The Hand of Racism:  Using Dramatism to Discuss Racism Holistically

KB Journal: The Journal of the Kenneth Burke Society Jun 2019 web Open Access

The Hand of Racism: Using Dramatism to Discuss Racism Holistically

Abstract

Divisive rhetoric abounds in the United States on the topic of racism. Finding productive and holistic ways of analyzing and discussing racism are vital. This essay proposes the use of the pentad method (act, scene, agent, agency, and purpose) and dramatic framing from Kenneth Burke’s theory of dramatism as useful toward that end. A case study of analyzing a racial narrative is performed on Nelson Mandela’s famous 1964 Rivonia Trial speech. In this paramount speech, Mandela advocates for a pragmatic transformation through agency and uses a comic frame to address the problem of racism in Apartheid. This essay concludes with a discussion of how the pentad and dramatic framing can be used to address racism by encouraging constructive dialogue and creative rhetorical approaches.

Journal: KB Journal: The Journal of the Kenneth Burke Society
Published: 2019-06
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Topics: modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism qualitative research race and writing
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