Introductions: Theory: Examples: Summaries: Applicaitons: Process:
Semiotics provides an explicit method for interpreting "texts." This will help you see the difference between a paper that gives an opinion and a paper that argues for an interpretation. Without a method for interpreting signs, writing about them tends toward opinion or description.
Interpreting culture is not simply a description of culture, nor is it mere opinion. The cultural meaning in a particular sign comes from its historical context. By itself, an ad is just selling a product, and a movie is just entertainment (denotation). But examined in the context of the other cultural signs that provide a backdrop for the ads' or movies' presentation, it becomes clearer that they carry additional meaning (connotation).
Semiotics provides a way to be "self-conscious" about the underlying assumptions of texts as well as your own underlying assumptions as a viewer/reader. These cultural assumptions shape the way people see the world and their motivations for acting in the world.
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Works Referenced:
Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon, eds. Signs of Life in the USA. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997. 1-18. Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon, eds. Signs of Life in the USA. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford Books, 2000. 1-41. Silverman, Jonathan, and Dean Rader, eds. The World is a Text. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003. 1-20. Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. New York, NY: Hill and Wang, 1972. Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation. Ann Arbor, MI: U Michigan P, 1994. Chandler, Daniel. Semiotics for Beginners. http://www.aber.ac.uk/~dgc/semiotic.html Also see: Signs of Life Resource Page for links to articles and examples. |
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