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Semiotics Analysis
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Part A In our modern culture, a societies opinions, beliefs and understanding of their environment is shaped heavily by the information that is presented to them through the mass media. One of the many mediums that the media use as a tool to inform the public is visual art such as the political cartoons that appear in many newspapers on a daily basis. On the surface these cartoons seem to be depicting the illustrated individuals in a comical manor and scenario that is relevant to their current real life situation. However within these cartoons lie many different messages that are presented to the viewer, these messages can either influence the viewers opinion or provoke thought on the topic presented. In this essay I will use a semiotic analysis to breakdown the myth, discourse and ideology evident in three political cartoons, taken from The Australian newspaper publication on differing dates. After I have analysed each text I will then compare the strengths and weaknesses of semiotic analysis and content analysis. The first cartoon I will analyse was taken from The Australian on the 10th of May 2003; the political figures used are British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, The President of the U.S.A George Bush and the Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Myth - The first and most obvious use of mythical representation that I noticed in this cartoon was John Howard being drawn wearing a pair of overalls which are work clothes that are commonly worn by tradesmen and blue collar workers, he is holding a pouring canister which is presumably full of oil, that he pours onto the shanks that are holding the two carriages together. The carriage that he occupies (emblazoned with a picture of Australia and the Australian flag) goes hand in hand with the clothes he is wearing, it is smaller and far more humble than the larger luxurious one, which is occupied by George Bush and Tony Blair. His status in this cartoon is being diminished as mythically he is being represented as a middle class worker as opposed to Bush and Blair who are illustrated wearing business suits and ties, appropriate attire for a leader of a country.
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