Publication Date
4-1992
Advisor(s) - Committee Chair
Judith Hoover, Larry Winn, Carl Kell
Degree Program
Department of Communication
Degree Type
Master of Arts
Abstract
The nature of the popular allegation that President John F. Kennedy was the victim of a conspiracy is addressed in this thesis. An answer is sought to the question, "What qualities of the Kennedy assassination conspiracy theory account for its relatively widespread popular appeal?" The author seeks to demonstrate that the Kennedy conspiracy theory has attained the status of myth in contemporary culture. First, a theoretical framework based upon previous research in the area of myth and rhetoric is constructed. This framework is designed to aid the researcher in identifying mythic discourse by establishing both formal and functional criteria.
Next the framework is applied to the Kennedy conspiracy theory as manifested in various articles of popular culture including the Oliver Stone film, JFK.
Finally, the ascendancy of the Kennedy assassination to the status of myth is explained through a demonstration of its consistency with both contemporary and ancient mythic themes.
Disciplines
Communication | Mass Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social Influence and Political Communication
Recommended Citation
Herzog, Charles, "The Death of Camelot: Myth, Rhetoric, & the Kennedy Assassination Conspiracy Theory" (1992). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 2462.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/2462