Goin' to California- A Narrative Word Picture
A young man poses in front of a camera while a stranger snaps a picture. Six months ago, he left his home in Indiana, headed for California. He told his parents he was just going for a drive. Now he stands in the front yard of Ken Kesey’s ranch in La Honda. He’s shoved a letter from his mother into his back pocket. She begs for him to return home because his father’s very angry and demands to know what he thinks he’s doing. He sucks in smoke from his joint and tries to picture the look on his father’s face as he opens the envelope.
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Mr. MoJo Signified
In “Course in General Linguistics,” Saussure introduces the reader to his ground-breaking new science called “Semiology”(Saussure 60). Semiology explores the complex inter-relationship between the “signified and the signifier” (Ibid 62). Essentially, Semiotics illuminates the fact that language is tantamount to an endless dialogue in which ideas (the signified) and sound-images (signifiers) are paradoxically and inextricably linked. Saussure’s insight helps explain why the above image of Jim Morrison (the signifier) invokes the concept of rebellion (the signified) in most people. According to Saussure, Morrison signifies rebellion as a result of his “relative position” (Ibid 68) to a multitude of other signifiers. Consequently, the image of Morrison derives its connotative meaning (the signified) according to his relative position to another antipodean signifier, such as a police officer.
Works Cited
Saussure, Ferdinand de. "Literary Theory: An Anthology." Eds. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Blackwell Publishing. Maldon, Ma, 2004. (60-71).
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