Deterring Rebels: Political Persuasion and Manipulation in the 'Divergent' Trilogy Films

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the persuasive and manipulative strategies and devices used in the political propaganda in the films of the Divergent Series. Special attention is paid to Insurgent, since the outbreak of a war between different ideological and political factions and the government is a breeding ground for manipulative, political strategies to persuade the population to side with the former or the latter, which they use to try to win. In this scenario, political discourse also serves both deterring rebellious Divergents threatening the established system and controlling the masses from the different factions. To this end, I follow the parameters of different theoretical frameworks, such as critical-political discourse analysis, Appraisal Theory –focusing on attitude or attitudinal positioning– and the phenomena of polarization and legitimation. The results will allow us to see how the political agents of the film managed to influence their audiences with their speeches by using rhetorical means, subjectivity to present situations, objects or people positively or negatively at the speaker’s convenience or interests, and different types of power.