How do we understand and evaluate human motivation is the subject of Kenneth Burke's A Grammar of Motives (Bizzel and Herzberg, 2001, p. 1298). To analyze people's motives, Burke developed his pentad; the five terms he claims are present when investigating motive. The pentad consists of: • Act: names what took place, in thought or deed • Seen: the background of the act, the situation in which it occurred • Agent: the person or kind of person who performed the act • Agency: what means or instruments was used • Purpose: why the act was committed (Herrick, 2013, p.213). Burke admitted that rhetoricians using his pentad may disagree on how to apply each element to a specific subject, but argued any complete statement about motives must include these five areas. Further, the five elements do not work in isolation and influence each other. His pentad is applicable to analyzing texts, movies, personal actions, and pictures. …show more content…
The advertisement for Prozac on page 60 of Argumentation by Gray-Rosendale provides an example of how Burke's pentad can analyze a picture.
• Act: In the ad, a young woman dances in front of a box of Prozac. She appears to be happy and enjoying life. • Seen: The box resembles that of laundry detergent, and uses terms normally associated with laundry. Underneath Prozac is the phrase, “Mood Brightener,” and above that is the slogan “America's #1 Selling Drug.” Behind the box are the words “Fresher!”, “Cleaner!” and the phrase “Better than ever!” Underneath the box are the words, “Wash Your Blues Away!” • Agent: The woman is dressed as a 1950s or 1960s housewife, complete with an apron and high heels. She can easily represent an entire generation of women. She appears to be joyfully dancing in front of the Prozac box, looking up and smiling at the
box. • Agency: In identifying agency, one must answer the question of how the woman reached this state of euphoria. The answer, of course, is Prozac. • Purpose: In analyzing this advertisement, purpose is perhaps the most intriguing. Why did the woman turn to Prozac? The audience is left to apply their own circumstances; why would they use Prozac? Everyday concerns – kids, housecleaning, money, husband – could all contribute. Actually, the ad is not real, and is actually a parody. Regardless, Burke’s pentad is useful in analyzing its meaning. References Bizzell, P. (2001). The rhetorical tradition: Readings from classical times to the present (2nd ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's. Herrick, J. (2013). The history and theory of rhetoric: An introduction (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Patrick Henry’s effective diction emphasizes how much the British had suppressed the colonists and that it was time to fight for their freedom. Henry displays this through his strong use of pathos, logos, and ethos. His rhetorical questions really appeal to the logic and ethics of the colonists and leaves the no choice but to join him and rebel.
“He say Mr. Parris must be kill! Mr. Parris no goodly man, Mr. Parris mean man and no gentle man and he bid me rise out of bed and cut your throat!” (Miller 47).
The pentad is a the tool used to investigate motives. Burke writes, ". . .
The essay "Nature" by Ralph Waldo Emerson implements the use of many transcendentalist ideas through the use of strong rhetorical language. The core belief of transcendentalism is self-reliance and independence, and it stresses the importance that people need to do things on their own. Emerson uses irony to point out many latent truths about the concept. He also uses personification to show that the world around someone can have qualities of a human. Metaphors are also used heavily in the essay as catalysts to help the reader better understand Transcendentalism.
In Dan McCall’s essay, “From the Reliable Narrator,” McCall stresses that the lawyer/narrator should be viewed as a reliable and trustworthy source. His perspective on the lawyer a “distinct minority”, as he feels very few view the lawyer in that way. Many critics see the lawyer as the opposite of McCall, and inforce that the lawyer is unreliable and blameworthy. That he is a representation of ‘consumer capitalism” and the he ‘is simply incapable of recognizing-the political and economic forces that have made him what he is” (McCall, 272). McCall uses other critic’s perspectives in order to reflect light on his own. He explains that the lawyer is someone he trusts, when he first read it at the age of eighteen and even now, because the lawyer
20 were executed” (Blumberg). The Crucible setting is based on The Salem Witch trials, but the plot is based on The Red Scare. The author employs strict tone and rhetorical questions to convey power. This connects to the purpose of how a occurring can devastate a whole community and the people in it. Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, employs empowerment by expressing the challenges within each character and their influence on the trial through the characters John Proctor, Abigail, and Danforth.
