Posted: December 8th, 2022

The semiotics of “adult” cartoons: South Park,

The semiotics of “adult” cartoons: South Park, The Simpsons, Boondocks, Rick and Morty

For these writing assignments, you must develop a research topic and conduct a semiotic analysis that explores the ideological dimensions of your topic. First, you must compile research and compose an annotated bibliography for the topic. Then, you must compose a focused essay which is structured around the detailed analysis of your topic.

The selection of your primary source(s) will not be restricted to any particular media, and you will have the freedom to analyze anything that you think will facilitate an impactful, detailed semiotic analysis. Possible sources include episodes of television series, films, literature, music videos, advertisements or advertising campaigns, sports icons, political speeches or movements, performance art, drama, toys and other products, product packaging, and so on. With all of these possible options to choose, it will be important for you to select sources which you are comfortable analyzing in the time remaining this term.

Your focus should be the various ideological concerns and cultural attitudes that are coded into the cultural signs of your primary source(s). As you explore the denotative and connotative meanings behind these signs, you must ultimately consider the broader ideological significance of these signs. Your thesis must be structured around a strong, central argument in which you address underlying value systems, and your detailed close readings of your primary sources (in addition to the support you implement from your secondary sources) must work to develop that central argument argument. You must state your argument clearly in your thesis statement and use it as a means to organize your essay.

You have two options for developing your topic:

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