Semiotics - Roland Barthes (Blog Post 6)

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Sign: The Harmonium at the end of the clip

Signifier: The people who open the car door and quickly place it out, before exiting

Signified: This can represent the harmonium being very important or having an important background, or it can represent music that may be significant.

Denotative meaning: The literal meaning of the harmonium is something to play music with.

Connotative meaning: The figurative meaning of the harmonium can be interpreted as a way to express a persons emotion through music, whether that being positive or negative. A slow, lower tone may be used to show sadness, while a faster high pitch may be used to convey happiness or even a party.

Code: In the opening shot, we see the main actor cornered by blue and white walls. These walls could represent a code, with the colors symbolizing different meanings. The color white in film can be used to represent things like purity, innocence, and goodness. The color blue in film can be used to represent things like calm, cerebral, or coldness. Color in film can be used to trigger specific neurological responses in the viewers, and this code may be used to calm the viewers to make them less suspecting of the fast-pace events to come. 

6)

    The purpose of this clip may be to leave viewers questioning why the harmonium is significant, using one of the formal expectations which is delay, the viewers of the film want to know two things, why did the harmonium get dropped off, and who dropped it off. By quickly dropping off the harmonium and leaving it shows why the clip has purpose, which is to set up watchers to stay interested in the film. After watching this clip, it is inferred that the harmonium is significant to the plot of the movie, and the main character of the film has some relevant involvement to the harmonium throughout the film.