Atlantic is displayed, including how the fisherman felt completely blindsided by the

operations. 1992 was the first time Tilikum was put into captivity and the scene did not only

become the location of SeaWorld but also the suffering of whales. This is when the director

started to show the context surrounding the act and created a scene where inhumanness of the

whales was indicated. “All whales in captivity have a bad life. They’re all emotionally destroyed.

They’re all psychologically traumatized. So they’re ticking time bombs” (Cowperthwaite, 2013).

This supports that the agent had the purpose to perform the act of exposing SeaWorld by how

they secure the whales in captivity where they are only expected to perform.

In an article by Parsons (2013), he states how there are additional focuses to the film such

as “the four people who have been killed by captive killer whales, bad corporate behavior by

marine theme parks and the ethics of keeping killer whales in captivity” (p. 1). These are parts of

the act that the agency is trying to prove. Thus another purpose of the agent was to have viewers

feel as if they need to save the whales being conformed and to trust everything the trainers had to

say. For instance, “can you imagine being in a small concrete enclosure for your life when you’re

used to swimming 100 miles a day” (Cowperthwaite, 2013)? This connects with the emotions of

the audience and also the aspect of being an environmental non-fiction film. As stated before by

Brereton and Hong (2013), environmental non-fiction films include the “important caveat that

realism and truth making is not an optional extra within this format” (p. 175). The footage of the

film creates its own realism for the audience that makes them feel like they needed to save the

whales themselves. This shows how the film is meant to activate the audience as agents, so they

can create a fight against SeaWorld’s cruelty. Thus, an additional purpose of the film is to create

a new group of agents that will perform a new act. This new acts involves seeing what audience

members can do to end SeaWorld’s actions.


Trusting the trainers was another part of the purpose because they were the “stars” of the

film that Blackfish used to add to its agency. Trainers stated that they were proud of being a

SeaWorld trainer but were also blindsided by all the hidden operations. Ultimately the trainers

were shown to support the purpose of the agent, but Parsons (2013) recommends that viewers

should “consider the publicity interviews by some of the former trainers involved with the film

with some caution” (p. 3). This is because the film has the purpose to build a case that captive

killer whales are dangerous to people compared to wild ones since trainers get in the water with

them. The trainers indicate this indescribable bond with the whales they train, but then cases like

Dawn Brancheau exist. The bond is imperfect and not what the trainers thinks, perhaps adding to

the purpose of the film.

Act - Scene

The act shapes the location. This means that the act or the exposure of SeaWorld controls

the scene or context surrounding that act. The scene is not just the location of SeaWorld but also

the mistreatment of whales. What is ultimately being shown includes the mistreatment of animals

– controlled through the exposure of SeaWorld, the documentary, the exploitation of whales by

SeaWorld, resisting SeaWorld, and the presentation of whale fighting back. This explains that

numerous acts are performed, suggesting that multiple pentads and specifically multiple acts

exist.

Starting from the beginning, the act-scene ratio is prominent because if SeaWorld were

never exposed through the documentary then the inhumanness of the whales would not have

been displayed. The act describes how the agent or filmmakers “exploited SeaWorld through the

use of interviews with those involved, video footage, reference to autopsy reports and court

testimonies” (Parson, 2013, p. 2). These contribute to how the scene was displayed and show the


context surrounding the act. The fact that the film states that SeaWorld “is a multi-billion dollar

corporation that makes its money through the exploitation of Orcas” (Cowperthwaite, 2013)

contributes to this ratio. The agents are presenting the act that SeaWorld is simply a high-profit

amusement, while displaying the suffering of whales.

The documentary itself is also an act that was performed and controls the exposure of the

scene. Filmmakers were able to make a film, which is a stand-alone act. If this act was not

performed, then the display of inhumanness and suffering could not be exposed. Since the scene

is the context surrounding the act, the overarching controversy would not result if the visuals

were not displayed. For instance, the act controls the scene in this instance, so if the act of the

documentary were not performed than the scene would not be available.

