Semiotics 1

It's my opinion that this symbol changes meanings over time and within different political groupings of people.  The Charging Bull sits close to Wall Street in New York City.  The posture of the bull seems to signify the pride and haughtiness of Wall Street.  The bull is full of life and is aggressive in its facial expression and stance.  This seems to reflect the competitive nature of Wall Street, New York, and The United States.  

I think this symbol was seen quite positively before the 2008 financial crisis but due to the political and economical upheaval this country felt during that time, I believe that many would see this statue as a symbol of everything that is wrong with Wall Street today.  Many people today would say this statue is symbolic of the greed, ignorance, and total recklessness with other peoples money that was displayed during the financial crisis.  Some groups might even say that this bull represents the nature of The United States government, clumsy and stomping over everything and everyone else in the world.  The Occupy Wall Street Movement famously used this bull with a ballerina twirling on its head to communicate to the world that Wall Street was reckless and too greedy.  

Yet others might say this is a symbol of everything right with America.  Its strong, taking on the challenges without hesitation.  It never seeks aggression but rather always defends those most important to it and the ideals it cherishes.  It sheer size and casting in metal speak volumes.  It demonstrates the wealth and power this area holds.  It is meant to be seen.  When the stock market seems to be on the rise, people often refer to it as a "bull market" meaning that people are confident that the market will gain.  This phrase seems to directly correlate with the symbolic meaning of this statue.