Persuasive Techniques Used In The Film 'Chamere Downey'
Chamere Downey, Professionally known as Cazhhmere, challenges the previously renowned conception in society, that suggests white folks achievements are the epitome of Canadian history and that the black diaspora in Canada, particularly Nova Scotia, is a relatively new occurrence. She demonstrates this by sharing her own family’s history and accomplishments. She informs her viewers that her family has lived in Halifax, Canada for 7 generations, rebutting the belief that black Canadians had arrived recently from immigration. Moreover, Cazhhmere shares her family’s many accomplishments. Her great-uncle Bobby Downey was a renowned middleweight boxer, her great Uncle Billy owned the preeminent club in Halifax, and her grandparents served as veterans
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This persuasive device plays upon readers emotions by generating feelings such as sympathy, anger, and fear in order to influence the viewer's opinions. In this documentary, the feeling being generated is anger. The author displays this through her family’s personal experience. For example, Cazhhmere’s mother shares her story. She says when she was younger her mother told her that she should not take the n-word from anyone and if she ever does she has her permission to hit back. Unfortunately, her mother's advice has become a reality and a white girl that attended her school had called cazhhmere's mother the derogatory term. Similarly, Cazhhmere’s uncle had stated that “Everything that happened in the states, contrary to what people may think, had happened in good old Nova Scotia”(Deeply Rooted). He elaborated by specifying how although there were no specific signs that stated coloured only or whites only, it was an implied rule. He also stated that people outside of the province were told to stay away from “Creighton st” or “Gottingen st” supposedly due to its large black population. This makes us - the viewers - feel angry that the black population in Canada had to experience a sense of alienation in the country. This then helps us understand that indeed, the black Canadians were treated differently which makes it easier to close that this may be the reason black accomplishments are not perceived as high as
This persuasive device plays upon readers emotions by generating feelings such as sympathy, anger, and fear in order to influence the viewer's opinions. In this documentary, the feeling being generated is anger. The author displays this through her family’s personal experience. For example, Cazhhmere’s mother shares her story. She says when she was younger her mother told her that she should not take the n-word from anyone and if she ever does she has her permission to hit back. Unfortunately, her mother's advice has become a reality and a white girl that attended her school had called cazhhmere's mother the derogatory term. Similarly, Cazhhmere’s uncle had stated that “Everything that happened in the states, contrary to what people may think, had happened in good old Nova Scotia”(Deeply Rooted). He elaborated by specifying how although there were no specific signs that stated coloured only or whites only, it was an implied rule. He also stated that people outside of the province were told to stay away from “Creighton st” or “Gottingen st” supposedly due to its large black population. This makes us - the viewers - feel angry that the black population in Canada had to experience a sense of alienation in the country. This then helps us understand that indeed, the black Canadians were treated differently which makes it easier to close that this may be the reason black accomplishments are not perceived as high as