The exploitation of whales by SeaWorld is another act that controls the scene. One of the

purposes of the film was to expose the actions of SeaWorld, so the scene directly connects with

the agent performing this act. The scene is the context surrounding this mistreatment of whales,

so the act of presenting this exploitation by SeaWorld controls it. It is important to note that this

act does not focus on the film exploiting SeaWorld, but rather the film allowing the audience to

understand how SeaWorld is mistreating the whales. One way they performed this act was

through the use of visually capturing the operations at SeaWorld. Basically there is a cycle of

interpretation and the use of historical records created a form of knowing that is used in the

method of a documentary (Auguiste, 2015, p. 20). According to Liebman and Pierce (2014), this

applies to Blackfish because SeaWorld is a prime example of the “realities behind the

exploitation of animals used for human entertainment” (p. 1).

The aftermath of the film and the controversy attached is another indication of an act

performed for a purpose. Resisting SeaWorld as a company seems to be an act that specifics


agents want to perform. For instance, the filmmakers could have released this film because they

don’t want SeaWorld to make a profit from their actions. Performing the act to feature SeaWorld

as a lucrative business that mistreats animals is therefore part of the act. Although, the film is

supposed to be used as a platform for audience members to fight back using their own

interpretations, which has see to be true as viewers greatly side with Blackfish and believe what

is being presented. “The interpreter of archival materials” determines “how representation is

produced within the dialectics of culture,” which means the viewer has complete control

(Auguiste, 2015, p. 22). Viewers are going to determine for themselves what they want to

believe, which was not SeaWorld in this case. Therefore, the act of resisting SeaWorld controls

the scene or the inhumanness of whales because by resisting their business, individuals are not

supporting the context surrounding the act. In this case, the scene may still be displayed, but the

act of resistance is still controlling how the scene is exposed.

Another huge act is performed by the whales, in which they fight back in retaliation

against SeaWorld and its trainers. Historical archives show the whales being captured and their

confinement, but it also displays a “deeper and potentially more considered understanding of the

material” (Dinmore, 2014, p. 131). There is a moment of footage within the film that shows

Tilikum giving birth and SeaWorld immediately taking away the offspring. In the wild, whales

travel together most of their life, but this was not the case in confinement. Trainers and clips

express how after the birth, Tilikum would screech and swim directly into the walls of the tank in

order to find her offspring (Cowperthwaite, 2013). This shows Tilikum starting to retaliate by

marking herself up with scratches due to her actions. Tilikum then killed trainer Dawn Bracheau

due to frustration. Even through all of these actions, the inhumanness of the whales continued.

These acts displayed within the documentary show how even the act of retaliation performed by


the whales still controls their mistreatment. In this case, the scene may have controlled the act of

retaliation at first, but then the retaliation ended up causing further mistreatment of whales

because of them acting out.

Overall, the scene becomes a characteristic of the act because it is not possible for this

film to show the inhumanness of the whales without going forward with the exposure of

SeaWorld. For instance, the scene that depicts the aggression formed by Tilikum and the

scratches that formulated due to the proximity of the tank would not be powerful without

featuring SeaWorld as the cause. The act becomes the focus because “it highlights a relative

ignorance about the complexities of the situation and becomes the paradigmatic understanding”

(Brigham & Noland, 2014, p. 57).

Discussion and Contributions

In this essay, the documentary Blackfish is being used for rhetorical analysis and a way to

learn the conscious or subconscious motives of the director. The Burkean pentad method is

shown to be ultimately useful because it is formed by the ratio between five elements and

includes questions from the perspective of the rhetor.

In order to further understand the connection between the methods and rhetorical aspects,

overarching themes can apply. For instance, the discussion of the human relationship with non-

human animals specifically comes into play with the whales and trainers at SeaWorld. Going

forward, by trying to understand this connection, perhaps whales should also be considered as

agents due to their ability to perform acts. As discussed before, one could argue that a whale

fighting back (i.e. Tilikum) is an act being performed by another agent, the whales themselves.

