Ernest Bormann
What is Fantasy Theme Analysis?
Fantasy Theme Analysis is a form of rhetorical criticism. It takes the shared fantasies of a group of people, perhaps the audience for a business presentation or a public speech, and examines them for inside jokes and other cues to a shared consciousness. The criticism can then describe and evaluate the consciousness of the group to determine its heroes and villains, its hopes and fears, how the group members deal with things such as violence or acts of kindness, and such other events within and outside the community. A skilled critic can make an analysis apply to a number of problems, such as:
How can a CEO implement a campaign to build morale in a company?
How can a state department of health develop a series of television commercials to motivate teenage tobacco users to quit using tobacco?
How can lawyers create a case that will result in jury members sharing the group consciousness the lawyers wish to promote, rather than the opponent's version of events?
How can a company that has taken over another company create a new corporate saga and culture that will get workers and managers from both companies to share the new saga and help build a new common culture?