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John McCarthy
Professor Erin McLaughlin
Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric 13300
9 October 2016
The Use of Water as a Rhetorical Device in Roko Belics Happy
What do you want in life? I want to be happy, I want more money, I want to live the
American dream (1:15-1:20 and 24:00-24:15). These are just some of the expected responses
given by pedestrians when confronted with the question, what do you want in life. Not
surprisingly, these are common answers for society. The documentary Happy by Roko Belic tries
to address the rhetorical problem of societys mentality towards the materialistic and ideologist
thinking as practical methods to make people happy. The documentary uses a combination of
case studies, scientific evidence, and scientific authorities to develop its rhetorical argument,
where rhetoric is defined as Goal-Oriented discourse that seeks, by means of the resources of
symbols, to adapt ideas to an audience (Herrick 28). The film challenges the societal myths of
money, fame, and power and their ability to bring happiness. After challenging these societal
misconceptions, the filmmakers provide multiple alternatives such as family, community,
simplicity, activity, and nature. One of the films many arguments depicts rural life is a healthier
and happier way to live than urban life. It does this by developing the notion that nature brings
happiness to people. Looking at the film from the perspective of rhetorical analysis, the film uses
the conventional symbol of water in the editing, the cinematography, and the sound of the film to
help further the notion that nature can bring peace and resolution to peoples lives.
The film frequently compares the ideas of rural and urban life and their effect on
happiness. The rural lifestyle that includes nature as an environment provides a solution to the

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exigence of the film. The movie establishes from the beginning of the film that societies goal is
to achieve happiness. However, a problem arises because western culture has created a false
notion of happiness which destroys culture and leads to unhappiness. The filmmakers address the
rhetorical situation out of this dilemma. Solutions to this problem are presented throughout the
film to address this exigence. As a documentary that addresses a rhetorical situation, there will
be at least one controlling exigence which functions as the organizing principle: it specifies the
audience to be addressed and the change to be effected. (Bitzer 7) For a film targeting the
average American living in the western world, the film addresses the controlling exigence by
providing practical ways to change the many false notions that society has created, included but
not limited to family, community, simplicity, activity, and nature.
Nature is developed as a solution to this exigence through the juxtaposition of nature (a
rural lifestyle) and society (an urban lifestyle). This is successfully done by having the urban life
surrounded by examples that include a more natural down to earth existence. First, viewers are
introduced to Roy Blanchard Sr., a middle-aged man from Louisiana who is shown living off the
land. In this scene, which in the film is the second time the viewers have been introduced to Roy
Blanchard Sr., he is fishing for crabs out in the middle of the ocean. (26:50-27:50) He has a large
smile on his face and viewers can tell he loves the way he spends his time. The man and his
family live off what nature provides, desire nothing more, and are happy. The urban lifestyle
scene is that of the Japanese worker. Japan, and more specifically Tokyo, is displayed by the
filmmakers as a society that centers solely on materialistic desires (30:15-35:45). For the average
American viewer, this epitomizes western culture which suggests a possible outcome for
American society if a solution to unhappiness is not found. Throughout the entire example,
nature is disregarded and the city is given an extremely negative connotation. In one clip, the

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desolation of Japan is depicted after the bombing during WWII. This helps to establish the
negative connotation the filmmakers want with the rest of the example. Further, work is
prioritized over family which in the case study is illustrated when the father comes home from a
long day at work and the child hardly recognizes him and when the father later dies. In todays
society, this seems like an absurd mentality work over family but it brings to mind
relationship between the American worker and their own relationship with their family.
Additionally, most of the Japanese people are shown asleep during public commutes. The
Japanese prioritizing work over both family and sleep which helps viewers imagine the insidious
lifestyle that can ensue from a materialistic world view. Directly following the Japanese example
is the case study in Bhutan which focuses not on a materialistic worldview but a happiness world
view (36:00-38:30). According to the film, the Bhutan government prioritizes gross national
happiness over the gross national product. By prioritizing gross national happiness, money is not
the main concern, and the culture and history of Bhutan are maintained. There is a clear
distinction between the happiness in a rural environment and the unhappiness in an urban
environment. The filmmakers call viewers to compare their lifestyle with those of the case
studies and to evaluate the importance of nature in those lifestyles. By sheer contrast of rural and
urban life, the film establishes the convention that nature can bring happiness to a desolate
society.
Specific editing techniques organize scenes that include water repeatedly throughout the
film to reiterate that water, an essential part of nature, should be associated with happiness.
Water, which is a conventional symbol for peace and life, uses societal ideologies to be effective
as a symbol. Like in Sturkin and Cartwright's say Ideology is manifested in widely shared social
assumptions about not only the way things are but the way we all know things should be. Images

