The War of Words

Anthony Burke is Associate Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at the University of Victoria and the son of Kenneth Burke. Burke worked with his father to organize and catalog Kenneth Burke’s papers. He now contributes to maintaining the archives associated with Kenneth Burke’s cultural legacy.   Kyle Jensen is Associate Professor of English at the University of North Texas. He is the author of Reimagining Process and the coeditor of Abducting Writing Studies. Jack Selzer is Paterno Family Liberal Arts Professor at Pennsylvania State University. He has authored, coauthored, edited, and coedited many books and articles on Kenneth Burke, including Kenneth Burke in Greenwich Village and Kenneth Burke in the 1930s.  

Acknowledgments

Editors’ Introduction

THE WAR OF WORDS

Introduction

1. The Devices

Of the Devices in General
The Bland Strategy
Shrewd Simplicity
Undo by Overdoing
Yielding Aggressively
Detection
Spokesman
Reversal
Say the Opposite
Spiritualization (the Nostrum)
Making the Connection
Say Anything
Theory of the Devices

2. Scientific Rhetoric

I. ”Facts” Are Interpretations
II. Headline-Thinking
III. Selectivity
IV. Reduction (“Gist”)
V. Tithing by Tonality
VI. News as Drama
VII. Polls, Forums, Accountancy

3. [Notes toward] The Rhetoric of Bureaucracy
4. [Notes toward] The Rhetorical Situation

Appendix 1. Facsimile of the Outline of ”The Rhetorical Situation”
Appendix 2. Foreword (to end on)
Appendix 3. Facsimile of “Foreword (to end on)”

List of Textual Emendations and Explanatory Notes
Index