Semiotic Analysis of Pictures

In the cover page we see a man surfing on fishing net, shaped like the waves. Here both surfing as a sport and internet usage seem to be associated with masculinity.

Picture 6

In the picture a very stylish hotel room is seen by such an exotic island view. The room is decorated with the latest technology, like a smart telephone, a mobile television and a fax machine. In the room there is a man who seems to be a rich business man, lying on a fancy and comfortable armchair. He is having his feet massaged and he is relaxing. At the same time he is using his note-book computer and talking to someone on a mobile earphone. Two robots are serving a sandwich and a soft drink for him. The picture gives us the impression that everything is under the man’s command and the world is spinning around him. Male centered business life and richness are implied to be associated with masculinity through this illustration.

Picture 7

In the cover page we see a couple sitting on a sofa in a living room. They are looking at an LCD television which has channel options as the screen is divided into 6 squares. Different kinds of TV programs can be seen on the screen: a romantic film, a cartoon movie, sports, news and documentary. The couple seems to be confused about what to watch. But the striking point is, the remote controller is in the husband’s hands and the wife seems to comply with whatever the husband prefers.

Remote controller can be considered as a literary symbol of power and authority here, again the dominance of masculinity is implied since the husband is deciding what to watch.

Picture 8

In the cover page a primitive man and a woman in front of a cave are depicted. In the speech bubbles, the woman is asking with surprise: “What are you doing?” In return, the man, while giving circular shapes to a piece of rock, responds: “I am inventing the wheel”. This picture gives us the idea that even in the very beginnings of human history the inventions were designed by men. Here we observe a common stereotype for males and females. Masculine authority in science and inventions and female passivity are covertly conveyed through this illustration. As it is mentioned before people are stereotyped according to the complexes of schemas in our culture, in terms of the social positions they inhabit their group membership and personality traits.

Picture 9

Arıkan (2005, p.3) states, course books, classroom materials, activities, and attitudes of all members of a given school or classroom contribute to the cognitive and emotional formation of students through knowledge-based and value-laden practices, an infinite number of messages or values are passed on to students. Such values, then, may turn into stereotypical thinking of students towards others in society. In the cover page there are various illustrations of Turkish legendary characters like Koroglu, Keloglan, Ali Baba, Nasreddin Hoca and Dede Korkut. All these characters are male. This reflects the male dominance in Turkish culture and even in the early literary samples.

Picture 10

In the cover page we see gorgeous historical places like the Sphinx of Egypt, Maya Temples and Obelix. There are also three pictures of different men who have world-wide reputation. One of them is Ataturk, the second is Neil Armstrong (the first person on the moon) and the third is, an Indo-American tribe leader. Theme of amazing history is supported with three amazing and powerful men. Power and glory of masculinity are reflected in the picture. Exposure to traditional gender-typed symbolic models in children’s books, television, and movies play a role in the vicarious learning of traditional gender role standards. Although it can serve for

children’s socialization, the problem is that it could also ‘restrict children’s role behavior’ and ‘shortchange girls by limiting their horizons and expectations’.

Picture 11

In the page above we see a mother probably a housewife as well. She is checking if her son has eaten eggs for the breakfast. Clemency and tenderness are represented through a mother image. The role of soft-hearted housewife mother is encouraged.

Conveyed male images are somehow more different than the image of female. We see a cave man lifting a heavy piece of rock and a modern worker driving a vehicle to do the same task. In the picture it can be inferred that male species of human beings have been involved in tasks which require strength since the prehistoric times.

Despite the advances in the technology and the inventions of brand new vehicles males are still illustrated while doing the similar tasks. Strength and outdoor work are assigned to masculinity. All known societies recognize biological differentiation

considerable variability in the genetic, hormonal and anatomical factors that form the basis for the label ‘male’ or ‘female’ they are treated as socially dichotomous categories . Gender is what culture makes out of the “raw material” of biological sex.

Picture 12

In the illustration above a stereotypical female gypsy fortune teller looking through the crystal ball and her young female client is seen. In all the course books which are analyzed for this study, in the representations of fortune telling or superstitions it is a cliché to use feminine images. According to Weitzman (1972, p.1130) the women who are not either mothers or wives are generally depicted as imaginary characters such as witches or fairies. Though recent studies show that this situation has changed a bit, the majority of children literature still remains almost the same. Here, it is seen neither a witch nor a fairy but another supernatural depiction of female as a fortune teller.

Picture13

In the picture above various Turkish and non-Turkish imaginary and legendary characters are shown. Koroglu, Cinderella Gulliver, Keloglan, King Arthur, Nasreddin Hodja, William Tell and Robin Hood. A clear male hegemony is observed as male characters constitute the vast majority. Moreover those male characters are known to be powerful, courageous, smart and have good sense of humor. However the only female character Cindrella is young and helpless girl whois rescued from a life of drudgery by her fairy godmother and eventually marries a handsome prince.

There seems to be two types of discrimination against femininity. First, female images are underrepresented in the pictures. Secondly, Cinderella in a way is associated with submissiveness and passivity because in the end of the fairy tale she is rescued by a prince who symbolizes hegemonic masculinity.