Structuralism proposes that all human organization and meaning is determined by underlying social and psychological structures. To understand a media text, one must understand the context and structures it exists within, as well as the internal structures that produce meaning. Structuralism emphasizes the importance of binary oppositions - pairs of contrasting concepts like good/evil or young/old - in how language and media construct meaning. Analyzing the binary oppositions present in a text can help determine how it produces and conveys its intended meanings and messages.

1. KEY CONCEPTS
MEDIA LANGUAGE
Structuralism & Binary Opposites (A2 Only)

2. Structuralism: 2 key ideas
1) All human organisation is determined by large social
or psychological structures, independent of human will
or intention.
2) Meanings can only be understood within these
systematic structures

3. Structuralism
So, to understand a media text, we have to understand
the structure it exists within and the structures within
it.
In other words, media texts and the ideas and meanings
present within them cannot be understood in isolation
and therefore need to be put into context.
As the audience, we use
structures to interpret media
texts.

4. Structuring oppositions
Claude Levi-Strauss later
emphasised the importance of
Structuring Oppositions AKA
Binary Oppositions in language.
French Linguist Ferdinand De Saussure applied this to
the way that language often produces meanings, by
defining things in terms of being the opposite of
something else: Black/White, Hot/Cold, Man/Woman,
etc…Can you think of any other Binary Oppositions?

5. Using Binary Opposites
Binary opposites are useful when analysing the content and themes
of a media text to determine how they produce meaning.
Watch the trailer for the film Titanic and write down the binary
oppositions you observe.
http://dai.ly/x1jxr6h
Young/Old
Upper Class/Lower Class
Upper Deck/Lower Deck
Past/Present
Man/Woman
American/European
Heroes/Villains
Freedom/Entrapment
Day/Night
Happiness/Distress
Hair Colour?

6. MEDIA LANGUAGE
STRUCTURALISM: BINARY OPPOSITES

7. Using Binary Opposites
What binary opposites
are used in the
construction of
meaning in this text?

8. Using Binary Opposites
Watch the trailer for the film Straight Outta Compton
and write down the binary oppositions you observe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsbWEF1Sju0

9. Using Binary Opposites
TASK: Use these words to complete the paragraph below.
CONTRAST / GREED / PRESENTED / RECOGNIZED / YOUNG /
NOTICEABLE / CHARACTER / COMPARED
A meaning is more easily ____________ and understood when ____________ in
____________ with its opposite. An elderly ____________’s frailty will be more
apparent if presented with a ____________ person’s vigor. A villain’s
____________ is more ____________ when ____________ with the hero’s
kindness.
A meaning is more easily recognised and understood when presented in contrast
with its opposite. An elderly character’s frailty will be more apparent if presented
with a young person’s vigor. A villain’s greed is more noticeable when compared
with the hero’s kindness.

10. STRUCTURALISM: CLAUDE LÉVI-STRAUSS - SUMMARY
• Texts can best be understood through an
examination of their underlying structure
• Meaning is dependent upon (and produced
through) pairs of oppositions
• The way in which these binary oppositions are
resolved can have particular ideological
significance.