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Visual Rhetoric and “Reading” t he Body. Just like written texts, visual images are used to communicate messages. In fact, even before written texts, humans used images to communicate. We see visual rhetoric in art:. In politics:. In advertising:.
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Just like written texts, visual images are used to communicate messages
In fact, even before written texts, humans used images to communicate.
Let’s take a simple advertising image and break it down: • To decode this image, we need to break down both the symbolic and literal messages. • Literal = denoted • Symbolic = connoted
Denoted Images • What are the literal messages in this image? • Tomato, Onions, Mushroom, Pepper • Pasta, cheese, sauce • Market bag
Connoted Images • What are the symbolic messages in this image? • The half-open bag signifies return from market • The produce – tomatoes, mushroom, onions, and pepper signify freshness andItalianicity (authenticity) • The composition of the image recalls the composition of a still life painting, which in turn signifies wealth and plenty. • The text in this image has a symbolic message too! • What do “A L’Italienne de luxe” and the Italian words on packaging symbolize for the “reader” of this image?
Rhetorical Situation • Purpose • Genre • Audience • Stance • Tone
Rhetorical Strategies • Ethos • Pathos • Logos
Using what you’ve learned about denoted and connoted images, the rhetorical situation, and rhetorical strategies, compare and contrast the previous painting by Norman Rockwell to this one.
Just like objects, bodies are used in images to convey messages.
What we do with our bodies also contributes to the “text” that is our body.
Let’s look at the characters from Glee to see what this means: • Clothing • Makeup • Accessories • Body Art/Tattoos • Hair • Facial expressions • Posture • Movement • What do these things communicate about a person?
Our bodies as texts • Just as written texts are written and then read, our bodies are also “written” and then “read.” • Our bodies are read by others – they are decoded, interpreted, and given meaning. • Our bodies have denoted and connoted meanings. • The connoted meanings of our bodies are influenced not just by how we “write”/manipulate/create/adorn our bodies, but also by how culture/society interprets bodies like ours.
Bodies are used in images to express cultural norms and expectations.