Introduction
When faced with traffic, one can usually spot a two-way traffic sign. Like two-way traffic signs, signs can have more than one meaning. If one wishes to study the multiple meanings of a sign, then one can use the Roland Barthes’ theory of Semiotics to interpret a sign’s signifiers. Roland Barthes was a twentieth-century, French Language theorist, who researched and analyzed language, and upon his studies he noticed signs commonly being used to represent multiple symbolic meanings beyond its literal definition. He noted that a sign can be observed through both its connotative meaning and denotative meaning.
While Roland Barthes realized that signs can be perceived through connotation and denotation, he realized that myth was the formed ideology to that linguistic dynamic. According to, “Roland Barthes: Myth, https://criticallegalthinking.com, In his book Mythologies, Barthes undertakes a semiotic commentary of popular cultural objects well known in the French community such as steak and chips, wrestling, and even soap power and detergents; unearthing the symbolic value of these objects in relation to their claim of universality, at times finding that some objects retain significations interrelated with the bourgeoisie and capitalist cultures. He resolves to call the cultural power of these objects ‘myths.’ ” To further explain, signs must have a connection to a signifier, but the signifier’s meaning must be agreed on by a culture to form a myth, otherwise they would be considered “arbitrary signs.”
Key takeaways:
A denotative
sign: the
literal, primary, original meaning.
A connotative
sign: communicates
meaning based on the context; when signifiers have multiple meanings. Evolution
of the meaning are based on cultural/ historical changes.
A myth: “a message that is conveyed when an object, image, or phrase becomes associated with a concept or value, and thus takes on a symbolic meaning.” (According to Roland Barthes: Myth’s Creation, Function, & Dangers, https://www.shortform.com/blog/roland-barthes-myth/#:~:text=According%20to%20Barthes%2C%20myth%20is,that%20nation%20to%20its%20citizens.) Essentially, myth is a combination of both a signifier’s denotative and connotative meaning.
Why You Should use Barthes' Theory:
To add,
once one considers those three key elements of Barthes’ Semiotics Theory, it
can be beneficial to the filmmaking process, because the production team would
know how to effectively use a signifier to convey symbolism that their audience
can use to connect to the main message of the film. For example, elements such
as props of fake blood in the beginning a horror film can convey to the
audience what the film’s genre is, and a partial hint on the film’s focal
point/ main message. In addition, the sight of fake blood can spark an
unsettling feeling in the viewers.
My team’s
main objective was to analyze a movie clip with subtle, connotative imagery,
to apply Barthes’ Semiotic Theory to the imagery shown, and to exemplify the
efficiency of using a signifiers connotation and denotation to communicate
messages, which is what my partner and I intended to do in our analysis from
the table below.
Preliminary Exercise 2:
I watched a video clip on YouTube from Mockingjay Part 2 (https://youtu.be/dM1ABOZQ8Po?si=HCb8PWsiyhGB5y- ), and from this short clip, it shows a scene from the official movie that displays the main character, Katniss, in front of a stage, with the host standing next to her, and with the audience and spotlight focused on her. Katniss performed a transformative wardrobe stunt, created specifically by her designer to display rebellion and non-conformity to the injustice towards her and the other districts by the main district in power, from the movie.
My
partner, Peyton, and I highlighted three visual codes such as the Hunger Games
Ceremonial Stage (setting), Katniss’s long, black dress with extensive, black, and
white wings (costume), and a spectator’s hostile, stern reaction to the ceremony
(acting). We also noted one audio code, which was the praise and standing
ovation to Katniss’ dress transformation from the audience and host of the
event.
The codes’ connotations support the narrative of the scene, because
it correlates to the main message Katniss’ designer, and the film’s producers,
intended to convey. For further analysis, please refer to the table below:
Reflection:
The slides above were from a presentation my teammate and
I designed in order to study Roland Barthes’s Theory and how to use to it when
analyzing a media text, such as a film clip from a movie.
Major content slides include key information on Roland
Barthes, his continuation on Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics Theory by explaining
signifiers can be defined by their mythological meanings, and the application
of his theory on a short clip from a film.
Overall, this exercise taught our team how to observe Roland
Barthes’ Theory, which is beneficial to how we can communicate in an impactful,
symbolic way to our audience to present our upcoming movie’s message.
Work Cited:
-www.youtube.com. (n.d.). The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Movie CLIP #6 - The Mockingjay Appears (2013) Movie HD. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM1ABOZQ8Po.
-Nasrullah Mambrol (2018). Key Theories of Roland Barthes. [online] Literary Theory and Criticism. Available at: https://literariness.org/2018/03/20/key-theories-of-roland-barthes/.
-Hammouri, S. (2020). Roland Barthes: Myth. [online] Critical Legal Thinking. Available at: https://criticallegalthinking.com/2020/06/12/roland-barthes-myth/.
-The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica (2019). Roland Barthes | Biography & Facts. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roland-Gerard-Barthes.
