Generating Inquery

In this reading response, I explored foundational ideas about research as a process of genuine inquiry rather than a fixed or linear task. Through reflections on Clary-Lemon’s and Burke’s concepts, I came to understand that critical conversations in research are ongoing and collective, like joining a timeless dialogue where new voices bring fresh perspectives.

This assignment taught me to approach research questions not just as tasks to answer but as evolving prompts that invite curiosity, surprise, and openness to change. It reshaped my prior understanding of research as rigid, replacing it with a more dynamic, collaborative, and exploratory process.

This directly fulfills the learning outcome by encouraging me to think more deeply about how inquiry is constructed and sustained through writing and rhetorical engagement.

Reading Response: Genuine Inquiry

● What is a critical conversation, and how does it relate to research? How does

Burke's metaphor of a party help you understand critical conversations and

research?

A critical conversation has a high level of importance and strong reverberations

of the outcome. This is spelled out in Jennifer Clary-Lemon’s document: What

Are Research Methods (pg 17). Presidential debates, prominent legal cases, and

powerful news stories showcase exactly what critical conversations consist of. A

critical conversation relates to research because of the vital importance

surrounding a given subject. Burke speaks about critical conversations occurring

before you arrive at a destination, which means that these critical conversations

have been had long before our time on the planet. Each participant shares

opinions, points of view, and enjoyment. Once you leave the conversation, it

continues because it is timeless.

The aforementioned relates to research, many of the problems that exist today,

and the same problems that existed thousands of years ago. So research and

discovery of new concepts and authors that provide new data to help solve

problems. An important takeaway from Chapter I was the role of methodology in

research design. This chapter highlights how aligning research questions,

methods, and information to generate meaningful insights is a difficult process.

● In the section "Uncertainty and Curiosity," Clary-Lemon, Mueller, and

Pantelides describe research as a process of genuine inquiry. What does

genuine inquiry look like? How is this similar or different from your prior

conceptions of or experiences with research?

In this text, Clary-Lemon touches on research inquiry. Research starts with a

question. Developing the correct question to ask is suggested as an important

part of the research process. Learning how to form these research questions is a

pivotal factor in successful research. On (pg 6) Clary-Lemon suggests that

research be approached with openness and willingness to be surprised and to

have the ability to change your mind in the revelation of new ideas and concepts.

These conceptions are in alignment with my experiences with research because

forming the correct question has and always will be a powerful influence on

research success. She does highlight a new way of approaching research. By

jumping into my research and maintaining the proper mindset of openness.

● In addition to what you've written already, what else did you learn about how

research works in this chapter? What was familiar to you based on your prior

experiences? What was new to you?

This chapter shows how research can be a collective pursuit. Similar to how

Burke speaks of the metaphor of a party, I can see how certain research topics

can span the sea of time. The research that I may do within my career could

echo into the future for infinity. The familiar concepts that I have experience with

are the solitary nature of many research topics and how they relate to my

personal pursuits. As a business major, I have experienced several solitary

journeys to achieve success in my studies. In summary, rethinking and revisiting

ideas on (p. 6). The research described in this chapter challenges the traditional

perception of research that I’ve known as a linear process and instead

emphasizes its open and exploratory nature.

This research proposal allowed me to design a focused investigation into how humor functions as a rhetorical tool within superhero films, particularly in balancing action and emotional tension. By framing a research question about tonal modulation, selecting representative films, and employing multimodal analysis, I engaged deeply with genre theory, narrative structures, and audience reception.

This project taught me how to craft meaningful lines of inquiry, structure a methodology to support exploration, and analyze rhetoric beyond written texts across visuals, sounds, and audience interpretations.

It demonstrates the learning outcome by pushing me to develop a research agenda grounded in genuine curiosity about how language and tone operate in contemporary storytelling, and how they influence literacy and audience engagement in popular media.

Researeach Proposal

Tonal Modulation in Action/Drama Narratives: The Role of Humor in Balancing Tension and Action

1. Research Question

How do superhero movies use humor as a narrative tool to balance tension and action, and

what is the impact of this tonal modulation on audience engagement and character preception?

This question investigates the duality of humor and tension in high stakes action narratives,

analyzing it’s function in relieving narrative stress, deepening character relatability, and

enhancing audience emersion.

2. Critical Conversation

Superhero films have emerged as cultural touchstones, blending action, drama, and comedy to

appeal to broard audiences. Within this genre, humor has evolved as a key narrative element

that alleviates tension, enriches character depth, and sustains audience intrest during high

stake moments.

