Semiotics: Roland Barthes
Examples of the each of the following in the clip:
A Car Crash & A Harmonium, Punch-Drunk Love
Sign- the car crash and the harmonium.
Signifier-
- The car crash that occurred after a silent moment of the sequence which could represent disruption and chaos.
- The harmonium which is an instrument that plays gentle, romantic sounds, which could represent emotion or harmony.
Signified-
- The crash could reflect the Barry's mental state as the scene goes from complete silence to utter destruction in moments.
- The harmonium suddenly making an appearance could suggest that even among all the chaos and destruction, love will prevail in the end.
Denotative meaning-
- car crash: an instance of a car colliding with another vehicle or with an object.
- harmonium: a keyboard instrument in which the notes are produced by air driven through metal reeds by foot operated bellows.
Connotative meaning-
- car crash: to describe something or someone that has suffered ruin or calamity
- harmonium: to represent harmony, peace and intimacy
Code- the desk placed in the corner, the empty warehouse, the cluttered desk, car crash, and sudden appearance of the harmonium.
Semiotic is the study of signs and codes or sign systems and after analyzing the clip I realized that it heavily uses semiology. The scene would not be nearly as impacted if it only showed the car crash, therefore, by placing the harmonium (contrasting with the car crash), the sequence creates an unforgettable experience that would have the audience thinking back to it and make connections with the rest of the film. It also gives the audience a glimpse into Barry's complex character without using any type of dialogue. The isolated work place represented his loneliness and social anxiety, moreover the car crash represents his aggression filled emotions. However, the harmonium appearing represents his yearning for love and peace and most likely foreshadows that he will find love in the end.
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