Paper Assignment 1

Assignment: Using Roland Barthes’ analysis of the Panzani ad in “Rhetoric of the Image,” write an essay on the structure of the semiotics of a film/TV poster of your own choosing. (You must include the poster with the paper - no B&W xeroxes). For your thesis, you must locate a classical myth and form an argument around how the myth is rewritten into a modern context. Then use your study of semiotics to support your thesis.

Your paper will be evaluated based on:

1. Your ability to construct an original and specific argument about the poster’s myth and the semiotic structure and to prove it with evidence from the poster.
2. Your ability to research and rewrite a classical myth based on the poster’s modern context.
3. Your knowledge of the Barthes’ essay, the general theory of semiotics and the ideas in the book and the course.

Requirements:

1. The paper must be 5-7 pages long. It will be typewritten and double-spaced.
2. All typos and misspellings must be corrected. I will not accept the paper if there are more than three uncorrected typos or misspellings. You will use the MLA citation to document Barthes and your source for your myth.
3. The paper will be turned in-class on the due date. Each day late will cause the paper’s grade to be lowered one letter.

http://writing.syr.edu:16080/~danentwi/Barthes_Rhetoric%20of%20the%20Image.pdf