This document summarizes Maria Perez-Saavedra's rhetorical analysis of the film Joker. It discusses the importance of treating those with mental health conditions with unconditional positive regard, hermeneutics, and heuristics. Unconditional positive regard means accepting people regardless of differences. Hermeneutics is revisiting information to gain a deeper understanding. Heuristics creates new ways to interact respectfully. The document applies these concepts to analyze Arthur's condition in Joker of pseudobulbar affect, which causes uncontrollable laughing. It advocates interacting with compassion by listening, showing acceptance, and distracting in a caring manner.

1. MRS. MARIA PEREZ-SAAVEDRA
ENG-3399-01
DR. CAMPBELL
01 MARCH, 2020
A triangular approach in treating our human
campanions with respect and understanding
A Rhetorical
Application on
Mental Health

2. Topics of
Exploration
HIGHLIGHTS AND INSIGHTS
Exigence found in the film, Joker
Importance of ethical responsibility
The Triangular Relationship among:
Definition and Application of
unconditional positive regard
Definition and Application of
hermeneutics
Definition and Application of heuristics
Application of all three concepts when
analyzing Arthur's condition in Joker.
1) unconditional positive regard, 2)
hermeneutics, and 3) and heuristics that
can be applied to mental health

3. Exigence is the urgency for a social change to occur.
Example: In Joker, Arthur is
misunderstood/disregarded/mistreated. Exigence is
needed!
As a society we have an ethical, moral responsibility to
treat people who have a mental condition with
respect/regard, to understand the nature of mental
health, and to know about the quality of hardships that
people with mental conditions experience.
EXIGENCE
EXIGENCY NEEDED FOR THE UNFAIR
TREATMENT OF PEOPLE WHO
EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITION
The Invocation for
Exigence
"FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, I DIDN’T KNOW IF I EVEN REALLY EXISTED" -
CHARACTER FROM JOKER, 2019, JOKER
Konbini
https://www.konbini.com/en/cinema/the-insane-joker-trailer-featuring-joaquin-
phoenix-is-here/bheading
The Michigan Daily. "We Didint't Need Joker"
https://www.michigandaily.com/section/arts/we-didn%E2%80%99t-need-
%E2%80%9Cjoker%E2%80%9D'

4. Moral, Ethical Responsibility:
"defined as the ethical decisions
made in ... everyday interactions"
(Sandell iii)
LET'S DO THIS BY OFFERING A VOICE
TO THE VOICELESS!

5. THE ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE
ACTION AND OBTAIN KNOWLEDGE
IT IS NOBODY'S FAULT THAT SOMEONE
HAS A MENTAL CONDITION, BUT IT IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW ABOUT THE
CONDITION AND TO TREAT THAT SOMEONE
WITH RESPECT.
link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dCgdtJtoJw

6. How Can We
Assume Ethical
Responsibility?:
THROUGH A RECTANGULAR
RELATIONSHIP THAT APPLIES
RHETORICAL TOOLS
3) Heuristics: Inventing ways to interact with people in a
humane and inviting manner.The Rectangular Relationship consists of:
1) Unconditional Positive Regard
2) Hermeneutics
3) Heuristics
2) Hermeneutics: The revisiting of the meaning + quality of
mental health conditions.
1) Unconditional positive regard: accepting and dismissing
judgement
Ethical, Moral Responsibility

7. What is Unconditional Positive Regard?
Unconditional positive regard is an integral part of Rogerian
Theory, a counseling practice.
This Rogerian practice is also an integral part of Invitational
Rhetoric.
Accepting a person regardless of his/her "differences" as
perceived by society.
In acknowledging that we are all humans who deserve respect,
we can CEASE JUDGEMENT.

8. Application of Unconditional Positive
Regard
Everyone has value and
should be
accepted/regarded
PART OF ROGERIAN
THEORY AND
INVITATIONAL
RHETORIC:
if you know this, stop
judging/dismissing. Instead,
listen/smile/show a body
language of acceptance and
respect.

9. To investigate/research about a topic through text, videos,
interviews, conversations, ect
To revisit those different pieces of information multiple
times
To study the topic from various contexts and perspectives
To gain a more profound and holistic
understanding/insight about a topic by merging knowledge
gained through the different sources altogether.
End goal: To appropriate new knowledge through multiple
re-visitings
What is Hermeneutics?

