Sia's Beautiful Rhetoric

            In Sia’s music video and lyricism of the song “Elastic Heart,” she effectively conveys a purely emotional message.  She connects to watchers at an extremely personal level.  In fact, the song relates to the core of almost every human struggle.  As a well-known musician with several popular hits, Sia does not need to indulge much effort to establish herself with the pop culture audience.  She has a reputation as an eccentric musical artist.  Due to her established name in the music industry, she realizes that she can take risks with production.  “Elastic Heart” is a confusing and strange music video that puts a lot at stake in front of a watcher.  It is a pathetic appeal to an audience of anyone who has questioned their identity as a consequence of being hurt.  Sia demonstrates the ability to “tap a reader’s sympathy and compassion, anger and disappointment, desire for love, or sadness” by portraying two halves of a torn soul (“Rhetorical Analysis”).  She “establishes ethos,” or her “personal credibility,” by relating to her viewers (Burton).  While she obviously has a large following of fans and supporters, it is important to establish a meaningful connection with her audience in every production. 

            Sia’s creation is a masterpiece when viewed as a whole.  She invokes numerous emotions throughout the video, all that center around a feeling of confusion and loss.  Francis Ford Coppola notes, “the essence of cinema is editing…A number of images put together a certain way become something quite above and beyond what any of them are individually” (Wysocki 214).  Sia structures her communication based on the dancing of two performers and ultimately on the interpretations of her audience.  She purposefully does not present her appeal to emotion in an obvious fashion because she wants to convey a deeply personal message.  In BYU’s final step of rhetorical analysis, they assert it is important to note the values and customs of a certain culture that would drive Sia to produce this piece (Burton).  Given her popularity, it is not unreasonable to think that Sia’s target audience does not belong to a specific culture.  Her reach extends far broader than that.  Therefore, she relates to human culture as a whole without respect to any narrower definition.

            Sia’s words and actions suggest an acute human suffering and desire for change.  The video’s setting is a cage in which two feral individuals engage in a chaotic conflict.  While very different in appearance, I think these people represent the same human being.  The cage signifies the person’s mind that imprisons him or her.  The disordered maneuvers of the characters depict the distraught nature of this intense internal conflict.  For example, Sia sings, “Now another one bites the dust / yeah let’s be clear I’ll trust no one” as the female character, Maddie Ziegler, frantically scratches at her throat (Sia 0:43).  This quotation exhibits a lack of confidence in the rest of the world.  The actions in the movie indicate a loss of trust in oneself to the point of pain and the inability to express that pain.  Then, Ziegler chases and throws the male character, Shia LaBeouf, into the cage railing while Sia sings, “I’ve got thick skin and an elastic heart, but your blade it might be too sharp” (1:01-1:08).  This excerpt shows a surge of confidence and a determination to beat one’s demons.  The two characters proceed to fight very physically, and LaBeouf attempts to escape the cage through the top opening (1:47).  However, the opening appears too small for him and blocks his ascension.  The cage is a mental construct of a person’s mind, so the barriers should not matter or even exist.  However, the human mind is unable or unwilling to escape this limiting environment in times of stress or depression.  The pursuit of personal freedom and the desire to unite different aspects of one’s individual personality cause pain and suffering, a result exemplified in LaBeouf’s determination and Ziegler’s initial unwillingness to bond with him. 

            LaBeouf attempts to ease Ziegler into a peaceful relationship, but she denies his offer and they enter into a frenzy of trying to cause pain to one another (2:22).  At this point, Sia sings, “I’m still looking for peace,” demonstrating the suffering that accompanies one’s journey for mental unification (2:22-2:27).  The pursuit and fighting intensify, eventually leading to Ziegler running away and slipping between the bars of the cage (2.55).  LaBeouf exerts so much effort to escape the cage to be with Ziegler, but he cannot.  At one point, it appears as though he can slip his body through the bars as well, but he does not follow through, emphasizing that his being in the cage is his own mental block (3:04).  Ziegler slips back into the cage unnoticed and willingly unites with LaBeouf for the first time in the movie.  Sunlight shines through windows outside the cage, suggesting that there is some hope for this person and their mental health (3:30).  This moment is the first time the windows are dramatically displayed; it is the first time the audience notices any viable option of escape even if LaBeouf and Ziegler would be able to exit the cage together.  They appear to have an emotional connection, but when Ziegler tries to get LaBeouf out of the cage, she cannot pull him through.  The music ends, but Ziegler persists in trying to liberate LaBeouf’s character.

            Sia artistically illustrates an identity crisis of a human being.  LaBeouf and Ziegler signify two conflicting ends of a person’s psyche that tries to unify in order to bring peace to the person.  However, the person does not attain this goal.  This video relates to humans on a very personal level whenever we experience intense internal conflict.    Sia evokes an emotional response from her viewers using interpretative images and lyrics, forcing them to reflect on their own lives.  With an accurate understanding of her audience as consisting of people who will try to read into her eccentric style, Sia communicates a beautiful depiction of the human condition.

Burton, Gideon, Dr. "Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis." Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis. Silva Rhetoricae, n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.

"Rhetorical Analysis." University Writing Center. Texas A&M University, n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.

Sia.  Elastic Heart feat. Shia LaBeouf & Maddie Ziegler (Official Video).  YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWZGAExj-es>.

Wysocki, Anne Frances, and Dennis A. Lynch. Compose, Design, Advocate: A Rhetoric for Integrating Written, Visual, and Oral Communication. New York: Longman, 2007. Print.