CHAPTER III
ANALYSIS
In the SICKO the constructions of the story of healthcare case is
orchestrated by male homodiegetic narrator acting as superaching voiceover and
interviewer. He is Michael Moore, the director itself. Both of voiceover and
interviewer have similar aim to inform the audience. However, by using them, he
can attract the emotional feeling of the audience represented the use of irony as
metaphoric method in the movie.
According to the voiceover, Moore places moral guidance to attract the
emotional feeling of the audience. He shows the „life‟, however beautiful or bad it
may be, is in part of worth living. He uses it to gain sympathy or ever empathy of
the viewer. Moore‟s role as the interviewer performs double role because as
voiceover and visual background information who leads the construction of the
irony of American healthcare and the derivational political discourse, he explicitly
addresses the viewers who then become targeted interactive participant and he
addresses the people who are in problem then making the viewer targeted
overhear. It is clear that the voiceover is effectively a humanizing element as it
belongs to an actual method to attract the viewer‟s emotional feeling.
Further, beside the construction of the irony of American healthcare, the
political discourse which becomes another major element in the movie is
investigated to trace the meaning of its. Of course, the following analysis traces
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2
two questions which are questioned in this research, the construction of the irony
of American healthcare and the derivational political discourse. Hence, verbalvisual analysis helps in tracing them. It is divided into two subchapters. The first
subchapter is aimed at examining how the movie constructs the irony of American
healthcare in the United States. Though the issue of healthcare is very close to the
society, the way of the movie to construct the American healthcare related to the
society is very interesting. The second subchapter is aimed at examining how the
movie constructs the derivation of political discourse in the United States.
A. The Irony of American Healthcare as Constructed in the Documentary
Movie SICKO
SICKO is a hundred-twenty three minutes documentary movie written,
produced and directed by Michael Moore in 2007. He is a famous documentary
filmmaker who has got Academy Award for film Bowling for Columbine and
Fahrenheit 9/11, a box-office documentary champ ever. The documentary traces
issue of the U.S Healthcare system that enables the audience to view the real
problem of the U.S Healthcare system. By using the irony and a little bit sense of
humor, he wants to reveal the real condition of U.S Healthcare system. This
analysis focuses on the using of irony, as medium of filmmaker to portray the
issue.
The montage technique, voiceover technique, and testimonies of the
people served in the movie are very important in this documentary. In Chapter II,
it has been said by using the montage technique, the filmmaker could set his
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meaning to derive an ideology or idea to the viewer and it also occurs for
voiceover technique.
Plate 2.1 Cover of SICKO
The title of the film has hidden message to the viewer. „Sicko‟ is
commonly used as slang word. It is derived from the word „Psycho‟, both of them
has similar meaning (Merriam-Webster’s, 2002). „Sicko‟ could signify as a
deranged or a person who has mental illness. Then, for whom the word „Sicko‟
attributes? The word could be interpreted as the U.S people or U.S government.
Suffice it to say that „Sicko‟ could be associated to a deranged condition of U.S
people or U.S government.
The construction of the irony of healthcare case is introduced by the
voiceover with the accuracy and insistence on detailed typical Moore‟s
characteristic in documentary movie. This analysis is accommodated in the form
of excerpt of sequence (piece of voiceover taken from the movie) and the
combination of verbal text and visual text. For reference, these following excerpts
are conducted to explain some purposes. Long excerpts are numbered. (0.0) to
4
indicate length of pause. Then, throughout some the relevant words toward the
research question are highlighted in italic for easier identification.
Excerpt 1
1. (applause and cheering) We got issue in America
2. Too many good docs are getting out of business
3. Too many ob-gyns aren‟t able to practice their love with women across the
country
4. I don‟t have a job. I don‟t want to have any more debt out anybody else. I am
flushing wound
5. (man) This is Adam
6. He had an accident
7. He‟s one of nearly 50 million Americans with no health insurance
8. So this is table saw… (0.3) It was spinning that way...
9. (man) This is Rick.
10. I was gripping a piece of wood and I grabbed it here and it hit a knot...
11. (man) He sawed off the tops of two of his fingers.
12. ...and it was that quick.
13. - (man) His first thought?
- I don't have insurance.
14. Am I gonna have to pay cash for this? $ 2,000, $3,000 or more?
15. (man) Rick also doesn't have health coverage.
16. So the hospital gave him a choice.
17. Reattach the middle finger for $60.000
18. Or do the ring finger for 12.000.
19. It's an awful feeling to just try to put a value on your body.
20. (man) Being a hopeless romantic. Rick chose the ring finger.
21. For the bargain price of 12 grand
22. The top of his middle finger now enjoys its new home in an Oregon landfill
23. I can do that thing where, you know,
the old man used to pull the finger off.
