Barthes

In Rhetoric of the Image by Roland Barthes, images and their associated meanings is explored. According to Barthes, there are a variety of methods through which a message can be transmitted via an image. In our world, we are constantly bombarded with images, mostly in the form of advertisements. We take various meanings away from these pictures, some of the direct, some indirect. There is the linguistic message, the denoted image and the connoted image (Barthes 273). He specifically looks at advertisements because, "...in advertising the signification of the image is undoubtedly intentional; the signifieds of the advertising message are formed a priori by certain attributes of the product and these signifieds have to be transmitted as clearly as possible” (Barthes 270).

While Barthes writing is slightly difficult to follow, I agree with the general point that images have specific meanings. I believe that who views the images and that person's beliefs will also give a depiction a certain interpretation as well. I like how Barthes talks about the connoted meanings of the image and how a symbolic interpretation can be made about aspects. This can relate to other parts of society and draws on a person's knowledge and experiences. As I said, this can mean that an image will hold different meanings for different people, since we do not all have the same lives. Some meanings of images may be lost on people who do not recognize the symbolic images in the picture. I think it is very interesting how the message of a picture can be changed simply by altering one word or color or object.