Semiotics

 Part 1 - 

1) What meanings are the audience encouraged to take about the two main characters from the opening of the film? The characters to be interpreted as bad and negative based on how they looked on appearance

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? From the characters behaviour based on their posture and appearance suggested the assumption of bad and negatively, this proves the Saussure belief of how they end up being caring and helpful to ones who disrespected.

Part 2 -  Media Magazine theory drop - Semiotics 

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

2) What does ‘polysemy’ mean? Having many/ multiple meanings

3) What does Barthes mean when he suggests signs can become ‘naturalised’? Myths , values, attitudes and patterns of behaviour

4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?  enigma code , action code, action code, Symbolic Code, Cultural Code

5) How does the writer suggest Russian Doll (Netflix) uses narrative codes? fertility, motherhood, family, and the continuation of generations with the codes of enigma stating but also action of possible drama promising 

Part 3: Icons, indexes and symbols

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

Icon: 

Index: lung failer , cancer , black lungs ... hazards 

Symbol: 

2) Why are icons and indexes so important in media texts? icon is the image that shows obvious things/events. index's are the assumptions and inferences of other things connoting to 

3) Why might global brands try and avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing? to prevent cultural misunderstanding and maintain brand consistency across diverse markets. 

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).  Starbucks Prints a 9/11 Ad - Obviously, it’s wildly offensive. Was it just a huge coincidence? I don’t even know—I still don’t understand the logic behind this one.

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.   

Logo for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - the image of the giant panda in the WWF logo is an iconic sign for the endangered species it represents.  indexic sign has a factual, cause-and-effect relationship with the object it represents. The use of the panda icon is an indexic sign for endangered animals and the threat of extinction.