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From Ambiguity to Perspicuity: Applying Burke's Pentad as a Means of Preserving and Expanding the Discourse Community of Blacksmithing History in Hancock County

Geise, Susanne Seybold
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=findlay1525801452672734

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing​, University of Findlay, English.
This project examines blacksmithing tools, photographs, and records located in the Hancock Historical Museum’s archives to argue for the significant role blacksmiths performed in forging discourse communities in Hancock County. Historically, scholars in the field of rhetoric and writing tend to work primarily with traditional, print-based archives, and methods sections in related publications are limited in their application to analyzing physical tools such as anvils and tongs. However, the 2016 publication of Rhetoric, Through Everyday Things demonstrates that scholars of rhetoric and writing are increasingly interested in using object-oriented ontologies (also known as “thing” theories) to explore the rhetorical agency of material objects. Therefore, a need exists for publications that demonstrate the methods (such as Kenneth Burke’s pentad) scholars may use to construct the rhetorical context of historical objects in the archive. While my research initially focused on the blacksmithing tools, I soon realized the tools could not speak for themselves and had only limited agency. My research became more meaningful after I interviewed people who shared their knowledge of blacksmithing tools and of blacksmithing shops formerly located throughout Hancock County. As a result, my project demonstrates the importance of collaborating with people to understand the context and agency of archived objects. While informed by object-oriented ontologies, my project reveals both practical and ethical limitations scholars encounter when using object-oriented ontologies to analyze objects that are more historical in nature.
Christine Denecker (Committee Chair)
Christine Tulley (Advisor)
Elizabeth Buchannen (Committee Member)
110 p.
Agriculture; American History; American Studies; Communication; Composition; History; Museum Studies; Philosophy; Rhetoric
Rhetoric and Composition; Rhetoric and Writing; Blacksmithing; Archival Research Methods and Methodology; Burkes Pentad; Object Oriented Ontologies; Historical Museums; Discourse Communities

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Geise, S. S. (2018). From Ambiguity to Perspicuity: Applying Burke's Pentad as a Means of Preserving and Expanding the Discourse Community of Blacksmithing History in Hancock County [Master's thesis, University of Findlay]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=findlay1525801452672734

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Geise, Susanne. From Ambiguity to Perspicuity: Applying Burke's Pentad as a Means of Preserving and Expanding the Discourse Community of Blacksmithing History in Hancock County . 2018. University of Findlay, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=findlay1525801452672734.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Geise, Susanne. "From Ambiguity to Perspicuity: Applying Burke's Pentad as a Means of Preserving and Expanding the Discourse Community of Blacksmithing History in Hancock County ." Master's thesis, University of Findlay, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=findlay1525801452672734

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

findlay1525801452672734
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This open access ETD is published by University of Findlay and OhioLINK.