24. (man) This movie isn't about Rick either
25. Yes. There are nearly 50 million Americans with no health insurance.
26. They pray every day, they don't get sick.
27. Because 18.000 of them will die this year.
28. Simply because they're uninsured.
29. But this movie isn't about them. (0.2)
30. It's about the 250 million of you who have health insurance.
31. Those of you who are living the American Dream.
Before the analysis of irony, it is necessary to explain some of aspect of
those excerpts. The analysis begins with the word “Adam‟. The word „Adam‟ is
recognized as the beginning. This word is also associated with the first human in
the religion‟s view especially in Christianity, Moslem, and Jews. Using Pierce‟s
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theory in semiotic view, the sign of „Adam‟ is considered a symbol. It means the
symbol of „Adam‟ has been decided in convention or agreement. Furthermore, the
symbol of „Adam‟ is considered the first human in the universe regarding to
religion‟s view. In the Bible, „Adam‟ is the human who origins in the fallen sin.
Hence, in the phase of interpretant, „Adam‟ is recognized as the symbolization of
the beginning problem of the case. Therefore, the using of name Adam is
determined as the beginning problem and causes another problem. In brief, it is
very iconic about how the movie begins the story. In the screen, the sequences
appear with a man who has wounded and he does not have money to cure it, then
he had to sew his wound by himself because he does not have insurance.
1)
2)
3)
Plate 2.2 The sequence of Adam
The screen indicates a terrible condition of a U.S citizen. The movie
provides montage to the audience. It juxtaposes two different shots, first is Adam,
the second is his beloved cat, and the third is his wounded leg. The montage
shows a meaning to the viewers that in the contrary condition of the owner who
has serious trouble and his pet which is in deep sleep. Those three pictures are
used as a sequence to begin the story of healthcare problems. This sequence is
used to tell the problem to the viewers and to attract their emotion. So, the use of
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the word „Adam‟ is suitable to depict the serious problem of healthcare in the
United States.
Now we start to analyze the irony which is shown in the movie. In this
point, the set up of irony is separated into two major points. First is the ironist, the
person who sets up irony and the second is the interpreter who receives the irony.
The ironist is represented by Michael Moore known as writer, director, producer,
and voiceover‟s narrator. Later, the interpreter is represented as the audience.
The first irony is the American Dream. Interactionally, Moore
accommodates the viewer‟s point of view about a contradiction of healthcare case
and the American Dream. It is recognized from the correlation between his
voiceover and the visual moment in the movie.
Table 1. Voiceover‟s narrator (Michael Moore)
Verbal Text
Visual Text
The screen appears with a happy
Moore:
- But this movie isn‟t about them. It‟s newspaper deliverer and a smiling
about the 250 million of you who family who feel delighted everyday.
have health insurance.
- Those of you who are living the
American Dream.
1)
2)
3)
Plate 2.3 Dramatized sequence of the American Dream
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Somehow the ironist places irony for particular motives. Here, Moore uses
irony to compel the viewer knowing the real condition of the society. He
compares between the issue in the real world and the myth which is inherited from
generation to generation, the American Dream. He also involves rhetoric to
strengthen. He sets up irony to create communicative process to the viewers and it
is categorized as politics. Then, how can we know it?
Before Moore says about the American Dream in his voiceover, he also
gives several data to the viewers about the number of people with no health
insurance and the traffic mortalities for the people who do not have health
insurance. Moore says, “Yes. There are nearly 50 million Americans with no
health insurance. They pray everyday, they don't get sick because 18.000 of them
will die this year.” This is rhetoric because the data can be still debated. He uses
this debatable data, in a way to add communicative process in irony. By using
rhetoric, he wants the people certain with his idea and achieves it.
The construction of the irony of American healthcare has taken a number
of opposition position vis-à-vis both the reality of healthcare and the myth of the
American Dream. So it still involves a contrary condition between the reality and
the myth. Therefore it causes an irony. Moore involves a decoding of inverted
messages in his construction. Simply, Moore sees the irony is a process of
communication that entails two or more meaning being played off, one against the
other. It also entails socio-culture as an instrument to support the production of the
meaning.
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The myth of America is established to offer dream to the people around
the world. America has been known as Promise Land. America is land which
gives opportunity, better life, wealthy, and hope. This myth can be seen in the
Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness.” This excerpt of Declaration of Independence brings the U.S people to
establish their dream about America which is recognized as land of opportunity,
promise land, and Garden of Eden. One important note, the myth of America as
Promise Land and Garden of Eden causes ironic condition toward the reality
which occurs in the society regarding to the healthcare cases.
