Download Symbolic Convergence Perspective

SYMBOLIC
CONVERGENCE
PERSPECTIVE
By: Marcela Lopez
What is symbolic convergence
theory?
◦ It was developed by Ernest Bormann in 1972.
◦ It is a shared reality used by a particular community to make sense of the world around
them.
Examples of symbolic convergence
Bormann focused on the stories themselves
and how they create a rhetorical community
of shared believers.
Basics of SCT
◦ Many scholars refer to SCT as a fantasy theme analysis.
◦ Fantasy theme analysis is the tool rhetoricians use to identify, understand, and
interpret those converged symbols.
◦ A fantasy theme is a basic unit of communication, like a joke, pun, metaphor,
analogy-- that when shared with others constitute the base of reality.
Fantasy themes
◦ Popular culture is filled with fantasy themes.
◦ Fantasy themes include dramatis personae, protagonists, antagonists, plotline, scene,
and sanctioning agent.
◦ Dramatis personae are characters of a show.
◦ Protagonists are usually the hero of the show.
◦ Antagonists are villains.
Fantasy themes (cont.)
◦ Plotlines provide the action to the narrative.
◦ Plotlines can be augmented by scenes.
◦ The sanctioning agent is the force that drives the narrative.
◦ The way we put things together is called rhetorical vision.
Rhetorical Visions
◦ Rhetorical visions are often shared by fans of a specific show or music artist.
◦ Regardless of the geological location, fans of a show like Game of Thrones share the
same rhetorical vision.
◦ They share a common reality based on their mutual heroes and villains.
Master Analogues: Righteous
◦ The righteous master analogue stresses on the correct way of doing things with its
concern about right and wrong.
◦ Examples: superhero movies
Master Analogues: Social
◦ Social master analogues focus on friendship, trust, camaraderie, brotherhood and
sisterhood and being humane.
Master Analogues: Pragmatic
◦ Pragmatic master analogue focuses on getting the job done and doing whatever it
takes to achieve it.
Stages of rhetorical vision life cycle
◦ All the rhetorical visions tend to exist in one of 5 stages of a rhetorical vision life cycle.
◦ Think of it as a life cycle of a human and how we develop from birth through death.
◦ First stage: consciousness creating; it’s where a rhetorical vision is initially formed.
Stages of rhetorical vision life cycle
◦ The second stage is consciousness raising, is where those who already share an existing
vision, try to attract newcomers.
◦ The third stage is consciousness sustaining is where you try to keep the narrative alive. An
example is when you rewatch a show or movie.
Stages of rhetorical life cycle
◦ The fourth stage is decline, where the shared story or narrative loses its power.
◦ The final stage is terminus. It’s where the rhetorical vision fades out of the public
consciousness or it ends abruptly.