COMPOSING THE PAST THROUGH THE MULTILITERACIES AT THE MAY 4 VISITORS CENTER A dissertation submitted to Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Megan E. Brenneman December 2018 © Copyright All rights reserved Except for previously published materials Dissertation written by Megan E. Brenneman B.A. University of Lynchburg, 2011 M.A. James Madison University, 2013 Ph.D. Kent State University, 2018 Approved by _____________________________, Chair, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Dr. Pamela Takayoshi _____________________________, Members, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Dr. Sara Newman _____________________________, Dr. Stephanie Moody _____________________________, Dr. Kenneth Bindas _____________________________, Dr. David Odell-Scott Accepted by _____________________________, Chair, Department of English Dr. Robert Trogdon _____________________________, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Dr. James L. Blank TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ..............................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................. vi CHAPTERS I. Introduction ..........................................................................................................1 II. Literature Review ..............................................................................................28 III. Audience Literate Practices at the Museum .....................................................63 IV. Reading and Interpreting Multimodal Ensembles at the Museum ..................92 V. The Role of Space in Multimodal Composition .............................................131 VI. Conclusion .....................................................................................................167 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................184 APPENDICES A. Coding Key: M4VC Implementation Grant....................................................197 B. ENG 21011 Class Discussion Questions ........................................................199 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. The rhetorical triangle of museum visitor experience ........................................35 Figure 2. Text as centripetal force in multimodal ensembles ............................................98 Figure 3. Rail panel layout ...............................................................................................106 Figure 4. Suspended captioned photo panel ....................................................................108 Figure 5. Large captioned photo panel ............................................................................109 Figure 6. Album cover panel display ...............................................................................111 Figure 7. Allison’s and Sandy’s hats on display ..............................................................113 Figure 8. Jeff’s letter/poem to his mother ........................................................................114 Figure 9. December 1, 1969 draft board ..........................................................................117 Figure 10. Nixon’s inflammatory speech panel ...............................................................118 Figure 11. Solar Totem #1 with chalk markings..............................................................125 Figure 12. Kent State shooting memorial ........................................................................139 Figure 13. Map of the May 4 site .....................................................................................140 Figure 14. Kent State shooting site with gym annex on the right ....................................142 Figure 15. Trail marker #1 ...............................................................................................150 Figure 16. Trail marker #2 ...............................................................................................155 Figure 17. Trail marker #3 ...............................................................................................154 Figure 18. Two main landmarks of trial marker #5 (pagoda and Taylor Hall) ...............156 Figure 19. Vantage point from trail marker #6 (Prentice Hall parking lot) .....................157 Figure 20. Sandy Scheuer’s personal items from childhood ...........................................182 iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Modes and corresponding audience experience from exhibition walkthrough ...68 Table 2. Museum multimodalities in Grant .......................................................................71 Table 3. Museum acts as they appear in Grant ..................................................................75 Table 4. Museum act codes and examples in Grant...........................................................76 Table 5. Museum act initiator codes ..................................................................................79 Table 6. Frequency of museum act codes in Grant ........................................................... 80 Table 7. Institution as initiator of meaning making ...........................................................84 Table 8. Visitor as initiator of meaning making ................................................................86 Table 9. Text that informs and contextualizes ...................................................................97 Table 10. Museum multimodalities and affordances .......................................................175 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The dissertation process is not a solitary one, although it may feel like it at times. Many people have contributed to this project in large and small, direct and indirect ways. There is so much that I owe to my director, Pam Takayoshi, who helped me navigate all the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of this process. She has seen me through tough times, both personal and professional, with emotional support, humor, and tacos. Pam’s belief in me and in this project encouraged me to push through the rough patches and take pride in how far I have come. She has modeled for me what it means to love the work you do; research is more than a professional necessity. She has a contagious passion and enthusiasm for learning and discovery. Because of her, I made myself open to new discoveries and twists throughout the entire research process. Because of her, I made sure I took time to enjoy the process. My committee members, Sara Newman, Stephanie Moody, Ken Bindas, and Pat Coy, have all generously given their time and expertise to ensure my project is as strong as it can be and provided me with invaluable and thoughtful feedback. They have offered numerous useful resources; some of which changed the trajectory of this research. From this project’s conception to the defense, Sara has gone above and beyond with feedback and support. We have had many fruitful discussions over coffee in both Kent and Rockville, and she has always been a strong advocate of my interest in museums. Derek Van Ittersum, Laura Davis, Mindy Farmer, Lori Boes, and Lae’l Hughes- Watkins have also helped this dissertation take shape by offering time, resources, and conversation. vi There are many others who have played an important role in my time at Kent. My cohort (Katie, Shannon, Melody, Jamie, Halle, and Arthur) were with me since Day One when we were all overwhelmed, slightly terrified, and had no clue what was ahead. Barbara has offered a compassionate ear and a strong shoulder to lean on. Yvonne has been there to listen and to provide me with sound advice and laughs. Christine has been hilarious and supportive as we tackled coursework and our dissertations together, and has encouraged much-needed distraction in the form of fantastic films like Austin Powers and The Room (“Oh, hi Mark!”). Jess has helped me see that the light at the end of the tunnel is much brighter than I’d previously thought. Jeanne Smith has helped me grow professionally and demonstrated what it truly means to be selfless. My master’s thesis committee at James Madison University were the original proponents of my academic interest in museums. Traci Zimmerman, Scott Lunsford, and Susan Ghiaciuc guided me across a huge stepping stone to this dissertation. I always think back on our Jimmy John’s-fueled meetings during the summer of 2013—the first time I ever saw how my own research could fit into a larger academic sphere. When I think back further to my years at the University of Lynchburg, two important mentors come to mind: Cynthia Ramsey (Music) and Cheryl Jorgensen-Earp (Communication Studies). Dr. Ramsey set high standards for writing and research, and determinedly and patiently helped us to meet these standards. Her History of Music, Form and Analysis, and (especially!) MUSC 402 courses prepared me for graduate-level research. Dr. J-E’s humor and enthusiasm in class inspired me to strive for the same in my own teaching, and her research on memorial spaces enriches the discussion in this dissertation. vii Lastly, I would not be where I am or who I am without my parents, who have always been everything. Who knew that I’d be able to make something from our hundreds