Beginning with the scene of a smiling family and the voiceover of
narrator, the movie attempts to appeal the viewer‟s feeling in the irony. In Table
1, in the verbal text, the narrator gives a linking footage to create amusing
moment to the viewers. The narrator tells about a certain people who are in
unpleased condition, and then he jumps to moment who he calls as living
American Dream. It causes awkward moment to the viewer.
The Plate 2.3 is used as archived material in documentary. The use of
archived tape of smiling family justifies what kind of type of the American
Dream. The dream is depicted with delightful people, better life and always be
pleasant. But the voiceover infiltrates with big question, do they live in the
American Dream? The documentary performs that there are problems around you
but you still dream with the myth. The documentary constructs an ambiguous
9
relationship between the verbal text and visual text which can encompass the
audience‟s emotion and probably causes direct action. Therefore, this
representation of irony performs message and emphasizes the essence of what is
being represented.
Testimony brings the other support to the documentary movie. The
personal experience creates emotional feeling toward the case. It can also
contribute to strengthen the aim of the documentary because a testimony can
make strong emotion to the viewers and drive them to empathy, especially the
personal experience. The viewers will be easily touched by sob and tragedy.
Among them, there are several testimonies which provide sad condition. They are
the sadness of a mom, an old man‟s personal experience, and the health insurance
salesperson.
Plate 2.4
The sadness of a mom.
Plate 2.5
The old man worker’s
personal experience
10
Plate 2.6
The sob of health insurance
salesperson
In terms of understanding the healthcare case, the documentary tends to
depict the audience that healthcare case is part of their problems. Recognizing the
problem of healthcare through personal experience of the people who have the
experience will lead the audience in the sense of empathy, thus testimony
constructs irony which gives strong emotional feeling to the story and then
supported by voiceover. It is created by structural rhetoric made by the ironist. As
stated in Chapter II, Cicero has been classified rhetorical thinking into five
divisions included on documentary movie. They are invention, arrangement, style,
memory, and delivery.
The ironist emphasizes that the need of using testimony included rhetorical
thinking for the reason to give a proof to the audience. In rhetoric, testimony can
be classified as invention. It provides proof involving personal experience. To
strengthen, Aristotle has divided proof into three types, ethical, emotional, and
demonstrative. Therefore, this testimony can be included into all three types of
proof. The way of convincing the audience using testimony can be assumed as
logical proof. Ethical is recognized as good moral. Then, emotional is recognized
as appealing to the audience‟s emotion to produce sympathy or even empathy.
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Demonstrative is determined as the serve of proof using archival material to
strength the proof.
The documentary views the testimony as a part of the effort to convey the
audience. First is the testimony of Donna (a desperate mother). She and her
husband get bankrupt because they have to pay their medication service. For this
reason, they have to stay with their son, though their son gets problems too.
Table 2. Testimony of sad mom (Donna Smith)
Verbal Text
Visual Text
Donna is crying while hugging her
Donna:
- If somebody told me ten years ago husband Larry. They are desperate with
this was gonna happen to us their condition because they must pay
because of healthcare.
their bill for their health. Then, they are
- I would have said, "It's not
declared in bankruptcy.
possible."
-
"Not in the United States. We
wouldn't let that happen to people."
The sobbing of Donna provides a proof to the audience. As an emotional
proof, the documentary constructs the sobbing as a method to convey the audience
emotion. In the American Culture, parents who live with their children are a taboo
and a shame, because as we know the character of American is independent. This
kind of proof creates irony compared with the belief system which is professed by
the community about independent people. The testimony also stresses the point of
unfairness. It can be viewed in Donna‟s testimony in Table 2. “I would have said,
"It's not possible." "Not in the United States. We wouldn't let that happen to
people." From this point, Donna‟s testimony gave clear proof that her condition is
not proper in the United States. The documentary intends to show the hardship life
faced by Donna and Larry as U.S. Citizen. In this side, the ironist wants to
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encompass the audience‟s position protesting the government by using testimony.
In brief, the ironist wants to show that the government who has legitimation to
accommodate the people‟s right is determined as a government failure. Thus, the
footage of Donna is constructed as medium to counter discourse toward the
government.
The next testimony comes from an old man worker, Frank Cardile. The
documentary wants to construct unfairness life according Frank‟s testimony. This
point focuses on constructing irony by using testimony of an old man.
Table 3. Testimony of old man worker (Frank Cardile)
Verbal Text
Visual Text
Frank Cardile, 79 years old, says even
Frank:
- It's a sad situation. If there are in the old age, he still works to fulfill
golden years, I can't find 'em, I'll his medication and her wife. He tells
tell you that.
while working as a cleaning service.
- She had a painkiller for her hip. The
girl said, "Frank, this is $ 213."
"What, for a painkiller?"
- I didn't take it. I backed off.
I said, "I gotta come back."
