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COMICS

Stage 1

Semiotics

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AIMS

To understand how

signs help us tounderstand media texts

To begin textualanalysis of media texts

TODAYS KEY TERMS

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

SIGN

CONNOTATION

DENOTATION

SIGNIFIER

SIGNIFIED

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RECAP

What do these terms mean?

Media Consumption

Message

MediumMedia Text

Target Audience

InstitutionWhat is this structure called?

Where does each element go?

Which direction would arrows goin on the lines?

Can you give an example?

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SEMIOTICS THE STUDY OFSIGNS

All media texts can be studied as acollection of signs.

One key element of media studies isidentifying and interpreting these signs

This is called TEXTUAL ANALYSIS.

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Media Language

MEANINGS within MEDIA TEXTS

SIGN

DENOTATION CONNOTATION

DANGER=what we see? what we think it means?

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Task 1. Think of 3 other examples of

signs and their meaning(s):

Love

Labour Party

England Rugby

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wantlabour.org.uk/images/rose.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.wantlabour.org.uk/&h=600&w=402&sz=22&tbnid=GuDeDuYd7jIJ:&tbnh=133&tbnw=89&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drose%2Blabour%2Bparty%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

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Reading the SignsTask 1.

A) For each sign describe what you see the denotation use asmany descriptive words as possible.

B) Then analyse what it could mean.

Task 2

Think of three other signs and their meanings.

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MEANINGS within MEDIA TEXTS

SIGN

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIEDWhat can be seen in the

media text

What it means/ represents

Media Language

TREE PARK

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://research.edm.luc.ac.be/~fdifiore/research/CGI2003/images/fig_deciduous_tree_3_a.png&imgrefurl=http://research.edm.luc.ac.be/~fdifiore/research/CGI2003/results.html&h=813&w=783&sz=24&tbnid=Rk3KG3GiWqQJ:&tbnh=142&tbnw=136&hl=en&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtree%2Bcartoon%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

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Reading the SignsTask 3. Identifying the sign and agreeing on itsmeaning is not always easy.

Some signs represent an object or concept solely bythe agreement of the people who use it. This meansthat some signs can have a range of meaningsdepending on who is doing the reading. This makes thetext POLYSEMIC.

What different meanings does the sign below have?

http://imgres/?imgurl=http://www.freebritain.co.uk/unionjak.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.freebritain.co.uk/&h=291&w=485&sz=18&tbnid=zFwvzcoq3MoJ:&tbnh=75&tbnw=126&hl=en&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunion%2Bjack%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

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ANALYSING A COMIC BOOK CHARACTER

TASK 4 - WOLVERIVE

For each of the denotations given, provide a connotation

FACIAL EXPRESSION

RIPPED CLOTHES

PILE OF BODIESUNDERNEATHWOLVERINE

SHARP CLAWS

MOON &DARK BACKGROUND

POSISTIONED IN THECENTRE OF THE PAGE

POINTY HAIR

BODY LANGUAGE

ALMOST ALL COLOURSUSED ARE DARK

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ILO TaskTake this comic book characterand identify atleast fourdenotations and connotations.

Write in full sentences usingthis structure:Point Identify the denotedfeature

Example Describe in thedenoted feature in detailExplain State what this couldconnote

Use all key terms from todayslesson

Should total around one page inyour exercise books

ExtensionIdentify polysemic meanings forat least two of the denoted

features

FOR COLOUR COPY GO TO

www.hamptonlearning.com

http://www.hamptonlearning.com/http://www.hamptonlearning.com/

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RECAP

What do the following terms mean?

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS SIGN CONNOTATION DENOTATION SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED