Images in American Popular Culture - the visible signs and icons of our society

Signs of American Characters

a. Propose a list of American characters who could be candidates for stamps to be printed next
year by the U.S. Postal Service. Have class members "campaign" for their favorite characters;
students might give brief presentations arguing why their candidate's mythological significance
warrants the status of an official American "sign." Then have the class vote for their favorite
candidate.

b. Children's television is filled with characters ranging from Mr. Rogers to Miss Piggy, from
G.I. Joe to PeeWee Herman. Choose a character who you grew up with and explore what role
that character played in your life. Did you simply watch the character on TV, or did you playact
games with it? Did you ever buy - or want to buy - any products related to that character? Why"
Does that character mean anything to you today?

Signs of Advertising

a. Bring to class a print ad from a newspaper or magazine, and in small groups discuss your
semiotic reading of it. Be sure to ask, "Why am I being shown this or being told that?" How do
the characters in the ad function as signs? What sort of people don't appear as characters? What
cultural myths are invoked in this ad? What relationship do you see between those myths and the
intended audience of the publication? Which ads do your group members respond to positively,
and why? Which ads doesn't your group like?

b. Make a list of products that you and your family buys regularly, noting how the products have
been traditionally advertised. Select one of the products and design an alternative ad for that
product. Consider what different images or cast of characters you could include. What different
myths - and thus different values- could you use to pitch this product? Then freewrite on the
significance of your alternative ad. If you have difficulty imagining an alternative image for the
product, what does that say about the power of advertising to control our view of the world?
What does your choice of imagery and cultural myths say about you?

Signs of Film

Make a list your favorite movies. Then consider your list: What does it say about you? What
cultural myths do the movies tend to reflect, and why do you think those myths appeal to you?
What signs particularly, appeal to your emotions? What sort of stories about human life do you
respond to?

Signs of Music Video

a. Explore the impact that music videos have had on you. How have videos shaped your desires
and expectations about life? How were your actions and behavior influenced by MTV? What
videos were especially meaningful to you? What did you think about them when you were
younger, and how do you see them now? (If you didn't watch MTV, you might focus instead on
television programs.)

b. Popular music has often raised controversy and prompted attempts to "control" controversial
content. What attempts were made to "sanitize" controversial artists from other decades (Elvis
Presley, Beatles, etc.) Then freewrite an essay in which you explore the efficacy of attempts to
control popular artists.

Signs of Television

In class, choose a current television program and have the entire class watch one episode (either
as "homework" or in class). Interpret the episode semiotically. What values and cultural myths
does the show project? What do the commercials broadcast during the show say about the
presumed audience for it? Go beyond the episode's surface appeal or "message" to look at the
particular images it uses to tell its story, always asking "What is this program really saying?"

Issues in American Popular Culture - the invisible signs of our society

Signs of Free Speech

Have you ever had the experience in which you've wanted to "silence" another person or group?
Explore your response to this experience. What motivated you to want to restrict the speech of
others? Did you act upon your desires, and if so, did you meet with resistance? Would you feel
the same today?

Signs of Gender

a. In small same-sex groups, brainstorm your ideas of what makes the other gender physically
attractive, then list your brainstormed ideas on the board. Discuss the lists as a whole class.
What patterns do you see in the lists created by females and males? How do you respond to the
other gender's lists?

b. In small same-sex groups discuss the need for a men's movement. Discuss these as a class.  Is
there solidarity expressed among the members of a group? Be sure to discuss the presence of any
persuasive rhetoric aimed at dissenting members of a particular group.

Signs of Race/Ethnicity

a. In class discuss which of several metaphors - melting pot, salad bowl, and layer cake are
among the most common - you think best describes the racial composition of America. If you
don't think any of the familiar metaphors capture America's racial makeup, then invent your
own.

b. Reflect on the question, "Who are you?" How does your ethnicity contribute to your sense of
self? Are there other factors that contribute to your identity? If so, what are they and how do they
relate to your ethnicity? If you don't think of yourself in ethnic terms, why do you think that's the
case?

Signs of Stereotypes (Counterculture and non-conformity)

In small groups, brainstorm "stigmas" in America. Then pick one and discuss the cultural
assumptions that have led to this stigmatized status.

Signs of Nationalism

It is sometimes necessary for a nation to make a stand over a cause or position.  On these
occasions it is critical that the people of the nation support that stand. Can you think of any
cause worth fighting and possibly dying for?

Student Centered Inquiry Activity Materials:

T.V. Guide, movie section of the newspaper. Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone,
weekly newsmagazine

Activity:
Divide class into small groups and have each group develop their own issue oriented
investigation (speaking their own language) using pop culture materials.