Semiotics

Part 1: English by Tarun Thind analysis

 1) What meanings are the audience encouraged to take about the two main characters from the opening of the film?

At first we slightly criticise the main characters of the film. This is because they act in a rude manner witch us as audiences see as very wrong. However even though the characters are deaf at the end of the film they become very wholesome people because they help the homeless man.Overall the film encourages us as people to take time with others because we do not know if they are deaf, blind or have any other medical conditions in life.

2) How does the end of the film emphasise de Saussure’s belief that signs are polysemic – open to interpretation or more than one meaning?

The end of the film shows that the two boys are wholesome people and care a lot about society as well as helping people. This is contrasted from the start of the film because the two boys are seen as trouble makers.

Part 2: Media Magazine theory drop - Semiotics 

1) What did Ferdinand de Saussure suggest are the two parts that make up a sign?

-The signifier

-The signified

2) What does ‘polysemy’ mean?

There is a possibility that there are different meanigs for words 

3) What does Barthes mean when he suggests signs can become ‘naturalised’?

He means patters,values and changes in behaviour
4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?

Hermeneutic, Proairetic, Semantic, Symbolic, and Cultural

5) How does the writer suggest Russian Doll (Netflix) uses narrative codes?

It depicts a story within another story which is called the Matryoshka theory

Part 3: Icons, indexes and symbols

1) Find two examples for each: icon, index and symbol. Provide images or links.

Icon:

Index:

Symbol: 

2) Why are icons and indexes so important in media texts?

They are visual representation of what the advertisement is trying to get across to their audience.

3) Why might global brands try and avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing?

Everybody interpretates symbols differently so in some cases advertising could cause there to be miscommunication between the symbol and the actual meaning of the advert or marketing.

4) Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) where the producer has accidentally communicated the wrong meaning using icons, indexes or symbols. Why did the media product fail? (This web feature on bad ads and marketing fails provides some compelling examples).

This media advert is a fail.This is because of how it is being interpretaited. The phrase 'White is purity'

can be displayed as discrimination.This is because of the fact the advert is seen as discriminationg other races.The connotations of purity dispay as better then anything else which shows that other races are looked down upon.

5) Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) that successfully uses icons or indexes to create a message that can be easily understood across the world.