<p> Utilizing Kenneth Burke's dramatistic pentad, I argue that the rhetoric of Alaskan reality television produces a new strain of the American frontier myth wherein agents struggle to live within an omnipotent scene. After tracing the evolution of the pentadic elements in literature and film embodying the eastern and western variations of the myth, I analyze <i>Deadliest Catch, Flying Wild Alaska</i>, and <i>Gold Rush</i> and thereby discover that the discourse does not revive older versions, but instead formulates a contemporary iteration that diminishes tension between the dialectical values of individualism and community. As the United States faces daunting exigencies concerning the economy, technology, and the environment in the new millennium, the myth of the Alaskan frontier offers ways for people to cope with their anxieties. This thesis concludes with a discussion of implications and ideas for future research.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:1527588 |
| Date | 23 April 2014 |
| Creators | Smith, Dana-Jean C. |
| Publisher | California State University, Long Beach |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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