10. Application of Hermeneutics-
The re-visiting of mental health conditions
that allows us to know the complete
meaning of these conditions/to gain full
knowledge:
1) READ ABOUT THE NATURE OF
MENTAL HEALTH
2) REVISIT THE TOPIC BY READING THE
DSM-5 DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL
3) REVISIT SOCIOCULTURAL,
BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND
SOCIAL FACTORS FOR A GIVEN
CONDITION
4) REVISIT EACH OF THE 4 ELEMENTS
THROUGH OTHER RESOURCES SUCH AS
A TED TALK VIDEO OR DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES FROM PEOPLE WITH
THESE CONDITIONS.
By re-visiting each of the 4 elements
for a mental health condition, one
gains a better understanding of the
experiences that people go through
due to a condition.
By re-visting material from various
reliable sources, one can appropriate
new knowledge and transform that
knowledge into understanding.
The more one studies the subject of
mental health holistically, the better
will be one's
understanding/interpretation of the
subject.
HERMENEUTIC QUOTES.
QUOTESGRAM.

11. To invent new ways of interaction.
The creation of new actions when interacting with
others in a humane manner.
The creation of new strategies that allows for ethical
interaction with others.
What is Heuristics?

12. Application of Heuristics:
Inventing new ways to
interact with people
After re-visiting information about a condition, it
is easier to find new alternatives/strategies to
interact with people who experience a mental
condition.
Every interaction is different, so simply find the
one that works for you and your civil companion.
Examples: showing a genuine interest by actively
listening, sitting beside them without excluding
them, offering guidance if they ask for it, showing
respectful body language that manifests
companionship.
Above all, show that they are not different from
you.

13. Arthur's Condition in Joker:
Pseudobulbar affect
ACCORDING WILLIAM ENGELMAN, ET
AL,"PSEUDOBULBAR AFFECT (PBA) IS DEFINED
BY EPISODES OF INVOLUNTARY CRYING
AND/OR LAUGHING AS A RESULT OF BRAIN
INJURY OR OTHER NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE."
MOREOVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT
THESE UNCONTROLLABLE BURSTS OF
LAUGHTER CAN OCCUR WITH MINIMAL
STIMULUS.
THE CHARACTER IN JOKER WAS UNABLE TO
CONTROL HIMSELF FROM LAUAGHING. HE
LAUGHED DURING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
WERE NOT CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?
c_id=1501119&objectid=12278755

14. How would our Interaction With Arthur, the Charcater in Joker,
look like, if we used the Reactangular Relationship that applies
Rhetorical Tools?
Concept of Unconditional Positive
Reagrd:
First, we know that he is a human who deserves respect and acceptance.
Concept of hermenuetics:
By knowing that Arthur has a condition known as Pseudobulbar affect, we can study the condition and re-
visit its nature multiple times through various modes/informational resources.
Concept of heuristics:
Do not show that you are affected by the uncontrollable laughs (show respectful body language)
Smile and show acceptance by sitting next to your civil companion
Try to distract your civil companion by doing breathing exercises with him/her or by inititaing a converstion.
Tell him/her that it is okay. "Do not worry."
if they need help, provide assitance.
Instead of mocking him for his condition or distancing ourselves from him, we can emplioy other
strategies of interaction now that we know the quality of his condition.
Examples:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

15. Works Cited
Engelman, William, et al. “Diagnosing Pseudobulbar Affect in Traumatic Brain Injury." Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment,
vol. 10, 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4200065/.
Accessed 27 February 2020.
Hardesty, Kathleen Sandell. “An (other) Rhetoric, Ethics, and the Rhetorical Tradition.” (2013). Graduate Thesis and
Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=6094&context=etd.
Accessed 28 Februrary, 2020.
Phoenix, Joaquin, performer. Joker. Directed by Todd Philips, Warner Bros., DC Films, Village Roadshow Pictures, 2019.
Smith, William. “Will Smith Talks about Responsibility.” YouTube, uploaded by Marcus Pham,
1 February 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dCgdtJtoJw&feature=youtu.be
“The Hermeneutical Circle.” Hermeneutic Quotes. QuotesGram.
https://www.metanexus.net/sites/default/files/old_site/images/10473_Fig-1.gif
Images:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12278755 (from slide 13)
https://www.konbini.com/en/cinema/the-insane-joker-trailer-featuring-joaquin-phoenix-is-here/ (from slide 3)
https://www.michigandaily.com/section/arts/we-didn%E2%80%99t-need-%E2%80%9Cjoker%E2%80%9D (from slide 3)