Up in the Air with a Burkean Clown: The Comic Frame of Acceptance in Uncertain Economic Times

Abstract

This analysis of Up in the Air illustrates that contracting the focus of Burke’s comic frame from the social to the individual has the potential to limit social change. We argue that focusing on the failings of individuals rather than the problems of the larger culture facilitates the acceptance of the prevailing social order. To explore our contention, we examine Burke’s concept of a comic frame and the role of the clown. We analyze how the film’s main character enacts the role of a “clown” across the three acts of the film, then conclude with observations concerning the film’s message about economic uncertainty and the implications of our analysis for the rhetorical and critical use of the comic frame and the figure of the clown.