BARTHES - SEMIOTICS

BARTHES

Roland Barthes' theory of semiotics explains how media texts communicate meaning through signs, which are made up of the signifier (what is seen or heard) and the signified (the meaning attached to it). These signs often carry connotations and myths that reflect dominant ideologies, sets of beliefs that shape how we perceive the world and which are presented as natural or 'common sense'.

1. Start with the Overall Message or Ideology

• Ask: What is the text trying to say about the world?

• Identify the dominant message, tone, and point of view.

• Consider what ideology is being communicated (e.g., national pride, fear, authority, resistance, consumerism)

Barthes link: This message is constructed through signs that carry ideological myths—ideas made to feel ‘natural’ (e.g., linking a political figure to power through visual cues).

2. Analyse the Images

• What does the image denote? (Describe what you literally see.)

• What does it connote? (Interpret the emotional or cultural meaning.)

• Consider gesture, expression, clothing, angle, lighting, and setting.

Example: A politician shot from a low angle connotes power or dominance.

Barthes link: Images often rely on cultural codes and myths to reinforce ideology.

3. Explore the Main Headline

• Break down key word choices and language style.

• Look for loaded language (emotive, persuasive, biased).

• What are the connotations of specific words?

Example: The word “chaos” connotes danger and loss of control, while “heroes” connotes bravery and moral goodness.

Barthes link: Headlines act as signifiers that anchor meaning and support a particular ideological reading.

4. Consider the Use of Subheadings, Captions, and Pull Quotes

• What further information do they provide?

• How do they anchor the preferred reading of the image or story?

Barthes link: These textual elements limit polysemy by guiding the audience toward one interpretation.

5. Identify Signs that Create Myths or Reinforce Ideology

• Are there myths being communicated? (e.g., “The hardworking citizen,” “The dangerous outsider.”)

• What assumptions are made about the world, people, or values?

• Does the article use symbols or signs that feel familiar but carry deeper meaning?

Example: A red poppy may signify remembrance but also connote nationalism or militarism.

Barthes link: Media naturalises certain ideologies by repeating these familiar signs.

6. Address Audience Positioning

• Who is the target audience?

• How is the text positioning them to feel or react?

• Is the audience expected to agree, fear, support, or question?

Barthes link: Through semiotics, texts guide the audience to a preferred reading, aligning with dominant values or beliefs.

Sentence Starters for Your Essay

• “The signifier of… leads to the signified idea of…”

• “This headline anchors the meaning of the image, encouraging a preferred reading that…”

• “According to Barthes, the text constructs a myth that supports the ideology of…”

• “The connotations of [word/image] reflect wider social attitudes about…”

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU WILL BE LINKING THIS TO CONTEXT:

1. Social Context
What to look for: Representations of gender, class, age, race, or social roles.
Barthes link:

• Media texts often use signs that carry connotations about social identity (e.g. a suit = professionalism; a hoodie = rebellion).

• These signs help construct myths about how people “should” behave or look in society, reinforcing dominant ideologies about gender roles, class behaviour, or generational divides.

• Ask: What signifiers are used to encode social status or identity? What ideology is naturalised through these signs?

Example: A newspaper image of a working-class protestor shouting may carry connotations of aggression, feeding into myths about disorder or anti-establishment behaviour.

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2. Cultural Context
What to look for: Symbols, traditions, language, or values that relate to a particular culture or group.
Barthes link:

• Cultural signs rely on shared codes (e.g. flags, religious symbols, dress) to communicate meaning quickly.

• These signs help construct cultural myths, such as national pride, ‘Britishness’, or ideas of "the outsider."

• Barthes’ theory helps you unpick how these signs produce meaning that feels familiar or alien, depending on the audience.

Example: An article about immigration may show a figure wrapped in a national flag (signifier) to connote protection or ownership (signified), reinforcing a cultural ideology of belonging versus exclusion.

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3. Political Context
What to look for: References to authority, law, justice, rights, inequality, or conflict.
Barthes link:

• Political messages are built through signs that support or challenge power structures.

• Media may use connotative language or visual cues (e.g. “strong leader,” “threat to democracy”) to naturalise certain ideological myths (e.g. the trustworthy government, the corrupt opposition).

• Analyse how myths are created through language and imagery to persuade the audience of a political viewpoint.

Example: A front-page image of a politician surrounded by military figures connotes strength and control, supporting a myth of national security and leadership.

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4. Historical Context
What to look for: Visual or textual references to specific past events, attitudes, or technologies.
Barthes link:

• Signs in a media text may carry different connotations depending on when and where they’re interpreted.

• Barthes helps you consider how a sign’s meaning shifts over time—a symbol that once had positive connotations might now carry criticism or irony.

• Historical myths may reflect dominant ideologies of a particular era (e.g. wartime unity, 1950s domestic values).

Example: A vintage-style image of a woman in a kitchen might evoke a nostalgic myth of traditional femininity, reinforcing or challenging historical gender roles.