Outline

1. Identify a central argument or claim that the film you chose is making
   1. Conspiracies against the government
      1. Questioning decisions made 
         1. GTMO Torture
         2. Actions made in Vietnam
         3. 9/11
      2. How did these change the public’s view on politics and the president
         1. Opened our eyes to the threats around us
            1. Our position with Iraq and Iran threatened (Al Qaeda)
2. Support your interpretation with evidence from the film itself
   1. Interviews and transcripts shown throughout the film
      1. Question what the government is and isn’t telling us
         1. Expose lies covered in the media that the government told us
   2. Questioning Rumsfeld personally
      1. Going through steps he took in his jobs
         1. Did he make the right decision?
3. Focus on how the film in question bolsters its argument through its rhetorical stance—the relationships between the author, audience, subject, and context, covering not just what is being said but how it is being said.
   1. The way the director set up the camera allows it to seem like Rumsfeld is talking to us → pathos
   2. Statements said are backed up by emails, transcripts, and interviews which are shown on the screen → ethos
      1. Backs up their claims and makes them more credible by using primary sources
      2. Also directly interviewing Rumsfeld gives them more credibility because they have someone who was there and worked directly with the people they are talking about → a first hand source
   3. Uses visuals and videos to invoke emotion from the viewer.
      1. Voice over from the first plane that hit one of the World Trade Center towers.
         1. Pictures of the aftermath + dramatic music → sadness

Second Draft

Director Errol Morris interviewed former politician Donald Rumsfeld about his time in office and the positions he took during the time before the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath during the documentary The Unknown Known. Morris’ interview with Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld analyzes the differences between unknown knowns, known, knowns, and unknown unknowns throughout recent history. Errol Morris utilizes rhetorical strategies such as ethos, logos, and pathos, to persuade the audience of the credibility of his analyzes. Morris discusses many topics in the recent history of the United States with Donald Rumsfeld, including the aftermath of Watergate, 9/11, the invasion of Iraq, and when we officially defined and applied the word ‘terrorism’. Throughout the documentary, Director Errol Morris, utilizes primary sources, emotional appeals, and logical conclusions to attempt to study Donald Rumsfeld’s analyzes.

In The Unknown Known, Errol Morris interviews politician Donald Rumsfeld, about the recent history of the United States of America, through interviewing Rumsfeld directly and backing up his claims of unknown knowns, by utilizing primary sources. Errol Morris reads directly from memos, emails, and transcripts, that Rumsfeld has produced. This backs up Morris’s questions and Rumsfeld attempts to legitimize his actions in government. Through Errol Morris’ presentation of visuals and primary sources, Donald Rumsfeld attempts to justify his past actions and show the audience the full picture. Errol Morris’s use of primary sources makes his actions more credible to the audience. Also, directly interviewing Rumsfeld gives Morris more credibility because Rumsfeld himself is a first-hand source. Errol Morris is delving into the secrets of politics and the story behind impactful events, such as 9/11, the aftermath of Watergate, and the approval of torture methods in GITMO. By interviewing a politician who advised four presidents, and who worked as the Secretary of Defense for a period of time, legitimizes Errol Morris’ argument and gives credibility to the documentary. 

The Unknown Known bolsters its argument by using logic and leading the audience through logical judgments and facts. The director, Errol Morris, focuses on using memos, written by Donald Rumsfeld during his political career. By showing the memos on the screen, using voice-overs, and even having Rumsfeld read them himself, Rumsfeld backs up his argument with primary sources. Morris presents memos from various occasions that Rumsfeld utilizes to back up his motivations for his approval of less ethical projects. Morris asks questions to Donald Rumsfeld that set up background information for the audience. For example, Morris shows a memo that Rumsfeld approved of interrogation techniques that included, forced standing, nudity, waterboarding, and more, which Rumsfeld first refused ever happened. By utilizing Rumsfeld’s own memos, Morris caught him in a lie, which discredited Rumsfeld to the audience. Donald Rumsfeld tries to utilize logic to prove his point by using first-hand accounts, and primary sources to back up his argument, which Morris uses to unveil the truth to the audience.

Errol Morris utilizes the rhetorical strategy, pathos, to invoke emotion from the audience, by using techniques to connect the audience directly into the interview.  Errol Morris uses an interviewing process that allows the viewer to look directly into Rumsfeld’s eyes when he is talking. By utilizing this technique Rumsfeld is forced to look into “the eyes” of the audience while he is telling his story. Through this technique, Errol Morris forces Rumsfeld to look at the audience when he is telling a lie. By doing this, Rumsfeld not only has to face Morris while lying, but also the public that is watching. Morris also uses pictures, videos, and sound clips, to immerse the audience into the interview. For example, when talking about 9/11 Morris plays the audio of the control tower trying to communicate with the first plane before it hits the first tower. The dramatic music and photos of the aftermath work with the sound clip to invoke a feeling of overwhelming sadness. Morris uses these strategies to force the audience to connect with the interview and to understand the impact of it all. Through pathos, director Errol Morris forces the audience to connect with the interview and immerse themselves into the conversation.

