Communication Theory Assignment: Kennedy's Speech and Pentad Analysis

This assignment analyzes Kennedy's speech following the Chappaquiddick incident, focusing on the application of communication theory. The student explores the incident, Kennedy's statements, and the public's perception. The analysis utilizes Kenneth Burke's pentad, examining the act, scene, agent, agency, and purpose within the speech. The assignment delves into Kennedy's attempts to explain the accident, his perceived role, the impact of media, and the strategies employed to address public opinion. The student provides a personal perspective on the effectiveness of Kennedy's communication, emphasizing the importance of the pentadic analysis in understanding the situation. References to relevant sources are included to support the analysis.

communication theory
ASSIGNMENT

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Answer 1:
The act is about entering a plea of guilty after running from the accident scene and left the lady
behind in order to drown. Further, Kennedy got an opportunity in order to talk to Massachusetts
people to tell them about the incident. Kennedy felt that he was being victimized by the scene
and he was not even having any control. Kennedy discussed the utilization, and the discourse
which the exploitation's story was stating through the wrath of the people of Massachusetts and
the mischance took place with the lady Marxist-Leninist Jo Kopechne. Moreover, the accident
took place on the Island of Chappaquiddick (Cos, G. 2016). It is being observed that the
obligations of Kennedy were vague in relation to the accident, and the reports were delayed in
setting up the situation where he faced the criminal charges along with the scolds of government
funds. Furthermore, defining the accident in which the lady (Marxist-Leninist Jo Kopechne)
died. Kennedy blamed the lighting, bridge’s slenderness along with the haziness.
Answer 2:
The scene is about the accident which took place on the Island of Chappaquiddick. Kennedy is
going to the trials as he flew from the scene on July 18. Further, he described the scene to the
Massachusetts people by stating that he and Mary Jo left the party around 11:15 at night and
Kennedy was driving the car, and soon they entered into a narrow bridge which didn't have any
guard railings and was developed on the left angle. Then, the car was overturned in a pond and
was filled with water immediately. Further, Kennedy felt the drowning sensation but somehow
managed to survive, and he made continuous efforts to save Mary Jo but he failed, and she died.
He even explained in his speech that he didn't escape from the responsibilities but he forgot to
inform the police about the accident, and he is being traumatized because of the accident.

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Answer 3:
The agent is that he doesn’t have any control of the scene. So, Kennedy is seeking advice from
people of Massachusetts in order to take the right decision. It has been observed that the citizens
are being treated as an important part of the case because the citizens always fight for the right
and they ensure that the victim should get justice at any cost and the criminal should be
punished. Also, Kennedy share a strong bond with the agents as he had his 1st election to senate
seven years back and since then he is serving to the people of Massachusetts (Mandell, H., &
Chen, G. M. 2016). Therefore, according to Kennedy the citizens plays a crucial role in his case
which includes the criminal charges and will help Kennedy in order to take the right decision and
follow the right path as he shares a strong connection with them and also have various memories
with them while serving the people of Massachusetts.
Answer 4:
The agency is being defined as the methods which are available in order to make a report. For
example, the police reports. Further, the complete report on the accident was published in the
newspapers which impacted the image of the Kennedy to a great extent as he stood for the
elections to the senate in order to serve the people of Massachusetts. The role of the agency is to
create awareness among people in order to support the victim. Moreover, the agencies which
played a crucial rule in the case of Kennedy were Club House of TPC Sawgrass and Beach of
Ponte Verde. Furthermore, the overall image of the Kennedy has impacted adversely due to the
agency and the people of Massachusetts were against him until he got an opportunity to give a
speech to the people of Massachusetts in order to take the right decision and face reality.

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Answer 5:
The purpose of the speech is to fulfill the moral and the legal responsibilities by describing the
accident which was clinched and killed the Marxist-Leninist Jo Kopechne. Furthermore,
Kennedy blamed the lighting as there was the absence of the lights, the bridge’s slenderness, and
the street’s murkiness even without the guardrails. Also, Kennedy noticed that the ears were
being filled with water quickly and he was being perplexed due to the darkness of water,
coldness and the occasions of sudor. Moreover, Kennedy felt that he was feeling as the helpless
victim of the situation which generated the disaster. Further, it can be observed that it cannot be
the shortcoming of the individuals. Moreover, Kennedy didn’t want to run away from his legal
responsibilities and he only wants the support of the people of Massachusetts in order to take the
right decision and face the situation with an ease. Also, he just wanted to tell the truth to the
people of Massachusetts in his speech in order to get the support from them.
Answer 6:
The element of the pentad that stands out in the speech is that how the actor will be able to
perceive the things or the situations around him. The pentad was created by the five distinct
elements which were found universally in the narrations. Further, the form of the claims where
phrased similarly to the address. The reply to the inquiries helps in determining the five different
elements which dominate one another. The finder of the fault will settle the choice. Furthermore,
this element of Pentad helps in unfolding the answers which are difficult to find and understand
through other ways. The ones who destroyed the place and at what time and under what
circumstances the things were made imperatives for the modes and the methods along with the
purpose of alleging, etc. all these questions are being answered through Pentad. The logical

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elements of the Pentad were scene, act and the agent which were further enduring the reason of
existence.
Answer 7:
It has been observed that the Kennedy blamed the absence of lighting, the bridge’s slenderness,
and the street’s haziness without the guardians. Also, Kennedy noticed that the ears were being
filled with water quickly and he was being perplexed due to the darkness of water, coldness and
the occasions of sudor. Further, as a result, the mishap took place, and the Marxist-Leninist Jo
Kopechne drowned (Griffiths, C., & Cos, G. 2007). Also, it can be said that the Kennedy and the
Marxist-Leninist Jo Kopechne were being treated as the casualties of that particular situation.
The aid was needed which overwhelmed through the condition, and that condition gave rise to
the accident, and it can be stated that it was not the fault of anyone of them.
Answer 8:
Personally, my view was completely changed towards the Kennedy from the time I read his
speech and performed the analysis of pentadic. Further, the analysis helps in giving the reason in
order to talk about the influences in a particular manner. Furthermore, it aids in order to assess
the context and influences the crowd against the talk of elite intellectual and finally more than
the required energy. Moreover, by examining the situation quickly along with the emotions and
the pictures, I can personally connect it with the cultural, social and the political content that
encompasses the accident scene. Therefore, I believe that the pentadic analysis is essential in
order to take the right decision when it is related to the law.

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REFERENCES
Cos, G. (2016). Chappaquiddick Revisited: Scandal and the Modern-Mediated Apologia.
In Scandal in a Digital Age (pp. 41-51). Palgrave Macmillan US.
Griffiths, C., & Cos, G. (2007). A tendency to incite: Applying Kenneth Burke's pentad to Cohen
v. California.
Mandell, H., & Chen, G. M. (2016). Introduction: Scandal in an Age of Likes, Selfies, Retweets,
and Sexts. In Scandal in a Digital Age (pp. 3-14). Palgrave Macmillan US.