Criticism Post #5

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Pentad

As Burke (1969) wrote, he proposed his pentad to help explain ‘‘what is involved, when we say what people are doing and why they are doing it’’ (p. xv). In this post, I will apply the theory of pentad to Grace and Frankie, season four. As Burke states, there are five areas of analysis and can be explained by the following:

1. It is helpful to create lists with each area

2. Look at relationships btw areas to generate more notes I.e ratio analysis (one will often dominate as the key aspect of the story) 

• Act –  (What took place, in thought or deed, symbolic: communities response, comm. that happened as a result) 
• Agent –  (Person who performed the act, roles, attitudes/position, collective individuals) 
• Scene –  (Background of the act, or the situation, includes time and space, community matters, has to be meaningful in some way) 
• Agency –  (What means or instruments were used, the vehicle, how are they able to do it? Could be non-verbal)
• Purpose –  (Stated goals/intent, not the same as motive, not what the “analyzer” interprets as the reason) 

3. Decide what is the “dominant” aspect, and: 

4. What the dominant area says about the real motive (not to be confused with the stated purpose).

Over the course of season four, many things happen to Grace and Frankie, including their house beginning to fall apart, which they attempt to get it fixed, only to be scammed and robbed. They also both find themselves being stuck on the floor due to their backs giving out, Grace has to have knee surgery, she gets caught for drinking in public and riding a scooter into a parked cop car, and Frankie gets lost driving around her granddaughter, while following an ice cream truck and ends up at the Mexico border. These are some of the events that occur, which they do try to keep from everyone, including their children. When their children discover these events that took place, they become very concerned for their Mothers.

In the very last episode of season 4, episode 13, Grace and Frankie’s children decide between the four of them, that it’s time their Moms need to move into an assisted living, based off a check-list they found online, which lists signs that they (their parents) are ready for assisted living. At first, Grace and Frankie both refuse to go. After the kids confront each parent alone, they manage to trick them into believing they need to do this for the sake of each other.

Breanna to Frankie, about Grace, her Mom: “Maybe you don’t need to be there, but she does, and we can’t imagine her going anywhere without you.” 

Bud to Grace, about Frankie, his Mom: “She would never go anywhere without you again.”

And just like that, the kids convince them to move into assisted living. Two months pass by, while they are living in their new assisted living called, Walden Villas. The kids put the house up for sale, but do not tell Grace and Frankie it sold. Meanwhile, Grace and Frankie realize they were both tricked into living there for eachother and decided to leave and go back to their beach house.

Grace to Frankie: “Since we came here for eachother, can we leave for each other?”

Frankie to Grace: “Done.”

They leave Walden Villas without telling anyone, and go back to their home, only to discover it was sold.

Symbolic Act: The kids taking care of their aging Mothers, and moving Grace and Frankie  into assisted living.

Scene: At Grace and Frankie’s beach house and also the assisted living where they moved to, called the Walden Villas.

Agent: The kids of Grace and Frankie: Bud, Coyote, Breanna, and Mallory. Grace and Frankie, the Mothers of the kids.

Agency: The kids convince their moms that they need to move for the sake of each other. They trick them into moving into the assisted living home, the Walden Villas.

Purpose: Grace and Frankie thought they were helping each other out, by moving to assisted living for each other.

The dominant aspect of this pentad theory was the Purpose. It’s the most important part, because Grace and Frankie will do anything and everything for each other. Just like they moved in for each other at the Walden Villas, they move out and fight together to get their beach house back.