Item Details

title

Voices of Vulnerability and Ideation: A Rhetorical Analysis of Child Representation and Societal Serendipity in City of God and I Am Not A Witch.

author

Giwa, Blessing Eniola

abstract

This paper examines the power dynamics and individual influence of street children as forces in transforming and liberating their world from the oppressive hold of political systems. The filmmakers of City of God and I Am Not a Witch both explore the impact of societal oppression through the lens of marginalized children, offering compelling narratives of survival, resistance, and transformation. They employ narrative comparison and social change as rhetorical strategies to highlight the agency of children in creating significant impact. The central argument is that the portrayal of street children in extreme conditions exposes the truth about their suffering. However, despite their efforts in social change, these street children often meet tragic endings. As both films underscore the power of children as agents of change, showing how their struggles can inspire broader societal transformations, these narratives invite reflection on the systems of oppression, priming to engage in critical consciousness and embrace the potential for collective freedom. Through these stories, cinema becomes a catalyst for social change, emphasizing the importance of dialogue, empathy, and action in the fight for justice.

subject

Agency

Child Protagonist/Antagonist

Consciousness

Dialogue

Social Change

Street Children

contributor

Hood, Woodrow B (advisor)

Burg, Alessandra V (committee member)

Burg, Ron V (committee member)

date

2025-06-24T08:36:36Z (accessioned)

2025-06-24T08:36:36Z (available)

2025 (issued)

degree

Communication (discipline)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/111035 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

type

Thesis