Rhetorical Analysis Of Jake Sully

Preceding the climactic battle for Pandora in the movie Avatar, protagonist Jake Sully presents a speech to the Na’vi, specifically the Omaticaya clan, in preparation for the upcoming battle. Utilizing rhetorical elements such as anaphoras and, emotional appeals, both paired with notable visual elements including distinct camera angles, lighting, and color contrast, Sully sells his message effectively to both his Na’vi audience and his viewers beyond the fourth wall. Prior to his monologue, the Na’vi’s habitual routines and sacred sanctuary were gruesomely disrupted by external, uncontrollable forces: the “Sky People,” otherwise known as the humans. Sully, who is one of the Sky People by birthright, dwelled amongst the reigns of the Na’vi

Despite the speech being relatively short in duration, Sully weaves the use of anaphoras into his monologue in order to drill the main point of its use into his spectators without it becoming redundant. He made it a point to express that the next steps involving his plan of attack included each one of the Na’vi, implying that it was pivotal that every audience member played a role in the plan’s execution because when it all came down to it, each member was essential to the reclaim of their territory. A sense of urgency is painted underneath his words as he declares that "[they should] ride out as fast as the wind can carry [them]". He goes on to direct the clan to "tell the other clans to come" and adds that they should tell said clans that "Toruk Makto", a fearless warrior that leads the Na'vi to victory during great times of sorrow in Na’vi mythology, "[called] for them". Preceding each request, Jake reiterates that "[they],” his audience, will all play a part that will only lead to their victory as a combined effort. Of course, from his perspective, Sully repeats the term “you” as opposed to “they” to address the Na’vi. By repeating “you” at the start of each phrase, Sully constantly reminds each member of his audience that each and every single one of them are necessary to defeat the vexatious Sky People. It is also notable that Sully refrained from using the word “you” after declaring that “Toruk Makto,” himself, gave them orders. Proceeding that statement, rather than addressing the Na’vi as a whole, he shifts his speech to include himself by using the umbrella term “we” as opposed to “you,” furthermore referring to the warriors as his “brothers” and his “sisters”. This solidifies the