Frank is described as old man worker who still works in his late age. He has
health insurance but his wages are not enough to cover his needs because most of
them are used as the payment for his health insurance. Once again, the ironist
intends to show the proof of sadness and it is ironic. Specifically, the ironist
shows us about ethical proof. The ironist wants to compel the audience in morality
point of view and it can be called moral hazard. How the government allows an
old man citizen to work in his late age only to pay his debt of health insurance.
The documentary, then, does not only show moral hazard but also tries to
say that health is so expensive in the United States. It can be traced in the Frank‟s
13
testimony. He gave testimony about how much the price of painkiller as stated in
Table. 3. This testimony creates an irony condition in the United States and then
it breaks up the myth of America itself as the land of dream, land of happiness,
and land of opportunity. The interview process which is done by the ironist, is not
only exhausting but also to determine the reality condition faced by the people
whether it is appropriate with their believed myth or not.
The documentary further notes that testimony does not only create a proof
as an evidence of a case but also emotional appeal. Indeed, the testimony
constructs a proof and makes irony of unbalanced condition of the discourse
which is believed by the society. In this case, the ironist who is also as the
interviewer constructs testimony selected from various people. One of the
testimonies involve in this documentary is the testimony which comes from health
insurance salesperson. As we know that Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
which manages the insurance is the accused side in this documentary as the main
problem. Strangely, the testimony comes from the officer who works for them.
A voiceover acts as transition into next scene. A man‟s voice says “Health
insurance companies suck. Flat suck.” This mocking is not only used as transition
but also shocking the audience‟s feeling. Then, the scene begins with a woman
who gives testimony about her work as salesperson in HMO. The testimony is
represented dramatically. Becky Malke‟s testimony is dramatized using zoom in
and zooms out camera movement. It is indeed to construct irony in creating
emotional appeal of the audience. The testimony invites the audience to dive into
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deeper expression along with sympathy or even empathy from the person who
feels guilty.
1)
2)
3)
Plate 2.7 Dramatized testimony through camera movement
The audiences witness how the person who is working in HMO feels
guilty. The camera moves focus on the eyes, and then zoom in to tears, and finally
close up the sobbing. Hence, dramatization of the testimony offers morality. Yet
the statement comes from the salesperson of HMO. Furthermore, the ironist wants
to construct a real proof to convince the audience.
In SICKO, the organizational the irony of American healthcare is used in
order to construct awareness of the audience to against the believed discourse. It
means that the irony is used as counter discourse or restrictive method against the
authority. The documentary provides many ways to construct the irony of
American healthcare; one of them is the use of archived material, such as
photographs and journalistic archives. It can be in the forms of cartoon or comedy
tape. The use of jokes is more effective to persuade the audience, because almost
all the audience love comedy or joke. While the documentary purports to address
the issue of healthcare and to construct irony as the counter discourse, many of the
archived materials are used as convincing medium. For example the using comedy
tape is used as rebuttal of believed discourse or the myth.
15
The documentary involves some comedy tape to justify the idea of the
irony. One of the comedy tapes here is cropped from Chaplin‟s movie. Here the
ironist constructs ironic people who have to against HMO to get their healthcare
rights. The confrontation has been made between the customer who has actually
eligible right and the company which is in order to accommodate the rights and
the company usually rejects the patient‟s claim for healthcare. The ironist
constructs the confrontation like battling or wrestling.
Plate 2.8 Comedy tape for confrontation patients versus HMO
In Plate 2.8, the company is represented by a big guy with spooky face. It is
associated with tight moustache and big body. Meanwhile, the customer is
represented by a man who lay down without doing anything. The customer is
signified as victim and could not do anything.
Analogy and metaphor, like the comedy tape, are rhetorical or figurative
devices rather than logical or scientific proof. The value of figure of comedy tape
is offering a more interesting data regarding to scientific proof, whether the image
criticizes phenomena but it is interested rather than gives real evidence. Comedy
tape like in Plate 2.8 is used in order to compel the audience to enjoy the
16
documentary. The particularity of the comedy tape which is captured by the
audience attention, compels the audience to believe in it as representation in order
to convince people‟s awareness about healthcare problem like this documentary
subvert. Hence, once again the ironist constructs the irony of American healthcare
to remind us in the belief that shared values like American Dream is not good to
the people.
Another archived material which constructs irony of healthcare can be
found from historical archives. It can be a valid proof to strengthen the irony
because historical archives have been identified as scientific proof and can be
proven. In SICKO, the ironist serves a proof from history of healthcare in the
United States. It questions how the healthcare is started. There are several pictures
and voice tape which portrays the conspiracy of how HMO is born in the United
States?
The historical archives told that the origin of HMO was initiated by man
named Ehrlichman. He proposed medical program to President Nixon but he
assured private enterprise like Edghar Kaiser. The man who gave proposal
program was known as John Ehrlichman, counsel and assistant to the President
for domestic affairs. He was also known in the Watergate scandal.
