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? 

- As the audience we are encouraged to know the full story of what is going on before making judgments.

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 emphasises de Saussure’s belief that signs are polysemic because at the end of the film we finally got the real message of what the film was about but through the film we were making our own interpretations.

Part 2) Media Magazine theory drop: Semiotics 

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

 - Ferdinand de Saussure suggested that the two parts that make up a sign are the signifier and signified.

2)What does ‘polysemy’ mean?

-  Polysemy- the coexistence of any possible meanings for a word or phrase.

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

- Barthes means that certain meanings, are created or brought about in society and, overtime, once enough people know about these newly constructed meanings.

4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?

 - Barthes five narrative codes are Hermeneutic Code, Proairetic Code, Semantic Code, Symbolic Code, Cultural Code.

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

- The title acts as a symbolic code as the symbol of the Russian doll helps us (eventually) to make sense of the narrative. 

Part 3) Icons, indexes and symbols

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

Icons - 

     Index's -

     Symbols -

 

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

 - Icons and index's are so important in media text as it allows producers to communicate with their audiences. Audiences may not be able to understand the message behind the work or just the work in general without icons. 

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

 - Global brands may avoid symbols in their branding and advertising as there may be language barriers as they may struggle to find teams who understand who they are and why consumers should invest in them. 

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?

The Pepsi ad had been a fail as the public mistook the message of the advert and thought that Pepsi was using social justice movements as an opportunity to try and make profit which was seen as disrespectful.

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.

This makeup brand aims to market their product so that it was diverse and everyone could use it. People often struggle with finding the right shade for their skin so by them making multiple shades it shows they care enough to help whoever find the right shade they need. We also see this through the slogan "we're all worth it" showing equality.