The relationship between human and non-human animals is one of the main themes

throughout the documentary Blackfish, as it is a “detailed account of many human relationships


with the non-human animal world” (Smaill, 2014, p. 61). As concluded by Silverstein (2013), the

“similar-minds theory” is present within this relationship, which describes how “nonhumans

have certain cognitive qualities similar to humans” (p. 544). These qualities create a “community

of equals” because “self-awareness, emotions, and the ability to communicate with a symbolic

language” (Silverstein, 2013, p. 544) are present to create the connection. This is shown

throughout the film by the way the whales learn the routines and cues taught by the trainers.

Another component of the human/animal relationship is the human responsibility to the animal

kingdom and the “nature of our kinship.” As John Jett, a former SeaWorld trainer, expressed in

the film, “when you look into their eyes, you know somebody is home” (Silverstein, 2013, p.

542). This describes the intelligence and personality of the whales, evoking a relationship,

kinship, and empathy with the animal. Therefore individuals should be respecting these

characteristics, but watching the documentary shows that this is not always the case. The human

relationship with the animals is disrupted when footage depicts the mistreatment of orcas. So

while most of the footage depicts trainers connecting with the animals, it is also evident that

copious amount of information regarding the killer whales was withheld from them. This

includes information about the killer whales attacking the trainers. According to Adamiec

(2014), “the consequences of keeping killer whales, such intelligent and complex creatures, in

captivity,” (p. 1) was presented by “anomalous images of animals striking back” (Smaill, 2014,

p. 61). For instance, the performing killer whale Tilikum has killed several people out of

aggression built towards humans.

Connecting with the exposure of SeaWorld, the confinement of killer whales is presented

while the reformation of captivity is an underlying theme. As concluded by Silverstein (2013),

“killer whales belong with their families in their natural habitat, not performing for audiences,”


so a clear message is proposed throughout the film (p. 542). Blackfish is a film that “inspires real

reform and helps awaken viewers” because it is presenting the whales as “deserved to be

protected and cherish” animals, but are being held in captivity (Silverstein, 2013, p. 546). A

major way that the documentary captures attention and evokes the desire for reformation from

the audience is through the footage presented. For instance, there is a scene that shows how

SeaWorld separates orcas from their families, hunt their families, and kills whales all in their

natural habitat. Following their capture, orcas are confined even more and undergo training that

commands them to learn tricks. If they do not succeed, the whales are punished to confinement

and a lack of food. While all of this is just information presented in the film, it “has caused

people to open their eyes and see the torture animals have gone through and work towards

preserving these creatures in the wild,” (Chaudhry, 2014) thus causing the desire of reform by

those involved. According to the film, killer whales are intelligent and emotionally complex

animals and it is wrong for SeaWorld to keep them caged in captivity for entertainment purposes.

Along with the using the whales for entertainment purposes, SeaWorld is displayed as a

company focused on high-profit. This can connect with the ideas presented in analysis, where

resistance of SeaWorld is discussed. Resisting SeaWorld as a company seems to be an act that

specifics agents want to perform. Performing the act to feature SeaWorld as a lucrative business

that mistreats animals is therefore a purpose. This documentary is ultimately trying to present the

argument that SeaWorld is capturing these animals immorally, confining them in tight spaces,

and showing them off for the entertainment of others. All things considered, Pevere (2013)

concludes “Blackfish nevertheless mounts a powerful case for the fundamental inhumanity of

using creatures like Tilikum – intelligent, affectionate and fiercely family-oriented – for purposes

of high-profit amusement” (p. 1). Tilikum himself is worth a lot of money because he is a


breeding whale, thus “54% of the whales born in SeaWorld captivity have Tilikum’s DNA”

(Cowperthwaite, 2013). This connects to a point that Sicinski and Wingard (2013) suggest,

which says, “the makers of the film consider the owners of SeaWorld aquatic parks to be

irresponsible profiteers” (p. 3). Basically the film is saying how the captivity of killer whales is

unethical and therefore they should not be used for amusement reasons. However there is no

focus on this topic because the mistreatment of animals is the main premise. That is why

Schindler (2014) states that SeaWorld “is reeling in the profits from its aquarium theme park,”

but it is proposed as an underlying theme (p. 14). It is an underlying theme that perhaps should

show more light since SeaWorld is a business. Blackfish basically only exposes SeaWorld as a

lucrative business through visitors, selling promotional items, and with the act of breeding.

