Semiotics Blog Task

 Part 1: English by Tarun Thind analysis

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

That they are ignorant, we are not told the reason to their behaviour so we would dislike them.

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?

We are explained that are deaf which explains their behaviour, they were not trying to be ignorant or rude but they didnt know what they were doing. This emphasises the belief that signs or polysemic because we as an audience can develop different opinions on them.

Part 2: Media Magazine theory drop - Semiotics 

1) 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?

There are many meanings of a symbol.

3) What does Barthes mean when he suggests signs can become ‘naturalised’?

Society agrees on one meaning.

4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?

Engima code, action code, semantic, symbolic, cultural.

5) How does the writer suggest Russian Doll (Netflix) uses narrative codes?

They use a symbolic code by using the title "Russian Doll" to help us make more sense of the narrative as it reflects how stuff starts to shrink just like how a russian doll shrinks as they also get smaller and smaller. An enigma code is used at the beginning when they zoom in onto a bowl of rotten fruit, this foreshadows the plot.

Part 3: Icons, indexes and symbols

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

Icon: 




Index:



Symbol: 



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

They help explain things more easily and simply e.g fire and smoke. 

3) Why might global brands try and avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing?

As symbols have no direct meaning and could be polysemic they could be seen as negative which could damage their brand image.

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).


They were trying to stand out however it received much backlash as it seems creepy and is offensive to victims.

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.

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