Relevant Conversations:

Film studies: Examines how genre conventions blend humor and drama to create unique tonal

hybrids. Narrative Studies: discuss the role of tonal contrasts in storytelling, particularly how

humor breaks tension without undermining narrative stakes.

Reception studies: Focuses on how humor influences audience preceptions of characters and

their emotional responses to narratives.

This research contributes to ongoing debates about how humor in superhero movies balances

there dual roles as lighthearted escapism and emotionally compelling storytelling.

3. Chosen Research Method

Method: Multimodal Analysis

Superhero movies rely on complex interactions between verbal, visual, and auditory elements.

This method allows for a comprehensive study of how humor is integrated across multiple

narrative layers, including:

Scripts and Dialogue: Analyzing comedic timing, verbal wit, and sitiuational humor.

Visual Humor observing non verbal elements, such as physical comedy and visual gags.

audience Feedback: Analyzing publicly available reviews, ratings, and commentary to asses

audience responses to humor.

This method is suited for superhero movies due to they’re reliance on multimodal storytelling,

blending dialogue, visuals, and action to convey tonal contrasts.

4. Basic Methodology

This study employs genre analysis and rhetorical criticisms to evaluate humor’s role in

superhero movies.

Genre Analysis: Identifies reoccuring patterns in how humor interacts with action and tension

across selected films. rhetorical criticism, Explores humor as a rhetorical tool to create

emotional release, establish character relatability, and enhance narrative pacing.

Theoretical Frameworks:

Comedy Theory: Examines types of humor (e.g situational, slapstick, self depreciating) and their

narrative effects.

Narrative Theory: Investigates how tonal shifts structure pacing and character development.

Reception Studies: Focuses on audience interpretations and reactions to humor.

5. Plans for Making Sense of this data

Data collection,

Selected films represent diverse approaches to humor within the superhero genre:

Deadpool (2016): A self aware, humor heavy narrative that uses darker humor to engage

audiences.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): Known for it’s ensemble driven comedic tone.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017): Combines mythological themes with humor to redefine it’s tone.

Avengers: Endgame (2019): Balances high emotional stakes with moments of humor to alliviate

tension.

data points:

Textual Data: Analyze scripts to identify instances of humor, timing, and it’s narrative function.

Visual Data: Study physical comedy, visual gags, and non verbal cues.

Audience Feedback: Use aggregate reviews, critical commentaries, and audience responses

from platforms like Rotten Tomatos, IMDb, and YouTube.

Coding and Categorization:

code instances of humor (eg. verbal, physical, meta humor) and classify their narrative role.

Compare humor heavy scenes to high tension moments to evaluate audience impact.

Comparative Analysis:

Contrast humor strategies in lighter films (Guardians of the Galaxy) with those in darker ones

(captain deadpool.)

Analyze patterns in how humor influences pacing, emotional stakes, and audience preceptions

of characters.

6. Selection Criteria

Why These Films?

They illustrate varied approaches to humor in superhero movies, ranging from humor dominant

to tension-heavy narratives.

Each film represents a milestone in the genre, shaping audience expectations and critical

discourse.

Their accessibility ensures robust analysis of scripts, visuals, and audience engagement data.

Why Multimodal Analysis?

Superhero films rely heavily on multimodal storytelling, combining verbal and visual humor to

convey tonal shifts. This approach captures the interaction of these elements, providing a

nuanced analysis of humor’s role in balancing tension and action.

7. Timeline for Conducting Primary Research

Week 5: Preparation and Planning

Finalize selection of films and obtain scripts.

Identify key scenes with humor and action for detailed analysis.

Begin gathering audience feedback from review platforms and commentary forums.

Week 6: Data Collection

Analyze selected films for humor instances, coding them by type and narrative role.

Collect visual and textual data, noting interactions between humor, action, and tension.

Gather audience feedback data (e.greviews, critical commentary, and social media discourse).

week 7 Data analysis

Compare humor’s role across films, focusing on narrative structure and audience response.

Identify recurring patterns in how humor balances tension and enhances character perception.

Analyze contrasts between humor heavy films (guardians) and darker ones (deadpool).

Week 8 Drafting Findings

Synthesize analysis into a cohesive narrative, focusing on humor’s role in balancing tension and

action.

Highlight implications for broader genre conventions and audience engagement.

To conclude

By exploring humor as a narrative tool in superhero movies, this research illuminates how tonal

modulation balances high-stakes action with emotional accessibility. The findings will contribute

to ongoing discussions on genre evolution, narrative strategies, and audience engagement in

contemporary cinema.