Abstract
This paper undertakes a detailed analysis of the Terri Schiavo case as it was covered in popular media. Drawing on Burkean theory, we argue a critical issue in the case was a struggle between Terri's parents and husband to be seen as the more legitimate family in order to determine the duration and extent of Terri's medical care. We discuss how the private debate over Terri's health and the decision to remove her feeding tube entered into the public scenes of legal and political action. This shift to the public scene represented problems for the parties directly involved in the debate and turned Terri into a symbol of the larger right-to-die controversy.
Journal Title
Iowa Journal of Communication
Volume
41
Issue
2
First Page
199
Last Page
218
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
McBride, M. Chad; Daas, Karen L.; and Toller, Paige W.
(2009)
"Defining Family: Naming, Orientation, and Redemption in the Case of Terri Schiavo,"
Iowa Journal of Communication: Vol. 41:
No.
2, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ijc/vol41/iss2/5
Copyright
©2009 Iowa Communication Association
