Graduation Term
2020
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
School of Communication
Committee Chair
Phillip J. Chidester
Abstract
This study rhetorically analyzed the final season of The Sopranos for its argument about
the nature of psychological depression in several contexts and forms. Consisting of nine
episodes, the final season of the series features pivotal moments in which characters confront the
sources of their depression and respond to them in a variety of ways. The study used both an
intertextual analysis and Burkean frames to provide insight into how the final season argues one
might overcome various forms of depression. It specifically considered depression related to
one’s family experiences, their existential concerns regarding death and spirituality, and their
indulgence in contemporary media platforms. The study’s general implications and applications
to future research are also discussed..
Access Type
Thesis-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Brockman, Adam Richard, ""Do N't Stop Believin'"in a Pair of Socks: How the Sopranos Shapes Our Understanding of Mental Illness" (2020). Theses and Dissertations. 1247.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd/1247
DOI
http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2020.Brockman.A