Difference between revisions of "Semiotics II (Discussion)"
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+ | '''Note from Dr. Butler: I have italicized the better answers.''' | ||
+ | |||
#Ellen Seiter, in ''Channels of Discourse'', writes, "The picture [of Fangface] itself is a syntagm. ... In the paradigmatic dimension the options are a pair of categories nature/culture (or animal/human...), which is the source of the image's meaning." She continues, "...Hodge and Trip have introduced the binary opposition (nature/culture) and proceeded to organize the elements of the television image into paradigmatic sets." | #Ellen Seiter, in ''Channels of Discourse'', writes, "The picture [of Fangface] itself is a syntagm. ... In the paradigmatic dimension the options are a pair of categories nature/culture (or animal/human...), which is the source of the image's meaning." She continues, "...Hodge and Trip have introduced the binary opposition (nature/culture) and proceeded to organize the elements of the television image into paradigmatic sets." | ||
− | #*List three or four "paradigmatic sets" in the "Prophecy Girl" episode of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. | + | #*List three or four "paradigmatic sets" in the "Prophecy Girl" episode of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. |
#**'''Group 1 Bryan:''' | #**'''Group 1 Bryan:''' | ||
#**#All shots of the master with a high vantage point (above the eyeline) | #**#All shots of the master with a high vantage point (above the eyeline) | ||
Line 6: | Line 8: | ||
#**#All shots below the eyeline of Buffy | #**#All shots below the eyeline of Buffy | ||
#**'''Group 2 Abigail:''' | #**'''Group 2 Abigail:''' | ||
− | #**# | + | #**#''We thought that a few examples from the episode of Buffy that we watched in class would be the character Angel, because he is both a vampire (evil), and a human (good).'' |
− | #**#We also thought that Buffy could be a paradigmatic set because she was a 16 year old school girl and a vampire slayer. | + | #**#''We also thought that Buffy could be a paradigmatic set because she was a 16 year old school girl and a vampire slayer.' |
− | #**#We also thought the backdrop of the show itself could be a paradigmatic set because it comes across as a teen romance but it also is about the apocalypse. | + | #**#''We also thought the backdrop of the show itself could be a paradigmatic set because it comes across as a teen romance but it also is about the apocalypse.'' |
#**'''Group 3 Carvel:''' | #**'''Group 3 Carvel:''' | ||
− | #**# Living/Dead | + | #**# ''Living/Dead'' |
− | #**# Toughness/beauty | + | #**# ''Toughness/beauty'' |
− | #**# Reality/abnormality | + | #**# ''Reality/abnormality'' |
#**'''Group 4 Hannah:''' | #**'''Group 4 Hannah:''' | ||
#**#Making women predators instead of prey | #**#Making women predators instead of prey | ||
Line 23: | Line 25: | ||
#***#Weaknesses: Semiotics often categorize causing them to generalize something which can downplay importance or some other aspect. Structuralists "often leads to to a description of the worldview of a culture" which can have negative effects. | #***#Weaknesses: Semiotics often categorize causing them to generalize something which can downplay importance or some other aspect. Structuralists "often leads to to a description of the worldview of a culture" which can have negative effects. | ||
#**'''Group 2:''' | #**'''Group 2:''' | ||
− | #***#We thought some strengths of structuralist analysis are that it is very thorough and it sees how things fit together in the text and also reflects the world view of a culture. | + | #***#''We thought some strengths of structuralist analysis are that it is very thorough and it sees how things fit together in the text and also reflects the world view of a culture.'' |
− | #***#We thought some weaknesses would be that it is very complicated and can ten to overcomplicate some things and there is so much to analyze that it can become too much. | + | #***#''We thought some weaknesses would be that it is very complicated and can ten to overcomplicate some things and there is so much to analyze that it can become too much.'' |
#**'''Group 3:''' | #**'''Group 3:''' | ||
#*** Strengths- | #*** Strengths- | ||
− | #***#How the meaning is created rather then what the meaning is | + | #***#''How the meaning is created rather then what the meaning is'' |
− | #***#Helps understand relationships | + | #***#''Helps understand relationships'' |
#***Weaknesses – | #***Weaknesses – | ||
#***#There is no gray area | #***#There is no gray area | ||
#***#Not structured well, can be very broad | #***#Not structured well, can be very broad | ||
#**'''Group 4:''' | #**'''Group 4:''' | ||
− | #***#Strength: Raise new theoretical issues | + | #***#Strength: ''Raise new theoretical issues'' |
− | #***#Strength: Make us aware of what we take for granted that is represented in the world | + | #***#Strength: ''Make us aware of what we take for granted that is represented in the world'' |
− | #***#Weakness: Not everyone will have the same interpretation of signs | + | #***#Weakness: ''Not everyone will have the same interpretation of signs'' |
#***#Weakness: Too Broad in analysis; not concise or structured | #***#Weakness: Too Broad in analysis; not concise or structured | ||
Revision as of 16:01, 12 November 2009
Note from Dr. Butler: I have italicized the better answers.
