Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Rhetorical Critique Narrative Criticism & Dramatism

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Narrative Critique “Humans are the Storytelling animal.” –Alasdair MacIntyre Short stories, Comics, Novels, Films Poetry & Songs Conversations, Interviews, Speeches Even Paintings and Quilts Walter Fisher and the Narrative Paradigm

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Biography: Emeritus Professor at USC Annenberg Fisher earned his doctorate in communication studies at the University of Iowa. He specializes in rhetorical theory and criticism, political communication, and argumentation, addressing in particular problems in reason and ethics.

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Fisher on the Narrative Paradigm Fisher, Walter R. (1984). "Narration as Human Communication Paradigm: The Case of Public Moral Argument." in Communication Monographs 51. pp Fisher, Walter R. (1985). "The Narrative Paradigm: An Elaboration." in Communication Monographs 52. December. pp Fisher, Walter R. (1985). "The Narrative Paradigm: In the Beginning." in Journal of Communication 35.Autumn. pp Fisher, Walter R. (1987). Human Communication as Narration: Toward a Philosophy of Reason, Value, and Action. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press. Fisher, Walter R. (1988). "The Narrative Paradigm and the Assessment of Historical Texts." in Argumentation and Advocacy 25.Fall. pp Fisher, Walter R. (1989). "Clarifying the Narrative Paradigm." in Communication Monographs 56. pp Fisher, Walter R. (1994). "Narrative Rationality and the Logic of Scientific Discourse." in Argumentation 8. pp Fisher, Walter R. (1995). "Narration, Knowledge, and the Possibility of Wisdom" in Rethinking Knowledge: Reflections Across the Disciplines (Suny Series in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences). (Fisher & Robert F. Goodman as editors). New York: State University of New York Press.

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © 4 Characteristics of Narrative 1.Comprised of at least 2 active or stative events “stative” expressing a state or condition 2.Events organized in time order— chronology 3.Causal or Contributing relationship between events 4.Must be about a unified subject

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Traditional paradigm of rationality vs. Fisher’s paradigm: People are essentially rational We make decisions on the basis of arguments The type of speaking situation determines the course of our argument Rationality is determined by how much we know and how well we argue The world is a set of logical puzzles that we can solve through rational analysis People are essentially storytellers We make decisions on the basis of good reasons History, biography, culture, and character determine what we consider good reasons Narrative rationality is determined by the coherence and fidelity of our stories The world is a set of stories from which we choose, and thus constantly re-create, our lives

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Narrative Analysis of an Artifact 1.What is the Setting or Scene? 2.Who are the main Characters ? 3.Who is the Narrator ? Direct presentation? 4.What are the major and minor Events ? 5.What are the Temporal Relations among the events? 6.What Cause-&-Effect Relationships? 7.Who is the Audience of the narrative? 8.What are the major Themes ? Formulate a research question.

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © "All the world's a stage" Dramatism Kenneth Burke ( )

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman ©

Identification The Basic Principle of rhetoric The use of symbols to create drama where communicator and audience identify with each other Audience and communicator become “consubstantial”

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Key Concepts Substance: the essential characteristics of a person as seen by self and others Consubstantiality: shared substance Identification Division: consubstantiality always divides as well as unifying people God terms & Devil terms: symbols connoting good or evil association with substance

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © The Elements of Symbolic Drama Motive and Burke’s Pentad –Act, Scene, Agent, Agency, and Purpose The Guilt-Redemption Cycle –Arousal of guilt –Purification by: Mortification (self sacrifice) Victimage (scapegoating someone or something else) –Redemption Tragedy and the Comic Corrective

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Logging Old Growth Forests Logger RhetoricEnvironmental Rhetoric ACT Harvesting LumberDestroying Forests SCENE Market for LumberEcological Crisis AGENT Responsible BusinessGreedy Capitalist AGENCY Scientific TechniquesReckless, wasteful methods PURPOSE Jobs, wise resource useProfit and exploitation Table by Prof. Bob Craig, U of Boulder

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Illustration from Prof. Bob Craig, U of Boulder

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © Pendatic Analysis Identify the ACT Where or what is the situation?-SCENE Who is the main character?-AGENT How is the act accomplished?-AGENCY What is intended by performing the act?- PURPOSE Apply ratios to determine dominant term:

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © 20 possible “Pendatic Ratios” Scene - Act: no Scene - Agent: yes Scene - Agency: no Scene - Purpose: yes Act - Scene: no Act - Agent : no Act - Agency : no Act - Purpose : no Agent – Scene: yes Agent – Act: yes Agent – Agency: yes Agent – Purpose: no Agency – Act: unclear Agency – Scene: no Agency – Agent : yes Agency – Purpose: unclear Purpose – Act: no Purpose – Scene: yes Purpose – Agent : no Purpose – Agency: unclear

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © The Dominant Term The Philosophy of Dominance Act – Realism not Nominalism –Universal principles more real than objects Scene – Materialism –Reality explained by matter, motion, physical law Agent – Idealism –Views mind and spirit as fundamentally real Agency – Pragmatism Purpose - Mysticism

Background Art: “Revival” by Susan Hickman © After Analysis Formulate a Research Question –Narrative Open ended –How does construction effect interpretation? –What does story say about culture? Etc. –Dramatism Worldview? Motives? Ratios? Write an Essay