Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Semiotics 1

1. What is the signifier?

A large sculpture of an angry bull placed in New York City.

What does it signify?

It's a symbol of aggressive financial prosperity in America. It also stands as a reminder that Americans can be as strong as that bull and arise from economical depression.

What specially supports your analysis?

The angry bull is a symbol of strength, force, power and dominance. The way it is positioned and leaned shows that it is ready to attack, ready for action. The tail is whipping, the body is leaned forward, the horns are lowered in a combat mode. Everything about this bull supports the symbol of power, even the bulls testicles are big and well sculpted, representing virility and prosperity.

Even though the bull was designed to represent the economical force that America has, I believe that the statue has taken many different meanings. Tourists from all over the world see the bull as a symbol of power and money, also as a symbol of how americans are a people that are ready to protect their nation just like that bull is. Placing such a strong symbol in an area like New York that is visited my million is every year is a great way to send to the world a message about America and its people. 

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