Page 167 - Communication Processes Volume 3 Communication Culture and Confrontation

142 Guy Poitevin

Table 4.5
Act III: Supremacy Revealed and Acknowledged

4th sequence Enthronement from heaven Secret acknowledgement
Revelation of true A horse descends from heaven; The event happens in the
nature donkey transformed into a middle of the night; the
prince; royal ride on horseback queen wakes up only by
around the whole world. chance.
Final state The acknowledgement is a
response forced by an external
intervention; it is not announced
nor seemingly shared by the
population nor the king; only
the addressees of the discourse
are seemingly meant to share,
understand and own the
meaning of the event.
Source: Created by the author.

Donkey versus Earth as a Carrier
The donkey as a simple beast of burden carries soil and stone from
the earth—stone and soil that stand as the foundation for the whole
-
world. The donkey as the potter’s and Vadars’ carrier may be projected
.
as the one among all living beings who is the most closely related to
the foundation of the world on the one hand, and, on the other, to the
-
shaping by the potter of earthen forms and construction by the Vadar
.
of stone buildings. The donkey is implicitly associated with the basic
realities of which the world is made, first, as their pure carrier; second,
as a servant associated with those who secure for the world some basic
necessities as builders and potters.

Donkey versus Potter and Potter versus King as Servant
At the level of visible daily performance of servile physical work, the
donkey is subjected to humans. He is perceived and treated by his
masters as deprived of authority, capacity or will to act independently.
The level of appearance or empirical realities visible under the light of
the sun displays the donkey’s obvious subservience. This subservient
condition is reflected and duplicated in the master’s own subordination
to the king: the potter is scared of the king and completely submits to
his will. He is easily forced to stay and open up his mind to the king.