Application of Burke's Definition of Man in Marvels film Black Panther

On the other hand, Kenneth Burke, who was novelist, literary theorist and essayist, in an attempt to determine (wo)man’s motivation wrote the essay, Definition of man. Burke in the essay defines man as a symbol using/ mistreating animal, inventor of the adverse or rather criticized by the negative, as being separated from natural conditions by instruments of his own making, motivated by a spirit of order or just moved by a sense of order and is rotten with faultlessness. Burke's definition though many decades old helps us understand and critique today’s News stories, films, or even our lives experiences (Burke, pg1). In this case, the Burke’s definition of man will be used to understand better and critique Marvel’s film, Black Panther.

Burke first clause states that a (wo)man is a symbol using/symbol misusing animal. An example is "Wakanda forever” which is mantra they use severally in the film and is the third example of how man uses symbols. Killmonger body is covered with scars, and each of them is a symbol of a life he has taken. He has managed to come up with a method he seems fit of keeping track of the people he has killed be and is another example. Lastly, vibranuim to the Wakanda people is a symbol of power and sacred, and they believed that it should be protected at all cost. It is a reason they are alienated from the rest of the world as they fear the outside countries may try to steal it from them.

As a result, a war broke out that leads to the destruction of a lot of property and loss of many innocent Wakanda's lives. Man separates himself from his natural conditions by instruments of his making is the third clause, and it is portrayed several times in the film (Burke, pg13). Different people and tribes have isolated themselves from their natural surrounding for reasons they deemed justifiable. At the beginning of the movie, the narrator explains how the Jabari tribe did not want to be ruled by the king and decided move to the mountains isolating itself from the other tribes and is the first example. He further explains how Wakanda in its attempt to safeguard vibranium isolated and clocked itself from the outside world and is another example.

Rotten with perfection is the last clause, and it attempts to describe how a man in whatever they do want the absolute best of the situation (Burke, pg18). The first example in the movie is that the Wakanda people believed that they had a responsibility of keeping vibranium from the outside world and were ready to go to any length possible to ensure it happened. They have managed to do this for over many years and when there are attempts to by few people to try to expose the knowledge of vibranium to the outside; the Wakanda people have fought vehemently to maintain its secrecy. The Jabari tribe, who had previously denounced any association with the other four tribes, even joined in the fight to help prevent Killmonger from exposing it.