Perhaps if this were a focus along with the inhumanness of the whales, then maybe sales would

drop even further – if that were actually an intention of director. The documentary also frames

“wild animals in relation to modern institutions that enable human management of animal lives”

because SeaWorld is the “oceanic equivalent of a zoo, an arena for containing and gazing at non-

domesticated animals” (Murphy, 2014, p. 102). Thus it is assumed that SeaWorld is only after

high-profit amusement, but that cannot be determined if compared to a zoo. A potential criticism

of the film is that people assume that this enthymeme is self-evident. Meaning, this argument is

not specifically stated. Zoos can equate to the torture of animals and Blackfish is about the

torture of animals. However, some individuals might not agree with this premise and might not

be against zoos. Zoos are not continuously condemned for their confinement of animals, but

SeaWorld only is because of what was presented in Blackfish.

This essay also can give contribution to SeaWorld as the leading animal theme park in

the United States. Blackfish created controversy because visitors, viewers and SeaWorld


employees all had varying opinions regarding what was said and what was shown in the

documentary. This rhetorical analysis was not meant to create bias, but instead was used to

understand the motives behind the director. Therefore all of the information presented in this

essay was used to understand the artifact and apply a method that would allow the reader to view

rhetorical features of documentaries. In an interview with CNN (2013), SeaWorld released a

statement that says “Blackfish is billed as a documentary, but instead of a fair and balanced

treatment of a complex subject, the film is inaccurate and misleading” that fails to mention

“SeaWorld’s commitment to the safety of its team members and guests and to the care and

welfare of its animals” (p. 1). SeaWorld is currently launching a public relations campaign, as

mentioned before, to make up for such loses caused by the documentary. This shows that

Cowperthwaite was successful in her act of exposing SeaWorld, as controversy has been the

major outcome.

Conclusion

The five elements of Burke’s pentad include: act, scene, agent, agency and purpose. More

specifically in the case of Blackfish – the act is multilayered but centers around the exposure,

resistance, and retaliation of whales at SeaWorld. The scene is the suffering of the whales and

the agent includes the filmmakers, SeaWorld/staff, and the whales themselves. The agency refers

to Blackfish itself and the purpose is the protection of animals while displaying the mistreatment

of killer whales in confined areas and how they use retaliation to get their message across.

The main focus of this rhetorical analysis was to use Burke’s pentad to understand the

director and the creation behind the film, but also the rhetorical features of documentaries. Due

to the context the film, the review of literature indicates the category of environmental non-

fiction, the exposure of SeaWorld, and the use of historical archives. The use of nostalgia


became an important part of the film because the director provides the viewers with footage that

features the truth, which is mandatory in this type of format. Cowperthwaite provides this

through the use of previous recording from the capture of killer whales and moments at

SeaWorld. Also according to Mills (2010), exposure of some entity is common within

documentaries and “in order for exploitation to be accepted, it must be constructed as an immoral

act, and it can be a immoral act only if the rights of those who are exposed are deemed worthless

or secondary” (p. 198). SeaWorld conducted immoral acts that lead to the exposure of the

company. The use of historical archives also creates a “narrative structure and modes of visual

address that begin to address any endemic problem in documentary films” (p. 8). Thus, the use of

previous footage and interviews shows to be a prominent rhetorical feature. While every element

cannot be evaluated in the documentary Blackfish, it is argued that the film offers a way to

understand the motives behind its creation and describes how the mistreatment of animals was

sufficiently controlled through the exposure of SeaWorld.


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