Kenneth Burke's Pentad
Basic Topics
Vocabulary #1
Vocabulary #2
Common Topics
100
Act
What Happened?
100
Possible and Impossible
Allows you to argue that if X is possible, then so is Y, or that X is impossible, then so is Y
100
Logos
Persuades with Logic
100
Ethos
Persuades with trust
100
Definition
generate material by defining key terms
200
Scene
When and where it happened?
200
Past Fact
Allows you to consider ideas suggesting that, given all the known conditions, X probably happened in the past
200
Pathos
Persuades with Emotions
200
Eloquence
the practice of art of using language with fluency and aptness.
200
Division
Divide some or all your subject matter into parts
300
Agent
Who did it?
300
Future Fact
Allows you to argue that X will probably happen in the future
300
Analogy
a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based.
300
Argument
- an oral disagreement; verbal opposition; contention; altercation
300
Comparison and Contrast
Generate similarities or differences about aspects of your subject matter
400
Agency
How was it done?
400
Greater or Less
Allows you to argue that since X happened, so will Greater-Than-X, or if Y happened, so will Less-Than-Y
400
Obscure
not clear or plain; ambiguous; vague; or uncertain.
400
Hyperbole
- obvious and intentional exaggeration.
400
Relationships
Generate material that shows different kinds of relationships between aspects of your subject matter
500
Purpose
Why was it done?
500
People's Topics
What does konnoi topoi mean?
500
Repetition
the act of repeating, or doing, saying, or writing something again.
500
Ambiguity
doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention.
500
Testimony
Generate material by investigating what authorities or people with extensive experience with your subject say about it
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