Entry 5 - Discourse

Discourse Analysis allows an individual to examine a text, this includes imagery, sound and even spoken and written language (Smith, 2007). With this in mind, it then allows us as individuals to question, analyse and interpret the text we are viewing, whether this would be in depth or not. For instance, if you were shown a picture of a family, you might read into the reason they are posed in a certain way, what they might be doing in that environment or even why that image has been used with text, but someone else might just see the family. In the long run, this all comes down to the individual’s background, but also just as important the ideas that the creator might have already put across in the text.

Not only this, but it is important to recognise that a text could influence a viewer, this came across in the reading where the New Zealand Government implemented a ban of tobacco and advertising after it was said young people’s behaviour was being influenced (Health NZ,2005). In theory this shows the power advertising has over certain groups of people, but it also shows how a younger group of people have seen the good in the advert whereas an older generation might not of. This is a perfect example of discourse analysis.

From further reading into the subject area it states that discourse analysis starts from the individual making an assumption of what they think is going on, this means that even if it isn’t right, their ideas ‘play an active role in creating and changing’ (Jorgensen and Phillips, 2002) the reflection on the text.

After reading into discourse analysis more, I have begun to understand that not one person might be alike in what they take from something. As a photographer this is something to think about when taking photos as its likely people are going to pick up on other things which to me makes it interesting.

Overall, I feel that both readings have shown me how everyone reads into things differently but what surprises me is that this comes down to their ‘social identity’ more than any other factors.

Bibliography

Smith, P & Bell, A (2007). Media Studies: Key Issues and Debates. Unraveling the Web of Discourse analysis. 79-100. 

Jorgensen M, Phillips L (2002) Discourse as Theory and Method. London: Sage.