Director Errol Morris utilizes rhetorical strategies to persuade the audience during his interview with former politician Donald Rumsfeld. Errol Morris attempts to persuade his viewers, by connecting the audience emotionally, proving his argument through logic, and backing up his claims with credible resources. In The Unknown Known, Errol Morris questions Donald Rumsfeld about the recent history of the United States of America. Rumsfeld attempts to persuade the audience of his argument on the justification of his actions by explaining the idea of unknown knowns, and unknown unknowns by utilizing primary sources. However, Morris uses logic to show the audience the truth behind Rumsfeld’s words by showing memos written by Rumsfeld that counter what Rumsfeld answers in the interview. Finally, Morris attempts to connect the audience through an emotional appeal by using voice clips, videos, and pictures of great tragedies. In The Unknown Known, Errol Morris utilizes rhetorical appeals when interviewing Donald Rumsfeld to further question Rumsfeld’s past actions in office.

Third Draft

Cat vs Mouse: A Game of Lies

In The Unknown Known, Director Errol Morris interviewed former politician Donald Rumsfeld about his time in office and the positions he took during the time before the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath. In  Morris’ interview with Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld analyzes the differences between unknown knowns, known knowns, and unknown unknowns throughout recent history. Morris discusses many topics in the recent history of the United States with Donald Rumsfeld, including the aftermath of 9/11, the invasion of Iraq, and when we officially defined and applied the word ‘terrorism’. In The Unknown Known, Errol Morris aims to catch Donald Rumsfeld in the act of lying by utilizing logical argument, tactical interview techniques, and drawing on the emotions of the audience.

Errol Morris focuses on using primary sources, such as memos and live interviews, to create a logical argument for the audience and Donald Rumsfeld to focus on.  Morris reads directly from memos, emails, and transcripts of live interviews, that Rumsfeld produced. Specifically, Morris reads Rumsfeld’s memos on the authorization of specific GTMO torture techniques. Rumsfeld attempts to deny his involvement in the so-called “torture memos” that approved of torture methods in GTMO. However, Morris points out a note Rumsfeld himself wrote on a memo that states, “However, I stand for 8-10 hours a day. Why is ‘stand’, limited to 4 hours? -DR”. Rumsfeld claimed he did not receive or read any of the “torture memos”, however, he approved of torture methods for GTMO. Also, Morris asks if anyone said that Saddam Hussain had connections to Al-Qaeda, and he claimed no one had. So,  Morris shows an interview of Rumsfeld explaining that Saddam Hussein is a liar and that he had a direct connection to Al-Qaeda and the attack on 9/11. Donald Rumsfeld blatantly lied about his involvement in the approval of torture methods in GTMO and him calling out Saddam Hussein’s involvement with Al-Qaeda and the attacks on 9/11. Morris uses Donald Rumsfeld’s memos and live interviews to disprove Rumsfeld’s statements.

In The Unknown Known, Morris utilizes enhanced interview techniques, such as the positioning of the camera and background information to debunk Rumsfeld’s interview answers. Errol Morris uses an interviewing process that allows the viewer to look directly into Rumsfeld’s eyes when he is talking. By utilizing this technique Rumsfeld is forced to look into “the eyes” of the audience while he is telling his story. Through this technique, Errol Morris forces Rumsfeld to look at the audience when he is telling a lie. By doing this, Rumsfeld not only has to face Morris while lying, but also the public that is watching. Morris can analyze Rumsfeld’s innate facial reactions to questions, which reveal his attempts to deceive the audience. When Morris questions Rumsfeld’s involvement in the authorization of torture techniques he would not look directly at the camera but laughed off the claim. The indirect eye contact and the attempt to move around the question allowed Morris to analyze Rumsfeld’s reaction and disprove Rumsfeld accordingly. When moving to a new topic, Morris allowed Rumsfeld to describe the story in his own words, mostly underexaggerating his involvement and exaggerating other people’s involvement. Morris took this chance to bring up interview clips and pictures of memos to show that audience the truth of Rumsfeld’s involvement. Through using tactical interview techniques, Errol Morris was able to analyze Donald Rumsfeld’s reactions to statements and questions presented to him and Morris disproved Rumsfeld accordingly. 

Director Errol Morris draws on the emotional weight of the audience through visuals of tragedies and military operations, and the choice of music throughout the documentary. Morris uses pictures, videos, and sound clips, to immerse the audience into the interview. For example, when talking about 9/11 Morris plays the audio of the control tower trying to communicate with the first plane before it hits the first tower. By using this great American tragedy, Morris can set up the reaction of the United States Government, and the actions Donald Rumsfeld took when pursuing the terrorists behind it all. Morris uses the visuals and recordings to connect the audience to the actions taken after. This allows for a greater impact on the audience when Morris later refutes Rumsfeld’s account on his actions taken. By giving the audience a connection to 9/11, the true actions taken by Donald Rumsfeld and the US government have a greater impact. In combination with the visuals and voice recording, Morris uses dramatic music with the aftermath to invoke a feeling of overwhelming sadness, which makes the audience feel Rumsfeld has more to pay. Morris uses these strategies to force the audience to connect with the interview and to understand the impact of it all, while he refutes Donald Rumsfeld’s statements on his actions during the aftermath of 9/11. 

In The Unknown Known, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is interviewed by director Errol Morris. Morris utilizes logical arguments, tactical interview techniques, and the emotional weight of the audience, to better refute Rumsfeld’s false claims. Errol Morris uses these techniques to force the audience to connect and understand the impact of Donald Rumsfeld’s true actions in the aftermath of 9/11. In this cat and mouse chase throughout the documentary, Errol Morris analyzes Rumsfeld’s responses and his reactions to questions to further disprove Donald Rumsfeld’s false claims.