Popular Culture: Structuralism - Assignment Example

b). The basic ideas of structuralism are taken from the works of Saussure and his basic concept of language and parole. Saussure played a significant role by being able to distinguish parole (speech) and language. According to him, speech is the actual utterance made by an individual while language is the significant symbol of communication. Therefore, structuralism borrowed heavily from this important achievement. c). One popular cultural practice is the carnival festivals. d). An individual who is not from the same culture might see the cultural festivals as acts of immorality, barbaric and at time a waste of important resources.

On the other hand, the other people perceive it as an opportunity to enjoy and have fun. e). A person who understands the structure would be able to understand the meaning as to why people organize the street party, why they are masquerading, and why people are in masks. For example, if one attends the Rio de Janeiro carnival, he/she can be tempted to join the carnival festival and enjoy with the rests of the attendants. A person who understands the culture would be able to know that it is a kind of religious festival that marks the beginning of the Easter festive season (Valdivia, 2004).

Someone who does not understand the structure might fear that the people putting on masks are evil, but if one understands the culture, his/her personal view would be completely different.