Amaral 1

Gustavo Vianna Amaral

Dr. McLaughlin
Multimedia Writing & Rhetoric
13 October 2014
Rhetorical Analysis of The Social Network
Visual rhetoric adds a profound dimension to modern analysis. It is essential to consider
how images work in order to convey a specific view. Indeed, it is a popular topic of debate
among renowned scholars like Herrick and Lancioni. When regarding techniques such as
panning, visual rhythms, editing, and many others, our understanding of images become
comprehensive and wholesome. In an age where films such as David Finchers 2010 The Social
Network deal with important themes, it is essential to apply the criterion of visual rhetoric in
order to fully appreciate the works. Hence, The Social Network is about Mark Zuckerburg and
the creation of Facebook. Within this tale, however, is an argument about the millennium
generation, where David Finchers film utilizes visual rhetoric to convey the necessities of fame,
wealth, and hard work to building a successful business.
Fincher argues that fame is a requirement for building a business in the millennial
generation through numerous rhetorical techniques.. Indeed, the advantages of being well
connected and social are widely known in the business world. However, Fincher argues that in
the new millennium generation, fame has an unprecedented influence in entrepreneurial
endeavors, especially when talking about the social phenomenon that Facebook invariably is.
Fincher implements a plethora of rhetorical instruments to convey the importance that Sean
Parker -the symbol of fame had in the creation of Facebook.

Amaral 2

From the first scene when Mark Zuckerberg and Eduwardo Saverin met him in the
restaurant, an arsenal of rhetoric already barrages the audience. From his entrance to the scene,
the co-creators of Facebook, as well as the audience, are marveled by the seanathon. Fincher
made sure to capture the moment by highlighting his glorious entrance: everyone, from
bartenders to managers, knew Sean. Lancioni describes the rhetorical technique used by saying
that Viewers see through the eye of the camera and try to assign meaning to what they see based
on patterns of perception (Lancioni 113). We, the viewers, are sitting in awe at the dinner
table with the co-creators as we watch Seans entrance. Through the lenses of the camera, we are
looking upwards towards his glorified entrance. Such scene holds tremendous value as it
encompasses Finchers argument that fame is essential to business. From that moment, Sean had
captured Zuckerbergs curiosity. His charismatic demeanor and well-connected status as a
socialite was his ticket into the future billion-dollar company, underlining the importance of
fame to the business world.
In addition to his entrance, Fincher fuels Sean Parkers domination over Zuckerberg
through a combination of dialog and sound. In the ingenious usage of rhetoric, the director
accelerates the viewers pulse with a thrilling non-diegetic tune as the characters begin to
introduce themselves. Meanwhile, Sean lures the audience with a rhetoric of his own. Using
anecdotes and an overall charismatic demeanor, he dominates everyone. As Herrick explained
through his work, Rhetoric bears an important relationship to power (Herrick 24), as a means
to shape knowledge and truth. Thus, with Seans discourse and the aid of the powerful, thrilling
music, the viewer experiences a shot of adrenaline and is subjected to the sway of Sean Parkers
fame and charisma.

Amaral 3

Aside from fame, Fincher also argues that wealth is a requirement for building a business
in the 21st century. After Facebook begins to gain momentum through the growing number of
users, Mark Zuckerberg needed cash in order to rapidly expand his servers. This prompted him
to branch out, and seek support. He then sough Eduwardo Saverin, a powerful symbol of wealth,
and one loaded with rhetoric. Introducing him to the viewers as the person that bought oilfutures and made 500K in a summer, they are already inclined to see him as the business end of
Facebook. Indeed, Fincher conveys him as businesslike; in many of his scenes he is well dressed
and with affluent clothing. In this manner, the rhetoric used to depict Eduwardo as symbol of
business explains why Mark sought his help to develop his endeavor.
In addition to Saverin, the Winklevoss twins are also another strong example of how
Fincher uses rhetoric to affirm wealth as a requirement to new businesses. The viewers are
introduced to them as coming from a family of means, and wanting to create a project similar to
that of Mark. In The Rhetoric of the Frame, Lancioni introduces the concept of mobile
framing, that is, the intentional camerawork used to appeal to emotion (Lancioni 107). Fincher
uses mobile framing to build the feeling that the twins are a part of one organism. Whether in
rowing competitions, or in lawsuits, they are depicted as one; camera-angles produce a unique
effect where they are complementary to each other. Zuckerberg even goes on to say the
Winklevii twins, further solidifying this conveyance. As Fincher consolidates their image as a
symbol of wealth, the viewer is exposed to the rhetoric and understands their place in the
development of Facebook.
Aside from fame and wealth, Fincher argues that hard work is another requirement to
building a successful business in the 21st century. Some might argue that in this new dot.com
bubble of today, people only need a combination of opportunity and overvaluations by blunt

Amaral 4

investors. In fact, Sean Parkers failed businesses in the music industry would further point
towards the view that internet companies are often overvalued. However, facts prove otherwise.
Facebooks value only grew exponentially over the years but perhaps more importantly,
Marks rhetoric on the movie is that of a committed, hard worker that sacrifices human
interaction in order to achieve his vision.
From the initial scenes of The Social Network, Mark has countless overnights of coding
and an overall strong commitment. As his idea develops, the more tiresome his face looks. In the
rhetorical masterpiece that represents the scene between Marks coding and the Finals Club, the
audience is exposed to a dialogue of scenes and editing that has profound meaning to Finchers
argument. As Lancioni accurately describes the rhetorical technique, The rhythm of the
cutting, all of which contributes to a films visual rhythms and constitute an important aspect
of its rhetoric (Lancioni 115). As stylistic as it may appear, the editing is heavily embedded
with rhetoric. The impressive visual rhythm created paints a rhetorical dialogue between the
two scenes Marks hard work is juxtaposed with the college parties and fraternal gatherings,
underlining the importance of sacrifice and commitment to building a business. Other examples
include the iconic wired in an expression used by the coders to signify their detachment from
the world as they partake in building Facebook. Such jargon, as well as the visual rhythms
employed, serves as rhetoric to further strengthen Finchers argument that hard work is essential
to building a business.
Overall, in accordance with renowned academics such as Lancioni and Harrick, rhetorical
analysis is crucial to understanding film. The Social Network is a perfect example of how visual
rhetoric holds tremendous weight to any analysis. In order to fully appreciate Finchers argument
that business requires a combination of fame, wealth, and hard work, the audience must be

Amaral 5

critical and observant of all features in a motion picture from editing and soundtrack to the
actors clothes and dialogue. It is safe to say that visual rhetoric opens a new dimension to the
study of any artwork; only by embracing it, can there be a well-rounded interpretation.

Amaral 6

Works Cited
Herrick, James A. The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction. Boston: Allyn and
Bacon, 2001. Print.
Lancioni, Judith. The Rhetoric of the Frame: Revisioning Archival Photographs in the Civil
War. Visual Rhetoric: A Reader in Communication and American Culture. Newbury Park, CA:
SAGE Publications, 2008. Print.
The Social Network. Dir. David Fincher. Sony, 2010. Film.