The forensic Burke: A for(u)mative member of the parlor

<p>In this study, I detail the forensics education of Kenneth Burke, a leading rhetorical theorist and critic of the twentieth century. After investigating this previously unexamined area, I argue that Burke’s competitive forensics experiences pivotally informed his rhetorical schema. Theoretically guided by Burke’s pivotal term <em>the forensic</em>, I begin by mapping the contours of Burke’s educational biography. Next, I analyze and reconstruct Burke’s forensics education by focusing on the forensic organizations of Peabody High School, Burke’s literary society experiences at Ohio State University and Columbia University, and the literary activities of Greenwich Village. Finally, I proffer connections between forensics and two of Burke’s key terms, <em>the parlor</em> and <em>ritual drama</em>, and discuss illuminations, contributions, and directions regarding the pedagogy, theory, and biography of Kenneth Burke.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication, Media and Theatre Arts

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Wright, Courtney James

Contributors dc:contributor

• Raymond Quiel, Thesis Chair
• Jack Kay, Ph.D.
• Nick Romerhausen, Ph.D.

• drama
• debates and debating
• speech
• Communication

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/534

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1906