A Burkean analysis of the rhetorical dimensions of a multiple murder and suicide

Fisher, Jeanne Y.

doi:10.1080/00335637409383223

Cited by 15 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…“The pentad was eagerly seized upon by some for its deceptive simplicity,” one Burkean scholar notes, “and some poor, early studies were churned out that treated it as a ‘who, what, when, where, and how’ sort of checklist to be filled in by naming objective entities.” Countless pentadic analyses, both poor and profound, have been published in rhetoric journals, ranging from an early and excellent analysis of Ted Kennedy’s Chappaquiddick speech (Ling, 1970) to an unusual analysis of a multiple murder and suicide (Fisher, 1974). But of all of the pentadic analyses in print, we know of only one in which the initial assignment of the five terms changes (Brummett & Young, 2006).…”

Section: Burkementioning

confidence: 99%

Fetterman and the Forgotten: Dramatism and Democracy after January 6

Snee

Cos

Rodgers

2021

American Behavioral Scientist

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This essay argues that Lt. Governor John Fetterman (D-PA), in running for the open US Senate seat in Pennsylvania, is attempting to appeal to disaffected Trump voters, showing what the “forgotten men and women” of Pennsylvania might stand to gain by embracing his progressive, Democratic populist appeal. This study examines Fetterman’s announcement advertisement, “Launch,” illustrating how he figuratively and literally enacts Burkean “consubstantiality,” as the candidate not only speaks about and on behalf of the forgotten, but he also appears on camera with the history of Braddock tattooed on his body. Utilizing Burkean theory, we contend that Fetterman’s two-and-a-half-minute video follows the basic formula for Burke’s guilt-redemption cycle. In the wake of the failed insurrection, “Launch” offered the promise of rhetorical redemption through what Burke labeled victimage in the form of factional scapegoating. Additionally, midway through the video, the “Agent” and the “Scene” switch roles, in a unique symbolic move. The analysis concludes that, from Burke’s perspective of purification-redemption, Fetterman uses visuals, text, and context to appeal to an important audience for his candidacy.

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Section: Burkementioning

confidence: 99%

Fetterman and the Forgotten: Dramatism and Democracy after January 6

Snee

Cos

Rodgers

2021

American Behavioral Scientist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Other scholars have also employed Burke's pentad to consider the effectiveness or appropriateness of specific messages (Edwards, 1998;Fisher, 1974;Kelley, 1987Kelley, , 1988Kenny, 2001;Lule, 1993;Rushing, 1986;Solomon, 1985). Burke's dramatistic method provides an appropriate avenue for investigating the claim that Romney's religion speech was an act in the vein of Kennedy's religion speech.…”

Section: Burke's Pentadmentioning

confidence: 99%