ABSTRACT
The motive for textual criticism, as Jerry conceived it, is to divert attention away from theoretical constructions and to focus on the rhetorical action embodied in particular discourses. Consequently, the enterprise begins with a severely empirical orientation; the critic must attend to the elements contained within the text itself. Paradoxically, then, the effort to displace theory with action leads from action back to theory. Of course, the new perspective alters the placement and status of theory; to paraphrase Clifford Geertz, theory functions not to generalize to or from cases but within them. The critique of Calhoun clearly reveals the most fundamental premise in Jerry’s critical program: Oratory is an art form. A well constructed oration possesses a high degree of artistic integrity and density, and its proper understanding requires careful interpretative work.