1)
2)
17
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Plate 2.9 Montage pictures the Conspiracy of the HMO’s origin
There is excerpt of dialog between Ehrlichman and President Nixon discussing
about HMO:
Excerpt 2
Ehrlichman
Nixon
Ehrlichman
Nixon
Ehrlichman
: We have now narrowed down the Vice President‟s
problem on this thing to one issue, and that is whether
we should include these Health Maintenance
Organizations like Edgar Kaiser‟s Permanente thing.
: Now let me ask you…You know I‟m not too keen on
any these damn medical programs.
: This is a private enterprise one
: Well, that appeals to me
: Edgar Kaiser is running his Permanente deal for profit.
And the reason he can do it. I had Edgar Kaiser come in
and talk to me about this. And I went into it in some
depth. All the incentives are toward less medical care,
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Nixon
Ehrlichman
because the less care they give them, the more money
they make.
: Fine
: …and the incentives run the right away.
From this excerpt, it can be concluded that the origin of HMO is only for
profit, and this program is passed by the President Nixon. The first thing one
notice about the conspiracy voice tape is the President is making decision to suffer
his people. President is mandatory of the people, he works under of the
Constitution based on the spirit of Declaration of Independence, but he betrays the
belief. According to healthcare issue, the President runs the government not to
accommodate the rights but only to gain profit and that is horrible.
In the Plate 2.9, when discussing the conspiracy of the origin of HMO, the
ironist constructs the montage picture in order to make the voice tape more
accurate and can be believed by the audience. It relies on proximity between voice
and image. Thus, the image which is served in juxtaposition embodies particular
message. The montage picture have been made here is classified as linking
editing. It is emphasized as the editing technique of individual shot in order to
build scene. The shot are not in collision with each other, but are used as
fragments or parts of a whole scene.
Picture number one is the White House. It symbolizes the power of rule in
the United States because almost all policies come from there. The picture
indicates the locus or the place where the scandal happen. Picture number two and
three indicate the person who contributes in the conspiracy. Then, the montage
technique is largely based on a system of close up that emphasize facial
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expression. The evil conspiracy can be noticed from juxtaposition of facial
expression. The ironist frequently cuts from an action to a close up reaction
picture of character‟s face. The ironist concludes an evil by knowing the facial
expression.
The ironist begins with a separate picture of Ehrlichman and President
Nixon then moves to denial expression which is depicted by Nixon in the picture
number four. The eye movement of Nixon signifies the expression of being
uninterested. When Ehrlichman is talking about profit and money, the facial
expression of Nixon is changing into completely interested like in picture number
seven. Then, the picture number eight indicates the pleasured feeling of Nixon and
he approves the proposal. His facial expression in the picture number eight can be
characterized as compromised expression. It signs an approval. The ironist here is
using linkage editing to make the audience construct a conspiracy of thing in their
mind. So, the aim of the irony in constructing irony can be realized. Further, the
message can be delivered.
In constructing irony, documentary through voiceover and visualized by
newsreel the ironist constructs the proof of the disgrace healthcare. The
documentary, however, criticize the implementation of medical program in the
United States which is mostly organized by private company, HMO. The newsreel
has given particular proof of disgrace healthcare. In the form of reports and news,
the ironist wants to compel the audience to know the occurrence of healthcare.
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Plate 2.10 A newsreel informs the failure of medical programs
The documentary performs several scenes which are categorized as
newsreel. Along the scene, there are also several reports or news delivered by
news reporter. The series of newsreel archives were performed on screen to show
the failure of medical program which was initiated by President Richard Nixon.
The reports tell that the healthcare does not work and leads to a broken system.
The following are the reports or news delivered in the documentary.
Excerpt 3
1. Reporter 1: Bigger logjams at the nearby hospital and less quality
medical care. What looks cramped and unsightly can also be
dangerous.
2. Reporter 2: 37 million Americans are without protection against
catastrophic illness.
3. Reporter 3: The losers are the poor. Who may now postpone urgent
healthcare until it's too late.
The voiceover also contributes to construct the irony of American
healthcare under this circumstance. It states that the circumstance of medical
program causes social damage because the company is only reaching profit. Thus,
the newsreel is not only important to understand the failure of medical program
but also how the ironist brings us to understand to look conspiracy behind it, and
then creates consequences to the people.
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The other important aspect from this documentary in construction is its
function to convince the audience by using metaphoric language. The ending of
this documentary is very powerful to attract people‟s awareness. The ending is not
straight to the point but it highlights a big question of healthcare case in the
United States. It refers to emotional feeling of the ironist, Michael Moore, in order
to compel the public awareness. Michael Moore brings a heap laundries destined
to the White House.
