Ghosts and the haunting of the American dream: The pragmatics of stance and suspense in making the improbable sound possible

Abstract

This paper analyzes the discourse of 19 episodes from Seasons 1 and 2 of “Paranormal Survivor,” a reality TV show about ghosts, haunted property, eeriness, fear, dread, and relief. Using various approaches to discourse analysis and multimodal discourse analysis we uncover the macro-, meso, and micro-level patterns of meaning creation in “Paranormal Survivor” that relate dually to the affective/psychological/sensory experiences of the protagonists as well as the cognitive puzzles, doubts, and (un)certainties underlying such paranormal phenomena. The macro-level analysis relates to the narrative structure of the program delivered through achronological multi-party perspectives, reflecting varying levels of emotional intensity/objectivity. The meso-level uncovers the various coherently related themes underlying the program. The micro-level examines the smaller bits of discourse that combine as they build the meso- (thematic) and macro- (structural) components of the larger spates of discourse through affect, emotion, believability, evidence, and empathy. This three-tiered analytic approach serves to systematically reveal the ways in which discursive mechanisms combine to enhance suspense, intensify horror, bolster both believability and relatability, and ultimately seek to establish and augment audience engagement.