The Rhetorical Power of Popular Culture

Preface Acknowledgments CHAPTER 1. WHAT IS POPULAR CULTURE AND WHY STUDY IT? What Is Popular Culture? What Are Popular Culture Texts? Why Study Popular Culture? Conducting Rhetorical Analyses of Popular Culture Texts Sample Student Essay Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 2. EXPANDING THE RHETORICAL TRADITION The Nature of Rhetoric and Rhetorical Criticism Evolution of the Rhetorical Tradition The Neo-Aristotelian Approach to Rhetorical Criticism New (Contemporary and Postmodern) Rhetorical Approaches Sample Student Essay Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 3. A NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE Narration Narrative Rationality Conducting a Narrative Analysis Sample Student Essay Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 4. A DRAMATISTIC PERSPECTIVE The Dramatistic Life Cycle Cluster Analysis The Pentad Conducting a Dramatistic Analysis Sample Student Essays Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 5. A SYMBOLIC CONVERGENCE PERSPECTIVE Fantasy Theme Analysis Rhetorical Visions, Master Analogues, and Life Cycles Conducting a Symbolic Convergence Analysis Sample Analysis Sample Student Essays Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 6. A NEO-MARXIST PERSPECTIVE Ideology and Hegemony Materialism and Economic Metaphors Sites of Struggle Conducting a Neo-Marxist Analysis Sample Student Essays Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 7. FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES Hegemony Sites of Struggle Waves of Feminism Feminist Perspectives Conducting a Feminist Analysis Sample Student Essays Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 8. A MUSIC PERSPECTIVE: THE ILLUSION OF LIFE Music as Rhetoric The Illusion of Life Conducting an Illusion of Life Analysis Sample Student Essays Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 9. VISUAL PERSPECTIVES History and Nature of Visual Communication Visual Theory Perspectives Visual Pleasure Theory Conducting a Visual Pleasure Analysis Sample Student Essay Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References CHAPTER 10. MEDIA-CENTERED PERSPECTIVES Media Ecology Theory Media Logic Social Learning Theory Parasocial Relationship Theory Cultivation Theory Conducting an Analysis Using a Media-Centered Perspective Sample Student Essay Summary Challenge Suggested Readings References Appendix. Writing a Popular Culture Rhetorical Essay Glossary Index About the Author