Plate 2.11 Metaphoric message concerning healthcare case
In this screen we can analyze that the laundries is signified as the problem
of healthcare and the White House is signified as the side which is in charge to
solve the problem. From this point, we can see that the healthcare case is cancer
problem for the society and it causes social damage. It also occurs for years but
there is no certain formulation to solve this problem. Hence, Moore as
representation of the society brings this to the government because they are
mandatory of the people.
Critical reaction to the topic about healthcare case becomes the reason why
SICKO is made. In the way to deliver message about healthcare case, SICKO
constructs the irony of American healthcare in interesting way. It performs the
irony in form of the testimony, archived material, and even metaphoric language.
22
Most of them are constructed as counter discourse of the myth which is developed
in the society. The use of voiceover and montage make the irony more interesting.
Hence, Moore‟s documentary is constructed as a medium of counter discourse and
then the irony is not only understood as communicative process but also as a
propaganda which has certain mission to challenge the myth.
B. The Construction of the Derivation of Political Discourse in the United
States Based on SICKO’s Point of View
This subchapter intends to trace the derivation of political discourse based
on SICKO‟s point of view. It is aimed at recognizing the way the documentary
movie constructs the derivation which serves political spectrum in the United
States. The derivation here, probably, constructs transcode or transideological
from one discourse to another discourse. Therefore, the theory of documentary
which is argued by Jack C. Ellis and Betsy McLaen like (1) subject; (2) purposes,
viewpoint, approach; (3) forms; (4) production method and technique; and (5) sort
experience of the audience are useful in order to trace the derivation of political
discourse. In the big issue, SICKO also constitutes a challenge between the
medical programs based on the ideology of capitalism and the medical programs
based on the ideology of socialism.
SICKO covers vast issue healthcare in the United States that causes social
damage toward the society. By using voiceover and montage, the documentary
tries to trace the derivation of political discourse. This following analysis
23
examines the forms or the arrangements of documentary in an effort to construct
the political discourse of healthcare issue claimed by Michael Moore.
In the opening, the documentary intends to inform about healthcare issue.
Moore starts from calamity condition of certain people who do not have
healthcare coverage. Moore does not concern on this case but he concerns on the
people who have healthcare coverage. In this point, he wants to challenge the
believed myth which occurs in the United States, the American Dream. In
understanding this, he espouses the opposite occurrence between the myth and the
reality. Thus, documentary is functioned as a cinematic counterstrike to the
discourse in order to construct social order or even social movement in the
society. Then, Moore effectively dramatizes the suffering of the people caught up
in it.
In the next screen, the documentary clarifies several proofs indicating the
broken system of healthcare in the United States to create clear argument toward
the issue. The way he provides it is interesting to analyze. Moore, once again,
shows ironic condition on the healthcare in the United States compared with
several countries who their healthcare coverage is accommodated by the
government itself and not by private company like in the United States. From this
point he creates an irony to compel the public consciousness. He creates clear
separation, for instance medicine produced by American private company is
claimed as democratic medicine and the medicine produced by the government is
claimed as socialized medicine. In this point, he depicts the fear of U.S people to
socialized medicine as red scare.
24
1)
2)
3)
4)
Plate 2.12 Dramatizes offering the afraid against socialized medical programs
Moore shows those footages because the propaganda against socialized
medical program has been declared for years ago even though there is no certain
proof to deny socialized medicine program. The propaganda only caused fear and
had tendency as a political spectrum.
To create clear separation of political discourse between the side who
support the healthcare coverage and the side who reject it had been made by
Moore in the form of hero and evil. The raid of the confrontation is constructed as
a challenge between Republican Party and Democratic Party. In conjunction with
the constructing hero, Moore puts Hillary R. Clinton, wife of Bill Clinton, as the
heroine. Moore constructs Hillary Clinton as a charming woman with big
knowledge and power. As Democrat politician, Hillary is constructed to be a
heroine who can solve the problem of healthcare and makes reformation. Moore‟s
voiceover, for example, says about Hillary Clinton.
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Excerpt 4
Moore: …This went for on years, until this man rode into town. Bringing
with him his little lady. Sassy. Smart. Sexy. Some men couldn‟t
handle it.
1)
2)
3)
Plate 2.13 Constructing heroine, Hillary R. Clinton, sign of women’s power
From this excerpt of voiceover and dramatize on montage, it is important
to know that the documentary constructs Hillary as the person in charge who can
solve the problem. The constructing of heroine is determined by sign of women‟s
power. Her power is signified from her personality told by voiceover. She is
sassy, smart, and sexy. Then, her power is identified from her role as First Lady
and appointed as Chairwoman of President‟s Task Force on National Health
Reform.