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and media representations are some of the forms through which we persuade others to share
certain views (21). The filmmakers use waters predetermined ideology of peace and life and
manipulate the ideology to include happiness. But could the presence of water be a coincidence
meaning there is no correlation? For instance, with the example of Roy Blanchard Sr. and the
Ronaldo Fadul (7:49-9:20 and 11:30-13:50), they live in places where water is a part of the
culture, so obviously, there will be water in the film. However, two supposedly random scenes
conclude two of the different case studies for very specific reasons. First, there is the example
with the poor Indian man Manoj Singn (3:23-3:44) The last couple of scenes during his interview
are with him sitting next to the lake on a very nice day even though his example has not apparent
association with the lake. Second, the Melissa Moody example, which focuses on beauty and
happiness, has no connection to water throughout the entire example until all her problems have
been resolved (22:43-23:20). By the end, she has a new husband and a new appreciation for
herself, and it is in this state of resolution that we find her standing next to the ocean saying
This is fun. I havent just stood out in the rain for quite a while. In both cases, the filmmakers
deliberately choose to end their case studies with water and in doing so, it directly relates water
and happiness. When looking at the Roy Blanchard Sr. and the Ronaldo Fadul in this light,
viewers can understand the importance to what each example offers. In both examples, we see
men that are not rich or materialistic but are connected to nature in unique ways. They dont care
about money, fame, and power, but instead they want to live a peaceful and enjoyable life.
Ronaldo Fadul at the end of his case study states, Try to work so youll be able to live your life
in tranquility. This tranquility he talks about is only further established by the two examples
when they are surrounded by water throughout the entire interview. Also interestingly enough,
both the Roy Blanchard Sr. and the Ronaldo Fadul examples are used to transition into a more

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scientific analysis of happiness. Following Roy Blanchard Sr.s case study there is a discussion
over dopamine and neurotransmitters. Following Ronaldo Faduls case study there is a
discussion on activity and the idea of flow (9:20-9:40 and 13:50-14:30). This specific ordering,
with case studies followed by scientific reasoning, gives the examples that use water more
authority in the voice of the film. Lastly, during the conclusion of the film, examples cycle
through quickly on the screen (1:10:27-1:13:27). Throughout this cycle, lakes, oceans, beaches,
and waves are intertwined with the other examples of family and community to further develop
the feeling of cordial and happy emotion. This editing puts emphasis on the importance of water
as an essential part of nature that helps lead to happiness.
The cinematography of the scenes that include water use specific filming techniques to
create the illusion that water as a vital part of nature and is a precursor necessary for happiness.
This illusion is created by camera techniques that emphasize the importance of water and its
subtle presence. In one scene with Roy Blanchard Sr., nature and water have an interesting
relationship. Throughout the example, birds are displayed standing, swimming and bathing in the
water and the camera is always on the boat (7:30-7:35). The birds are associated directly with the
water in many of these scenes until they are shown flying through the air during a sunset (8:20920). The camera videos the birds in such way as to provide the illusion that the camera is again
on the water. With this in mind, birds and beauty are related through the strong presence of water.
To further develop this notion of the birds and their association with water, the filmmakers
choose to use what Judith Lancioni would call slow panning which is used to build suspense,
but filmmakers can also use [it] to create a pattern of audience expectation that differentiates
itself from conventional viewing patterns. (109) The camera starts focused in on the birds
flying, slowing zooms out, and finishes the image with Roy Blanchard Sr. sitting in his boat in

