Analysis Of The Television Show 'Shameless'

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Semiotics delivers a sense of structure to further understand what deeply lies beneath a piece of text. Often, the study of semiotics is incomplete without the interpretation of signs, which are then used to understand how reality is socially constructed. An American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914) and Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) are said to have created the modern system of semiotic analysis, particularly claiming that "this universe is perfused with signs, if it is not composed exclusively of signs." (Zeman, 1977, p.24) If it is said that everything is to be composed of signs, as Peirce states, how might one go about interpreting substance in their everyday life? Substance, or texts, that we consume daily, …show more content…

In a deeper semiotic analysis of the show’s opening credits, we were able to decode many factors in which lead us to discover the shows ultimate meaning without nodding at the apparent plot. As a semiotician, one would take all opportunities to deeply analyze sequences such as a shows intro, but we all use signs individually to create an overall meaning for messages that texts convey. The Television Show "Shameless" is wholly a show about life in poverty and the complications associated with it. Of course, this can be considered "must-see" TV due to its Oscar-Nominated actors, but if you view the show through the same scope in which we did you can comprehend the messages that are embedded within the show. Interpretation of the show is contingent upon the values and norms of particular groups/classes in society but by delving into the vein of semiotics, viewers have the opportunity to distinguish what TV producers choose to include into segments of the show, more importantly, the opening credits. In short, semiotics helps us understand texts and how their message reflects the society we live in. We have the ability to pick a poison when it comes to media consumption, so whether it be movies or Television Shows, the media we consume plays a huge part in our everyday lives. These texts give us the opportunity to formulate our views on sexuality, conventionalism, and even social

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