Reflection

• Why did this one approach (e.g., semiotics, metaphor, etc.) appeal to you more than the others?

I chose to study intertextuality because there is so much more to work with, to me, than in the other areas. Post-modernism was very tempting, however I felt it more limited than other choices. Intertextuality gives you the freedom to look at  It’s more objective than subjective also. Looking at the use of the male gaze in media is more frustrating to me than anything else. Seeing people, male or female, looked at as objects is not something I like to spend time studying. It seems that I always default back to looking for deeper meaning in mediated texts. I do like the metaphor approach, but having  used that for an applied assignment already, I wanted to use a different approach. Semiotics is very fun and has a lot of room for interpretation, but it’s so subjective that it’s difficult for me to do a full analysis on it. It feels like I’m making it too much my analysis instead of an academic study of a topic. Since I adore wordplay and puns which require embodied cultural capital, intertextuality is a prime technique to use! That combined with a fondness for critically analyzing other possible meanings of texts and relating prior texts to current made intertextuality the prime candidate.

• Did analyzing the text using this approach affect your understanding and/or appreciation of the text? In other words, did analyzing the text change the way you view some (or all) of its messages? Why or why not?

I don’t think anyalyzing the text changed how I view the messages, but enhanced the value that “The Lion King” has. By looking at layers of interpretation the film contains, I can appreciate the time and effort that went into its making. Crafting all the double meanings of jokes and  the clever dialogue that was so naturally performed by the characters is quite a feat. We learned from lecture and text that signs only hold as much meaning as the person interpreting them gives to them. I do look at the role of Hitler and Nazi Germany in the film a little closer. The longer I look at it, the more ways I can see how there is a satirical element to the film. It may not be just for that portion. The difficulty for me is determining how much of that is purposeful by the creators, and how much is coincidental and me just forcing all the puzzle pieces into place when they don’t quite fit.

• To what extent do you think the text you analyzed reflects your values and beliefs? In other words, do you think that this text is a good illustration of your dominant culture? How does your answer to that question relate to your personal enjoyment of the text you analyzed?

“The Lion King” reflects many of my values and beliefs. It is actually a film that I want my children to see one day for the messages it sends. One especially being “the circle of life.” In the film, Mufasa says, “Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope…When we die, our bodies become the grass and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great circle of life.” In my culture, respect is of utmost importance – respect for the people, the animals and the earth. “The Lion King” encourages this respect in anyone who watches it and puts a modicum of reflection on what is said. I know that as a young child it certainly made an impression on me. The concept of the circle of life also rings true in my beliefs. For a long time I got stuck on the death part of the cycle, but the returning to the earth, becoming the grass and transforming instead of ending completely really gave me some peace of mind.

Mufasa teaching Simba about the Circle of Life

This text is absolutely a good illustration of my dominant culture. Since I could identify with the text and it represents cultural capital that I share I enjoy it even moreso than I would otherwise. In foreign language classes you’ll watch movies and learn about the cultural capital that makes things funny, interesting or controversial . Growing up with this movie and slowly understanding all its intertextuality has made me appreciate it more than many other films.