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the middle of the lake. Conventionally, viewers would not expect to see someone this integrated
into nature, but for Roy Blanchard Sr. this nature him happy. By ending the clip focused on the
entire scene, including the lake, viewers are challenged to reevaluate nature and happiness. The
importance of water to the film is not limited to the Roy Blanchard Sr., but to the film as a
whole. At the end of the film, when the credits are rolling across the screen, the background
video is back on Roy Blanchard Sr.s lake where the camera is perceivably on a boat slowly
approaching the sunset (1:13:27-1:14:27). By choosing this as the background in the final image,
the filmmakers instigate the viewer into interpretation of a beautiful scene of nature that can only
be found on the water.
The music and noise add to the complexity of the relationship between water and
happiness creating another level of illusion where water can resolve conflicts. For cinematic
purposes, music helps develop certain emotions that the filmmakers want the viewer to be
feeling at a given point in time. A sad part of the film will play slower music, the climax of the
will have the most dramatic music, and the ending will have some concluding music. This
concluding music will usually give the viewers a sense of resolution. For Happy, the filmmakers
use music and water to create a greater sense of resolution. When putting water and music into
the terms that Sturkin and Cartwright use, the signifier is music and the signified is the image of
water, where in addition to the two levels of meaning of denotation and connotation, there is the
sign, which is composed of the signifier, a sound, written word, or image, and the signified,
which is the concept evoked by that word/image. (29) There are two orientations for the sign of
resolution. One uses music and water and the other uses the sound of the ocean and a positive
situation. For instance, when the movie describes flow a zone people can enter when they are
doing something they truly love it uses the peaceful music of the piano along with different

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images of the sand, beach, and ocean to create the sign (14:45-15:30). The end of the film
follows a similar pattern. Again, there is the image of the sunset on the lake. The music the
filmmakers choose imitates stereotypical Irish ballad played with a fiddle or violin. This music
gives the video the sense of happiness, peacefulness, and completion. The other way that water is
used to help develop the sign resolution and its relationship to water occurs during the Okinawa
example (45:40-46:20). The film brings up the point that old age leads to happiness. As the
interview of the 106-year-old Ushi Okushima takes place, the sounds of crashing of waves are
audible in the background. The peaceful situation on the island of Okinawa, along with the sound
of the waves in the background throughout the case study adds further complexity to the illusion
that water aids happiness. By using music, the sound of water, the image of water, and positive
situations, the filmmakers can establish a sign resolution and water are related in an intricate
way.
What is the most important factor of happiness? Family? Friends? Community? Nature?
Happy tries to help the viewers understanding of what factors play the most important role in a
persons happiness. The filmmakers develop each of their suggestions using various methods of
editing, cinematography, and sound to further their argument. The argument that nature brings
happiness if only further developed through the rhetorical techniques used to relate water and
happiness. Water is portrayed as a positive peaceful force that resolves unhappy situations and
brings happiness to peoples lives. By successfully creating this message, the filmmakers offer a
taste of happiness to their audience ultimately accomplishing their purpose of downgrading the
importance of money, fame, and power. But the more important underlying question is: what
causes people to turn to money, fame, and power for happiness? Is there a way to change

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peoples deeply rooted interpretations? Will a documentary on happiness be enough to
accomplish this colossal task?

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Works Cited
Belic, Roko, director. Happy. Wadi Rum Productions, 2011.
Bitzer, Lloyd F. The Rhetoical Situation Philosophy & Rhetoric, vol. 1, no.1, 1968, pp. 1-14.
Herrick, James A. An Overview of Rhetoric. The History and Theory of Rhetoric, 2005, pp. 130.
Lancioni, Judith. Revisioning Archival Photographs in The Civil War. The Rhetoric of Frame,
1996, pp. 105-117.
Sturken, Marita, and Lisa Cartwright. Images, Power and Politics Practices of Looking: an
Introduction to Visual Culture, 2001, pp. 10-69.