The Five Key Terms of Dramatism.According to the readings a language expert Kenneth Burke identified a method of studying the semantic dimensions of language through a five-part dramatism structure that describes our living stories. In his beliefs Burke explains that we choose words because of their dramatic potential, and that we each have a preference for particular parts of the structure. He also noticed how you could understand a story or speech by identifying how pairs interconnect; he referred to the scene-act ratio of Hamlet to give an example. The five elements explained are Scene, Act, Agent, Agency and Purpose. The scene is described as a “container” a place where the action of the act occurs and this includes the physical location and the contextual situation, occasion, event, time. People usually put emphasis here and believe that changing the scene changes everything else. The act is encouraged and purposeful action. It may be a simple, single action, such as moving or speaking, or may be more complex and compound. This part is important part of the meaning, thought it is not the whole meaning, even though it may sometimes be thought to be so. The other four parts of the structure of course also contribute. The agent is the person or group of people who perform in the act. They are the characters in the story, the people who enact the meaning. The motives are such as hatred, envy and love can also act as agents as they are the moving force that acts. Countries and organizations can also act as agents. The agency is the technique or method by which the agent achieves their goals. And, purpose is the reason that the agent acts, the outcome they are seeking from what they do. Sometimes this is obvious and in the open, at other times the agent’s purpose may be covert and hidden. I believe that these could be used and applied depending on the situation; it is definitely a philosophy in which not everyone will agree to understand. |