"The Only Thing That's Real Is Me": CM Punk and the Rhetorical Framework of the American Dream.
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| Title: | "The Only Thing That's Real Is Me": CM Punk and the Rhetorical Framework of the American Dream. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Key, Adam1 (AUTHOR) key@uamont.edu |
| Source: | Communication Studies. Sep/Oct2020, Vol. 71 Issue 4, p601-611. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: | American Dream, Punk culture, Employment tenure, Wrestling |
| Abstract: | Although the world of professional wrestling is characterized as larger than life, a speech by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler Phillip Brooks appeared to cross the line between fantasy and reality. Brooks' speech, instead of being character driven, focused on his lack of promotion despite his tenure of hard work. He broke character, addressing specific elements of backstage politics which affected his actual self rather than the character he portrays, CM Punk. The speech makes apparent the pieces of the previously shrouded oppressive WWE machine. The text is rhetorically examined from the perspective of mythological criticism. Analysis revealed that the speech is an enactment of the myth of the American Dream, where Brooks plays the role of the American Adam. Brooks' Adam, however, is not the idealistic sprite typical of Horatio Alger's work, but a darker Adam who has experienced the Fall. Brooks' speech provides a basis for the expansion of the myth as an exhortation for the oppressed to speak up in order to achieve their own American Dreams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Communication Studies is the property of Central States Communication Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 145335952 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: "The Only Thing That's Real Is Me": CM Punk and the Rhetorical Framework of the American Dream. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Key%2C+Adam%22">Key, Adam</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> key@uamont.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Communication+Studies%22">Communication Studies</searchLink>. Sep/Oct2020, Vol. 71 Issue 4, p601-611. 11p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22American+Dream%22">American Dream</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Punk+culture%22">Punk culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+tenure%22">Employment tenure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wrestling%22">Wrestling</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Although the world of professional wrestling is characterized as larger than life, a speech by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler Phillip Brooks appeared to cross the line between fantasy and reality. Brooks' speech, instead of being character driven, focused on his lack of promotion despite his tenure of hard work. He broke character, addressing specific elements of backstage politics which affected his actual self rather than the character he portrays, CM Punk. The speech makes apparent the pieces of the previously shrouded oppressive WWE machine. The text is rhetorically examined from the perspective of mythological criticism. Analysis revealed that the speech is an enactment of the myth of the American Dream, where Brooks plays the role of the American Adam. Brooks' Adam, however, is not the idealistic sprite typical of Horatio Alger's work, but a darker Adam who has experienced the Fall. Brooks' speech provides a basis for the expansion of the myth as an exhortation for the oppressed to speak up in order to achieve their own American Dreams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Communication Studies is the property of Central States Communication Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=145335952 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/10510974.2020.1791202 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 StartPage: 601 Subjects: – SubjectFull: American Dream Type: general – SubjectFull: Punk culture Type: general – SubjectFull: Employment tenure Type: general – SubjectFull: Wrestling Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: "The Only Thing That's Real Is Me": CM Punk and the Rhetorical Framework of the American Dream. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Key, Adam IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 09 Text: Sep/Oct2020 Type: published Y: 2020 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10510974 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 71 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Communication Studies Type: main |
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