semiotics blog tasks

 1) What meanings are the audience encouraged to take about the two main characters from the opening of the film?

-The meanings that the audience are encouarged to take are quite negative as the two main characters and involved in criminal activity such as having a gun which is pointed at the shopkeeper to try and threaten him.


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 shows that signs are polysemic as the shopkeeper now had different interpretations of the two main characters


) What did Ferdinand de Saussure suggest are the two parts that make up a sign?
-The signifier and the signified

2) What does ‘polysemy’ mean?
the coexistence of many meanings

3) What does Barthes mean when he suggests signs can become ‘naturalised’?
This means that certain meanings,
like the phallic emoji of the previous
paragraph, are created or brought
about in society and, over time, once
enough people know about these

4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?
enigma code,action code,semantic code, symbolic code, cultural code
5) How does the writer suggest Russian Doll (Netflix) uses narrative codes?So the title acts as a
symbolic code here. The symbol of
the Russian doll helps us (eventually)
to make sense of the narrative.) Find two examples for each: icon, index and symbol. Provide images or links.

Icon: the apple logo
the batman logo




Index: smoke and a fingerprint




Symbol: a red rose and a ticking clock




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

  • icons are signs that resemble what they represent (e.g., a picture of a dog for a dog). They provide clarity, recognition, and evoke emotional or cultural associations, making media more engaging and understandable.

  • Indexes are signs that point to a direct, causal relationship with something (e.g., smoke as an index of fire). They create context, suggest deeper meanings, and can represent abstract ideas, like danger or freedom.


    • 3) Why might global brands try and avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing?
    Symbols can have different meanings in different cultures. What works in one region could be offensive or confusing in another.By avoiding specific symbols, global brands can focus on universal messages that appeal to a broader, more diverse audience
    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? 

    Pepsi released a commercial where Kendall Jenner leaves a photoshoot to join a protest.The ad used imagery of protests, including crowds, police officers, and the tension between them. These are symbols heavily associated with serious social movements like Black Lives Matter and other justice-oriented protests.

    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.
    Nike uses images of globally recognized athletes who embody determination, strength, and success. These athletes act as icons themselves, symbolizing perseverance and excellence.

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