Meanwhile, the documentary points the Republican Party as the blaming
side of healthcare case. Moore, by the end, conveys the image of conspiracy for
Republican. The scene, in which the origin of HMO, accusing Richard Nixon, the
U.S President from Republican Party as the key problem of healthcare issue by his
role as the ruler. Then, a person is identified by the documentary as the
propagandist against socialized medical program. He is portrayed spreading
message entire the country that people of America have to fear with socialized
medical program. The man is Ronald Reagan and he is also a Republic. By means
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of making comparison, the documentary constructs the Democrat as the good side
and the opposite is the Republic as the evil side regarding to healthcare issue.
When Moore tells about the broken system of medical program in the
United States, he wants to prove the truth of socialized medical program which is
feared by the society. Then he investigates particular countries in order to prove it.
The investigation brings him to Canada, Britain, France, and even Cuba. Those
countries are recognized having political tension with the United States from past
until today.
Canada is chosen due to the fee of medical treatment there is better rather
than in the United States and this country is neighboring country of the United
States. The movement of U.S people to get medical treatment becomes a factual
proof how Canadian medical program is better than America. On the other hand,
the government even media in the United States discredits the Canadian and yet
the discredit could not be confirmed due to the fact which is experienced by
certain American is being different with the government and the media. In
addition, Moore uses actual location to strengthen his investigation.
Plate 2.14
Left: A testimony from the U.S people preferring to Canadian healthcare
Right: Constructing media to make fallacy of Canadian healthcare
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In this point, the documentary questions why American public, especially
U.S government and anti-Socialized medical program and restricts the healthcare
coverage accommodated by government. Then, Moore still investigates to find the
answer of the question. He arrives at the country of The Beatles, Great Britain
because there is rumor of free medical treatment. There he wants to investigate
how Great Britain manages their medical system. Moore starts to interview people
in a drugstore. Then, he is surprised that the price of medicine is very cheap that
of in the United States. Then he moves to a certain hospital and he is surprised
that there is no payment for medical service. Hence, he concludes that in Great
Britain, the medical service is almost free because it is covered by the government
in the form of National Health Service (NHS).
Here, there is assumption among Americans that NHS is similar with red
scare. It is possible due to the propaganda which is made by the government for
years ago. The choosing of Great Britain, probably, is based on historical
relationship between Britain and America. During the Colonial era, the United
States was colony of Great Britain and the ancestor came from there. Therefore,
the documentary determines Great Britain as the mother country. It also addresses
the fact that there is clear contradiction between medical service in Britain and
America. In the politics, U.S government should not to reject the NHS and
probably they can follow NHS in Britain. Hence, there is no reason to deny it.
Michael Moore moves to France, the country in which Democracy is
originated, to find another answer for his question. Moore starts with his
voiceover, “This is Karena and her daughter Zoe. Karena is a graduate of
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Michigan State University. And native of my hometown of Flint, Michigan. Six
month ago Zoe. Like Dawnelle’s baby Michelle came down with high fever…”
Then, he interviews her and asks about the medical service for her daughter.
Moore asks how much money to pay and then Karena testifies free because she
lives in France. This joke moment makes a good conjunction to enter the
discussion of the issue more lightly.
In the United States, there is a myth that French is associated as
unwelcome. This anti-French sentiment, actually, arose during American
Revolution era. This sentiment was made by many Federalist due to political
tension between France and the Union although in war against Britain, France
helped the Union. Thus, this sentiment causes a myth of unwelcomed France.
Moore addresses France because it places the number one medical service in the
world. From this point he wants to identify the medical service in France. In order
to find his answer, Moore interviews French‟s doctor to get his answer. Dr.
Jacques Milliez, Head of Obstetrics, St. Antoine Hospital testifies that as a doctor,
a citizen, and a patient he is very glad of France. He testifies that French medical
service could accommodate all the patient needs. It will cure no matter what the
illness. He tells the principle which is believed by French is solidarity, “people
who are better off pay for those who are worse off.” In this case, Moore gives
clear comparison between French and American.
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Plate 2.15
Testimony of dr. Jacques Milliez testifies about French medical service
The last country visited by Moore is Cuba. Moore visits Cuba because it is
presumed as the authoritarian country. As the Socialized Country, Cuba is
assumed worst for healthcare program but the fact is different from the
assumption. Cuba is also presumed as the worst place on the earth. Moore brings
some people to prove its assumption. However, they met difference condition
from what their expected. The myth of Cuba as evil place has been declared for
more than 45 years ago because it was caused by political tension between Cuba
and America. According to the myth, Cuba was viewed as country which was
assumed as a threat against the western hemisphere. Thus, the propaganda was
made for it.
