BIG ISSUE (CSP 1- MAN AND DOG) ANALYSIS

Question 1

Cultural codes and myths: Man’s best friend archetype.

Answer 1

• The image of man and dog taps into audiences cultural knowedge of the ‘man’s best friend archetype’
• Barthesian myths–the image promotes the cultural myth that people who have good relationships with animals (paticularly with dogs) are more moral, emotionally stable, and trustworthy.
• Producers leverage this myth to ecourage audience identification, and humanisation.

Question 2

What intertextual reference is employed in this issue?

Answer 2

‘A Potrait of A Man With A Dog’ by Passarotti (16th centuary/Rennaisance Era)

Question 3

Which artist painted ‘A Potrait of A Man With A Dog’?

Answer 3

Passarotti

Question 4

Intertextual reference/ referential code?

Answer 4

The 16th cent painting APOMWD potrays a man and a dog in a close emotionally resonant relationship.

The Big Issue references this painting via the vendors physical and emotional closeless to the dog—echoes the Rennaissance tradition of using animal-human relationships as a signifier of virtue and inner nobility.

Thus the cover invites the reader to elevate the perception of the vendor alligning him tradition, stature, and even aristocratic potraiture.

Likely to be recognised and gratify a educated ABC1 audience

Question 5

Direct adress & body languge & the oppositional gaze

Answer 5

The vendor does not face the audience–subverts traditional advertising narratives which represent the homeless as victimised via the direct gaze.

By refusing this direct victimised gaze–he adopts the oppositional gaze–opposing sterotypes (withholds intimacy)– he is not victimised by embedded in his own narrative.

Question 6

Verbal codes/ typograpy ‘Our vendors”

Answer 6

Constructs a sense of collective responsibility and social unity.

Aligns with Gauntlett’s Theory of Identity: the magazine provides media that helps people understand and create ethical, empathetic identities.

Question 7

Masthead/ typography

Answer 7

‘Big’ enlarged/ fills the top third of the image/ sans serif

‘Issue’ englarged/ achors meaning via matching stye–promotes brand recognition

‘Issue’ works as a visual metaphor- the issue of homlessness should similarly take up space in the consumers concious (moral responsibility)

BIG issues, BIG voices, BIG mission.

Question 8

Colour scheme- red, white, black

Answer 8

Red- danger, urgency and struggle, brand identity
Black -underscores homelessness crisis (deadly, urgent)
White- hope, light, optimism

Question 8

Cover lines- ‘tales of survival and hope’

Answer 8

Sans-serif upper case- connotes urgency and seriousness.

‘Survival’ - conntes financial and existential struggle that often accompanies homelesness.

‘Hope’ connotes optimism, stability and light.

Binary opposition between ‘survival’ and hope’ creates a narrative around different outcomes of homelessness- either their stories can be full or survival- if they recieve help- or hope–of they are ignored.

Audiences are positioned as proppian heroes- who can either ignore or help the homeless (frames readers as active participants)

Question 8

Framing- rule of thirds & close up

Answer 8

Vendor + dog central within the rule of thirds. Centrality- enhanced with close up.

Visual metaphor- ‘tales’ of the homeless should take up sapce withing cultural discourse (and it is the audeinces moral imperative to amplify and enagage with the message )

Subverts cultural marginalisation/ erasure in media.

Question 9

Non-verbal codes

Answer 9

The vendor is making affectionate contact with a dog, whilst the dog’s paw rests gently on his chest and their foreheads touch.

Connotes mutual comfort, emotional resilience, and human connection, which are ideas often omitted from mainsteam representations of homelessness.