unit five
The Hollywood Western: Semiotics, Myth & Meaning

 

 

cultural artifact: hollywood western film (Shane)

reading assignment:

• john berger, ways of seeing, chapter 1
• roland barthes, "myth today," in cultural theory and popular culture (ELECTRONIC RESERVE)
• The Theory Toolbox, "PostStructuralism" pp. 131 – 140
• CS key concepts handout: nation/imagined communities

in class screening:

 

shane, Dir. George Stevens (part 1)

at the end of this unit you should be able to define these key terms:

• Myth
• Semiotics
• Representation

WATCH: Zizek on Cinema & Desire from The Pervert's Guide to Cinema

additional resources:

professor's outline & study guide for roland barthes, "myth today"

Student Class Notes pt 1 [semiotics/post-structuralism] (c) Joseph Varrisco
Student Class Notes pt 2 [berger chapter one] (c) Joseph Varrisco

external links:

shane links at the imdb