An analysis of the traditions of communication theory in Ian Mcewan's atonement

[摘要] English: The discipline of communication science is delineated by an intellectual smorgasbord of theoretical perspectives, principles, and assumptions about the communication phenomenon, which originated from interdisciplinary fields such as rhetoric, philosophy, psychology, sociology, semiotics, and many others. The multidisciplinary history of communication theories makes it difficult to establish a coherent, integrated canon of theory. Craig (1999), drawing on historical strands of theoretical thought, classified the complex intellectual heritage of communication theory into seven traditions. Although this constitutive metamodel of the seven traditions of communication theory enables holistic reflection and meta-discourse about communication theories, the complex and abstract characteristics of these seven traditions often remain incomprehensible to communication science scholars. This study analysed the contemporary novel, Atonement, by Ian McEwan, for evidence of the seven communication traditions and the manner in which these traditions are illustrated in the narrative. The purpose of this research is to indicate that modern fiction can be used to make the practical application and comprehension of the multidisciplinary principles and assumptions of the seven communication traditions easier. In order to achieve this aim, this study employed a qualitative research methodology and a two-fold research design. An initial literature study aided the construction of a prior coding framework used during the content analysis to identify textual evidence of the characteristics of each of the seven communication traditions. The results provided evidence of all seven traditions in Atonement and illustrated the characteristics of the traditions through examples that resemble real-life communication situations and behaviour. This study demonstrated its premise that a contemporary novel like Atonement is an accessible medium for the practical illustration and comprehension of abstract communication theories and traditions.

[发布机构] University of the Free State