Week 4 - Titanic

Who are Rose and Jack?

Jack Dawson was the main character in the Titanic movie (1997). Jack is a poor man with the age of 16 years old from Wisconsin who has been travelling in Europe (mainly Paris). He wins two third class tickets for the Titanic in a poker game and boards the ship with his friend Fabrizio.

Rose DeWitt Bukater was another main character in the Titanic. Rose is a 17-year old woman from Philadelphia. Rose boards the ship with her fiancé Cal (played by Billy Zane) and her mother Ruth. She was known to be a first class woman.

What stereotypes do Rose and Jack represent?

Jack Dawson represents a kind person. This could be seen when Jack interferes and persuades Rose not to jump from the ship. Jack also portrayed a kind character when he gave importance to Rose’s life compared to him. When the boat started to sink and both of them fall down into the water, Jack made sure that Rose is safe till the second he died.

Meanwhile Rose DeWitt Bukater represents a character that appreciate relationship and who dislike to be in control of her mother, Ruth. When Cal and Ruth remain wary of the young third-class boy, Rose has developed a friendship with Jack. Rose had also followed Jack from the first-class dinner that night to the third class party secretly and enjoyed herself there. She showed appreciation to relationship when she realized that she cannot leave Jack, and jumps back on board into the ship to reunite with him. Rose is someone who dislikes being in control of her mother because she feels that Ruth, her mother is pushing her so much into the boundaries of being a first class woman that made Rose to be in control all the time.

Are they good or bad?

Both Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater is a good person.

What complexities does he and she have, if any?

Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater had complexities when the ship started to sink. When Rose went on board and saved Jack who was arrested, both of them return to the top deck to rescue themselves but unfortunately all the lifeboats have departed. The remaining passengers on the ship started to fall down into the sea as the stern rises out of the water.  The ship breaks in half as the stern side rose to a full 90 degrees into the air. Jack and Rose ride the stern down into the ocean as the ship sinks fully. Jack had also helped Rose to get onto a nearby wall panel which will only support one person’s weight. By hanging on the panel, he made sure that Rose is safe. When Fifth Officer Harold Lowe arrived to save the survivors, Rose was saved but Jack has died.

Connotation and myths ( week 3 )

While 'Denotation' tends to be described as the definitional and obvious meaning of a sign, connotation means the hidden and secondary meaning of a sign. In connotation, meaning of a particular sign depends on each individual’s perception. For examples, the color ‘red’ can be implanted as the sign of danger, a Harley Davidson can represent freedom for men and many more. Advertisers use connotation to manipulate people’s mind to deliver their message. Using connotation in advertisement makes the advertisement more interesting and requires the people to interact back. Connotation makes people think for more information. It will get the people to get more involved with the sign barrier. Connotation might need people’s mind to remember the meaning of certain sign for the usage of next time. For an example, yellow and red clown reminds us of Mcd Mascot since we have saved the particular sign in our mind.

According to Barthes, A myth is a complex cluster of connotations frequently associated with an oft-repeated story. All cultures have developed their own mythology over time. Mythology includes the legends of their history, their religions, their valuable treasures and their heroes. People believe what has been told by the elders. Myths can true or not true. For Barthes, myths serve the ideological function of naturalization. People absorb information that has been transferred to them from the elders and history. For an example, using an old ancient sword to promote a product makes people think that the product is something strong, valuable and heroic.

Symbol, Icon and Index.

Symbol is known as a form in which the signifier does not resemble the signified but which is basically random. For an example, language in general, numbers, Morse code, traffic lights, national flags and many more.

Icon is a form in which the signifier is perceived as resembling the signified which means it is being similar in possessing some of its qualities. For an example, a portrait, a cartoon, sound effects in radio drama, a dubbed film soundtrack and many more.

Index is a mode in which the signifier is not random but is directly connected in some way; physically or causally to the signified. This can be observed in the 'natural signs’ such as smoke, thunder, footprints, echoes, non-synthetic odours and flavours.  Medical symptoms, measuring, and recordings are also some of the examples under indexical.

Vithiyah Santara Sheeran

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Meaning and Semiotics (Week 1)

1)    1)What is “text” in the context of semiotics?

Text' can be in any medium and may be verbal, non-verbal, or both. The term 'text' usually refers to a message which has been recorded in a few ways. For example writing, audio- and video-recording .This is done so that it is physically independent of its sender or receiver. A text is a representation of signs such as words, images, sounds and gestures that are constructed and taken with reference to the conventions related with a genre and in a particular medium of communication.

2)   2) What is “media” in the context of semiotics?

The term 'medium' is used in a variety of ways and may include such broad categories as speech and writing or print and broadcasting or relate to particular technical forms within the mass media or the media of interpersonal communication. Mass media here are radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books, photographs, films and records. Meanwhile, the media of interpersonal communications are telephone, letter, fax, e-mail, video-conferencing and computer-based chat systems. Shortly in the context of semiotics, media is known as a medium that is used to convey a certain message.