Resumen de The argumentative dimention of the cinematographic narrative in bioethics: The diving bell and the butterfly
The article is aimed at analyzing the narrative rhetoric of the filmThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007, directed by Julian Schnabel, written by Ronald Harwood). I begin by stressing the renewed interest for narrative rhetoric. This theoretical perspective has gained new strength both in the field of film studies and in bioethics, where the representation of beginning and of end of life issues in films and television series is examined in order to evaluate its correctness. I continue by explaining the method of the analysis, which uses the tools of screenwriting theory. I highlight, thus, the argumentative nature of the classic narrative structure of a screenplay. The main passages in a plot, in fact, constitute the steps of a dialectal confrontation between a thematic thesis and a counterthematic antithesis. The theme of The Diving Bell and The Butterflyis expressed by the following statement: “The pain due to a total paralysis annihilates the dignity of human life”. An opposite statement expresses the counter theme: “The value of relationships makes life worthy even in the condition of an incurable illness”. The last part of the article is focused on the notion of “progressive rhetoric”. I identify the main traits of this category: the constructive approach; the reframing of the idea of “limit”, which in this perspective is assumed as «opportunity» and not as “obstacle”; the respect for the opposite opinion; the ability of not being “preachy”;t ruthfulness. I conclude by arguing that the film in exam is a case of progressive rhetoric. In particular, I argue that, by anticipating the bioethical crucial decision of the character in the first part of the movie, the story can then unfold with a constructive and creative approach to the end of life issue
