Scene, Act, and the Tragic Frame in the Duke Rape Case

Anna Kimberly Turnage

Thesis:
Using the example of the Duke Rape Case, Turnage argues that the case was dominated by a
scene-act ratio in which both sides in the case employed a tragic frame and scapegoat the
opposing party.
Main Ideas:
1. The Burkean Pentad (act, scene, agent agency, and purpose) explains how members of
the Durham community and Duke University scapegoated one another.
2. The Prosecution framed the Duke students as privileged, elitist, and racist, which
resulted in the lacrosse players being convicted by public opinion before being
prosecuted by the legal court.
3. The Defense framed the Duke lacrosse players as victims of public opinion, and framed
the dancer of taking advantage of the tense situation of the community.
4. The tragic frame was employed when both sides immediately naming scapegoats. Instead
of solving the root of the communitys problem, D.A. Nifong became the new scapegoat
for both the defense and prosecution.
5. By employing a comic frame instead of a tragic frame, the community could take steps to
resolve the root of the issue.
6. Because the issue was never resolved, the deep issues of race, class, and hierarchy
continue to be upheld. As a result, situations based on these issues will likely flare up
again in the future.
Contribution to the field:
Employing a tragic frame involves scapegoating other parties, which ultimately is unable to
solve the root of the issue. However, adopting a comic frame is often much more difficult in
hostile situations, and thus the tension remains.
Discussion Questions:
In what ways does the Duke Rape case relate to the hunting accident in Maine in terms of
a scene-act ratio?
What makes a comic frame more effective than a tragic frame in the long run? Are there
any circumstances in which a tragic frame would be more effective?
Can you think of any current situations in the United States in which a scene-act ratio is
being employed?