The Rhetorical Short Story: Best American Short Stories on War and the Military, 1915-2006

by William M. Purcell

Overview

In The Rhetorical Short Story, Purcell examines over ninety short stories as rhetorical artifacts of nearly a century of American history. The words of over seventy-five authors present a pastiche of American voices, from the early days of the Great War to the ongoing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of the stories features a type of rhetorical depiction that enables its audience to connect vicariously with the experience presented by the author. This account sees the transformation of the American perspective from an insular one, which emphasizes the purpose driven actions of strong individual agents, to ones in which individuals are caught up in the inevitable consequences of an all-determining stream of events.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761848707
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	10/01/2009
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

William M. Purcell is a professor of communication and journalism at Seattle Pacific University. He was educated at Auburn University, the University of Alabama, and Indiana University. He previously served on the faculties of Augustana College and the University of Washington.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Acknowledgements
Chapter 2 Introduction
Chapter 3 Chapter One: The Great War: Slaughter, Spirits, and the Facts
Chapter 4 Chapter Two: The World Goes to War Again
Chapter 5 Chapter Three: America and the Second World War
Chapter 6 Chapter Four: Beyond the Year
Chapter 7 Conclusion: Falling into America
Chapter 8 Bibliography
Chapter 9 Index