Plate 2.16
Left: Dramatize constructing Cuba as evil place
Right: A journalistic footage of the rejection against Cuba
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The documentary performs certain proof to be counterstrike of the myth
which is believed by the people against Cuba. In this case the fact of Cuba is
closed by the rhetoric which is established for years. One of the important aspects
from this documentary is its function to convince the people to be conscious and
do not believe again with their believed myth. Furthermore, Moore emphasizes
that by investigating the countries in which have political dimension with the U.S
creates a message toward the central issue of healthcare. Simply, the documentary
is only to say that our healthcare system is going to be wrong to the public.
SICKO also recognizes the other important aspect. It does not only talk
about healthcare issue, further it talks about the derivation of political discourse.
The documentary views the constructing of derivation on political discourse as a
part of the effort to espouse political tension. The United States medical system
adopts under the ideology of liberalism. It has spirit of laissez faire within the
private company managed the economy and the government does not have power
to control it because it is decided by market mechanism. Meanwhile, healthcare,
which is aimed in this documentary, has principle that the government has to
manage it as national healthcare system. Nevertheless, there is rejection against
national healthcare system due to the ideology of liberalism. As stated before, it is
like confrontation between liberalism and socialism. But if we think deeply, it
would summarize that there is no clear argument about confrontation. The
documentary is only to show the true myth that the people believe in for hundred
years. The Declaration of Independence and the myth of American Dream should
be the answer of the healthcare case if the government does what they have to do.
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When we talked about democracy, we will finish in a word „people‟ because it is
the core of it. So, SICKO is only to represent what is the meaning of democracy in
healthcare.
In the way to represent the meaning of democracy in healthcare, the
testimony is the main method of this documentary. SICKO espouses a testimony
from a former member of Britain parliament, Tony Benn. He testifies that the core
of healthcare case is the realization of democracy. Benn argues that if we brought
the principle of democracy here, healthcare case would be solved correctly.
“People would get good education, healthcare, or save because they had put their
vote and money in democracy. They paid tax and chose the government and the
parliament” Benn said.
Plate 2.17
Testimony of Tony Benn testifies about the correlation of democracy and healthcare
Benn also testifies about how Great Britain builds their medical system. It
is based on the leaflet from 1948. It said “Your new national health service begins
on the 5th of July. What is it? What you get? It will provide you with all medical,
dental and nursing care. Everyone rich or poor, man, woman, or child can use it or
any part of it. There are no charges except for special items” The archived makes
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clear explanation for Great Britain how fabulous is. They build their system after
they were in World War II and they applied it until now.
The presence of testimony is used to follow the derivation of political
discourse. It underlines that the healthcare issue can not be understood separately.
SICKO has purpose to compel the public to become aware with the healthcare
condition in their country. It also constructs a political spectrum of healthcare
case. It intends to inform that the U.S healthcare system is broken and corrupt. It
defines that national healthcare service is the answer to the healthcare problem.
By moving from the private medical system, in which they believe, to the
socialized medical system, in which they are in fear is a part of the answer. It is
not only produced to reveal the broken system of healthcare but also to criticize
the current U.S. healthcare policy. Furthermore, this documentary movie is
released during campaign time in 2007; it is raised as the public awareness and
tends to make it as national issue.
While seeking to trace the confrontation between private medical system
and socialized medical system, this research also responds to reveal the derivation
of political discourse displayed in this documentary movie. In SICKO, the
construction of the side which supports healthcare is constructed as the good, and
the side which denies healthcare is constructed as the evil.
Prior to campaign time, healthcare becomes the public issue in the United
States and then finally it becomes major topic for campaign each parties. SICKO,
under the construction images, displays the Republican Party as the evil side. On
the other hand, SICKO places the Democratic Party as the good side. By use of
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representation of the Republican Party‟s cadre like Richard Nixon, Ronald
Reagan, and George W. Bush, SICKO constructs them as the persons who make
destruction of healthcare. Otherwise, SICKO constructs the cadre of the
Democratic Party as the good side. It constructs Hillary R. Clinton as the person
who gives hope for healthcare in the United States. So, this documentary movie
can not only be seen to be demonstrative movie but also a movie which has
political interest in the campaign time. SICKO can be categorized as political
documentary movie.
Beside the politics, this documentary movie also constructs the shift of
believing ideas in the United States. The idea of liberalism and laissez faire are
shifted into socialism. SICKO constructs communist and socialist idea on the
topic of healthcare as the good answer for the healthcare problem in the United
States. It constructs socialist and communist country, especially Cuba as the
example for the answer of the healthcare problem even though for years Cuba is
assumed as worst country which does not care with people‟s happiness. However,
capitalism idea which is attempted in the United States can not be answer for the
healthcare problem. This matter also shows that this documentary movie efforts to
transcode or to shift the believing idea in there. In summarize, SICKO is not only
viewed as demonstrative documentary but also a medium to transcode an idea.