- Ellen Seiter, in Channels of Discourse, writes, "The picture [of Fangface] itself is a syntagm. ... In the paradigmatic dimension the options are a pair of categories nature/culture (or animal/human...), which is the source of the image's meaning." She continues, "...Hodge and Trip have introduced the binary opposition (nature/culture) and proceeded to organize the elements of the television image into paradigmatic sets."
- List three or four "paradigmatic sets" in the "Prophecy Girl" episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- Group 1 Bryan:
- All shots of the master with a high vantage point (above the eyeline)
- All shots of Buffy during the scene where the guy tries to ask her to the dance from Camera position A
- All shots below the eyeline of Buffy
- Group 2 Abigail:
- We thought that a few examples from the episode of Buffy that we watched in class would be the character Angel, because he is both a vampire (evil), and a human (good).
- We also thought that Buffy could be a paradigmatic set because she was a 16 year old school girl and a vampire slayer.'
- We also thought the backdrop of the show itself could be a paradigmatic set because it comes across as a teen romance but it also is about the apocalypse.
- Group 3 Carvel:
- Living/Dead
- Toughness/beauty
- Reality/abnormality
- Group 4 Hannah:
- Making women predators instead of prey
- Triumph of good over evil
- Vampire named Angel / A form of evil holds a name of purity and good
- Zander is needy/emotional vs. Buffy who is unemotional and detached
- Group 1 Bryan:
- List three or four "paradigmatic sets" in the "Prophecy Girl" episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- List two strength(s) of semiotic/structuralist analysis. List two weaknesses of this approach (no, a difficult vocabulary does not count).
- Group 1:
- Strengths: The semiotic approach focuses heavily on studying language. Structuralists give an accurate account of a culture because of their heavy studying of the rules and taboos.
- Weaknesses: Semiotics often categorize causing them to generalize something which can downplay importance or some other aspect. Structuralists "often leads to to a description of the worldview of a culture" which can have negative effects.
- Group 2:
- We thought some strengths of structuralist analysis are that it is very thorough and it sees how things fit together in the text and also reflects the world view of a culture.
- We thought some weaknesses would be that it is very complicated and can ten to overcomplicate some things and there is so much to analyze that it can become too much.
- Group 3:
- Strengths-
- How the meaning is created rather then what the meaning is
- Helps understand relationships
- Weaknesses –
- There is no gray area
- Not structured well, can be very broad
- Strengths-
- Group 4:
- Strength: Raise new theoretical issues
- Strength: Make us aware of what we take for granted that is represented in the world
- Weakness: Not everyone will have the same interpretation of signs
- Weakness: Too Broad in analysis; not concise or structured
- Group 1:
Bibliography
- Butler, Jeremy G. Television: Critical Methods and Applications. Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2007.
- Robert C. Allen, Channels of Discourse, Reassembled, second edition (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1992).