Abstracts Category : Other

Livestrong or Lie Hard: A Pentadic Analysis of Deception and Reputation Management in 'The Armstrong Lie'

by Harper D Anderson

Kenneth Burke's pentadic analysis has been a staple within the context of rhetorical criticism since the early days of critical communication studies. Throughout the years it has evolved from a heavy text criticism to application to film and documentary. The Armstrong Lie is another documentary that highlights the controversial actions of former seven-time Tour de France champion, Lance Armstrong. This film provides an opportunity in which the pentadic analysis can be applied in order to really dissect the message that is being told. Through application of the pentadic analysis to The Armstrong Lie it is possible to identify the true motivation of the documentary's director, Alex Gibney. The present study seeks to identify the true message being told through the narrative of the documentary. Alex Gibney's motivations come under question as to whether or not he was exonerating himself by lessening the controversy of what Lance Armstrong had done by cheating in a highly competitive sport by characterizing him more as a product of his environment.