FIRST MEDIA LESSON AT HOME :)

Barthes' Semiotic Theory broke down the process of reading signs and focused on their interpretation by different cultures or societies. According to Barthes, signs had both a signifier, being the physical form of the sign as we perceive it through our senses and the signified, or meaning that is interpreted.

Signifier: the literal of a word, image or sound.

Signified: its meaning

Barthes studied Semiotics in the 1960s which involves studying signs.

• The detonation of a sign is its literal meaning. For example, the word DOG denotes a mammal that barks.
• Denotation signify connotations - the associations of the denotation. E.g. The ideas that dogs are loyal, man's best friend, etc.
• Denotations and connotations are organised into myths - the ideological meaning. These make ideology seem 'natural'. For example, an image of a Bulldog might activate a myth of Britishness.

Where did the connection of Britishness and the Bulldog begin?

• During the 1700s, the blood sport of bull-baiting was very popular in England. Bull baiting involved typically bulldogs fighting and often killing a bull. During this time the dog became synonymous with sport. Fans saw it as a courageous and determined animal. 
• At the same time, a fictional satirical character called John Bull was becoming popular in political cartoons. He was portrayed as a no-nonsense Englishmen and was often depicted with a bulldog. 
• The character of John Bull was widely used up until WW1 propaganda to great effect. He helped stir national unity and fighting spirit.
• By WW2, the bulldog took centre stage as the symbol of British tenacity. Britain's famous prime minister, Winston Churchill, was nicknamed the 'British Bulldog', as he refused to give up the fight against the Nazis. 
• The bulldog is also a controversial symbol of Britain because it can be used to glorify militarism, racism and imperialism. John Bull was popular during the 17th century, when Britain was colonising vast parts of the earth. Churchill remains a controversial figure because of his opposition to Indian Independence, among other things. More recently, a British fascist organisation ran a youth magazine in the 1970s called Bulldog.
• However, if you were to ask Brits from across the country was the UK's national animal is, they would most likely say the lion, as the bulldog is less popular now.
• This ideology connects to Ethnocentrism as it means that one may see his/her own culture as the correct way of living, which is not a positive way of looking at a country.

Roland Barthes' theory of Semiotics.

Symbolic Codes - an image which has come to represent something else. For example, in the Kiss of a Vampire poster, the viewer can clearly see the symbolic code of bats being used to connect with the vampire myth, (that they can turn into bats) 

Semantic Codes - a hidden meaning/connotation to a media product that the audience should have an understanding to it, for example, in the Kiss of a Vampire poster, there is use of red to connote blood and danger, which goes hand-in-hand with vampire ideology, and the colour is also a semantic code for the genre of horror.

Proairetic/Action Codes - elements within a media product that signify that something is going to happen, for example, in a film, if someone pulls out a gun from a bag, then the audience can assume that they will shoot someone, or danger and harm will follow thus.

Hermeneutic/Enigma Codes - any mysterious part of a media text that will engage the audience, and will make them want to read/watch the full product.