Post Class 9/5- De Saussure & Barthes

Wednesday’s class provided me with some clarification for both the De Saussure reading and the Barthes reading. Beginning with the De Saussure reading, one key idea that really stood out to me was the question of what came first, language or thought? This idea was presented when De Saussure points out that, “Without language, thought is a vague uncharted nebula”(pg.5). This was a quote that I had originally highlighted and talked about before class but I did not understand the full meaning of this quote. Raising the question of which came first, language or thoughts, I was introduced to the quote in class, “In the beginning was the WORD. And the WORD was God”.  This still seems so interesting to me because the task of communication seems to be a naturally process. You are able to express what you want to say by the language we have been taught. This is where the idea of semiotics comes into play. Structures are able to create meaning in our world and this is how we are able to communicate with each other and ultimately with ourselves. We have these thoughts and we are able to make sense of them because of the language that we know.

Barthes reading was one that I had trouble with, but now think that I understand it better than the De Saussure reading. I really enjoyed the exercise where words were put on the powerpoint and with each set, my mind automatically tried to picture something in my head. The first words were “a short story” and immediately I began to associate those words with pictures in my head. This exercise was pointing out that we are constantly filling in the gaps when we read something. I found this point to be so revealing of how complex our minds actually are. Everyone does this subconsciously no matter what you are reading. The exercise itself was so interesting because it begins with three simple words “a short story” and then eventually evolves to ““A short story” For Sale: Baby Shoes. Never Worn. – Ernest Hemingway”. Throughout the entire exercise each time new words were added I was filling in the gaps in my mind trying to picture what these words meant and what the story behind them were.