English 101 Capstone Task 1–Semiotics in Imagery: Summary, Definition, and 1 Critical Reading/Analysis

Essay Draft Stage 1: Summary, Definition, and 1 Critical Reading/Analysis Paragraph

Note: “Guidelines” PowerPoint and  sample submissions can be found in the module entitled Resources: Capstone 1 Resources

The point

• Capstone 1 provides an opportunity to demonstrate the following learning objectives:
  • Identify specific social semiotic signs/resources–such as framing, point of view, and modality–as they manifest in images from Parable of the Sower or Kindred
  • By reading contrasts in framing, point of view, or modality as key modes of meaning-making, describe the meanings communicated by one particular set of images from within one of the assigned graphic novels
  • Analyze and apply the basics of paragraph structure–topic sentences; the signal-phrase+quotation+explanation quote “lettuce wrap” structure; etc.–to written discussions
• In addition, Capstone 1 assesses the final learning objective for this module:
  • Present/formulate this critical reading and writing process as a partial draft of a formal argumentative essay, adhering to the basics of MLA formatting

Instructions for Capstone 1

• First: Pick one from among the following images, discussed in class and included in the Guidelines PowerPoin Download PowerPoint , and please include a copy of the image at the end of the Capstone:
• “The Olaminas–Introduction) (from Parable of the Sower)
• “Hyperempathy” (from Parable of the Sower)
• “Foundational Moments” (from Parable of the Sower)
• “Navigating Conflicts” (from Parable of the Sower)
• “A Journey and A Flashback” (from Kindred)
• “Memories and Relics” (from Kindred)
• “A Dream?” (from Kindred)
• “The Fight: 20th Century LA” (from Kindred)
• “The Fight: 19th Century Maryland” and “Stopover” (from Kindred)
• “Maggie, Hopey, and Sadaf” (from Is This How You See Me?i)
• “Eugene” (from Is This How You See Me?)
• “Ray” (from Ia This How You See Me?)

You can also pick your own image from the graphic novels or from a different source, provided you clear it with me in office hours and commit to a total of 3 office-hour Zoom sessions, two of which must happen by the end of Week 4.

• Then: draft a 3-paragraph capstone:

Paragraph 1: Summary/Introduction

• Summarize the graphic novel, or provide details about the event depicted. This means:
  • Provide at least one sentence covering the book’s setting and premise (if the picture is from a graphic novel)
  • Provide at least one more sentence describing the sequence of events represented in the picture itself, taking care to provide any characters/people depicted.
• Identify the author and adaptors of the book. Provide any additional information about the author, illustrator, timing of publication, political leanings of the news outlet, etc., that explains why it might be useful to examine the meanings/messages communicated by the image you’ve chosen.
• The topic sentence of this paragraph should name the graphic novel from which the picture comes.

Paragraph 2: Definition of Method/Tools

• Define the toolkit from which we are drawing visual analysis concepts, which is social semiotics. (Rely on p. 134 of the assigned “Visual Meaning” article, and also, if you desire, p.  216 of Lois Tyson’s discussion of semiotics to define this term.)
• Define one (or, if you want, more than one) social semiotic resource (=visual-analysis tool) discussed in class: e.g. framing, information value, point of view, modality, distance. Pick the tools that you will be using to examine your photo.
• Define the concept of binary oppositions, mentioning along the way its indirect relationship to semiotics, and briefly explaining its relevance to the social semiotic resource that you chose.

Use the  basic “quote lettuce wrap” formula of signal phrase, quote/paraphrase, and explanation when defining terms, and rely on the assigned “Visual Meaning” article.

• The topic sentence of this paragraph should mention the method/toolkit from which you’re drawing your tools, which is social semiotics.

Paragraph 3: Critical Reading/Visual Analysis of Picture (=first body paragraph of an eventual argumentative essay)

• In a minimum of three sentences, describe at least one visual detail in the picture, assess it with respect to the tool you discussed in the “definition” paragraph, and explain its impact on the meanings or the messages communicated by the picture. (Usually, you will repeat this three-step process to present and analyze multiple visual details.)
  • Use the modified quote lettuce wrap discussed in class, consisting of “signal phrase, paraphrase of visual detail, explanation of resource, (where relevant) binary opposition, and meaning (see Guidelines PowerPoint).  Rely on the assigned article and in-class discussions/exercises when explaining the impact of particular visual cues.
• The topic sentence of this paragraph should communicate a point about the meaning/message that is rooted in your visual analysis.