Many people have transformed, or changed, throughout their lives, either in a positive or a negative way. But what does it mean to transform? That can be different between people and the way they think. Some think it's something unacceptable and you should try avoiding it, others want to transform themselves. To transform, you just need to see the true meaning of things and be happy. It is possible to change, but you need a reason to change. You need motivation, just like how you need the motivation to do the things you love to do.
In 1729, Jonathan Swift published a pamphlet called “A Modest Proposal”. It is a satirical piece that described a radical and humorous proposal to a very serious problem. The problem Swift was attacking was the poverty and state of destitution that Ireland was in at the time. Swift wanted to bring attention to the seriousness of the problem and does so by satirically proposing to eat the babies of poor families in order to rid Ireland of poverty. Clearly, this proposal is not to be taken seriously, but merely to prompt others to work to better the state of the nation. Swift hoped to reach not only the people of Ireland who he was calling to action, but the British, who were oppressing the poor. He writes with contempt for those who are oppressing the Irish and also dissatisfaction with the people in Ireland themselves to be oppressed.
In the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, the narrator’s monotonous tone makes the reader experience a lack of emotion and feeling. The novel starts off describing Mersault’s current job and how he must go on leave in order to attend his mother’s funeral. He and his mother have been disconnected for some time as they had come to a mutual agreement with her staying in an elderly home. Mersault, the main protagonist, did not have the money or time to tend to his mother. The elderly home was the best option for the both of them. When he returns home from the funeral, Mersault gets caught up in external affairs he should not be in. He ends up writing a break up letter to Raymond’s girlfriend, which drives the rest of the story. Raymond beats his
The ad not show his women just going to the grocery store or just lugging around in the house. This women had responsibilities to fulfilled while struggling with depression, she had family to take care of. In the center of each scene there is her “friend” the “magic” pill who is not so magic, and the alphabet letter “A” for Abilify. These too are with her everyday all day , being impressed so much as are clearly being highlighted like her heart and lungs... she can't live without them.When the woman is talking with her doctor is “ah-ha” moment, a sense of relieved that she finally has a solution to end her problems. Throughout the video one of the more scenes as far as the transformation is heavily seen. You see a struggled women life at first is in complete turmoil. As someone watching the ad you can distributedly see the change in mood thoughts and behavior of this woman. The color of her clothes while just on the antidepressant are dull colors such as purple and orange,“The terms most frequently associated with depression are “blue” “low” “sad” “ ”guilty” “hopeless”, “worth-less” “irritable” and “depressed”.. Her mood changes the color of the shift change from dull to bright colors then the next scene takes you to her work place with the same miserable attitude she is sitting alone, isolated herself at the
(10) I discuss these and related distinctions in "Motivation and Practical Reasons," Erkenntnis 47 (1997): 105–27.
On October 1st, 2015 Christopher Harper-Mercer went on a shooting spree at Umpqua Community College, killing nine people in the process. Since the shooting, Harper-Mercer’s father, Ian Mercer, has spoken out, stressing the need for more gun legislation. In the article written by The New York Times, Jack Healy and Laura M. Holson present Mercer’s claim that stricter gun control is necessary. In an attempt to make Mercer’s claim effective, Healy and Holson present emotionally charged anecdotes from the shooting, emphasize Mercer’s pleading tone, and use factual information from the shooting to legitimize Mercer’s point.
President Donald Trump met with the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting that killed 17 on February 21st. This meeting, taking place just one week after the tragedy, was held to discuss the issue and to see what steps could be taken to avoid another shooting. During the meeting, Trump conducted a poll on whether or not teachers should be armed. President Trump was also seen with a card numbered 1-5, which seemed to have questions and/or statements he wanted to give. The fifth on the list, and perhaps the most necessary one - “I hear you”.
Motive theory is one more way psychologists evaluate personality. The motive theory searches for reasons why people do what they do. It asks questions like what drives people. The underlying idea of the motive theory is that behavior reflects underlying needs. A need represents an unsatisfactory state of being. For instance, primary needs are biological, such as a need for air, water and food. After these basic needs are met, less important needs can be met such as friendship and even love. David McCelland and John Atkinson studied the need for achievement. The need for achievement is the desire to do things well and have pleasure in overcoming obstacles (Clark et al., 1956). The need for achievement varies depending on sex, and childhood
Mcclelland, David C. "Toward a Theory of Motive Acquisition." American Psychologist 20.5 (1965): 321-33. Web.