Visual Text Analysis - Report Example

Visual text analysis Name: Date: Affiliation: Visual Text Analysis Introduction Description of content in the media follows distinctive description and analysis. The most classic and frequent applied strategy is the quantitative content analysis. This boils down to counting and measurement of particular aspects of the media content. For instance, occurrence of particular themes in a newspaper such as crime and politics calls for better analysis and understanding of such articles and images (Koch, Heimerl & Ertl, 2013). Text analysis normally emphasizes audiovisual and visual texts communicated through means of film and television. The visual text analysis will focus on the movie known as slum dog millionaire and the three idiots, which are both Bollywood production. The two movies have Indian setting, and therefore visual text analysis will be fruitful. Slum dog and the three idiots The slum dog millionaire is a story of a young Indian boy (Jamal Malik) who has grown in the streets. Jamal Malik is orphan, and his mother died during the civil war between Indians and Muslims. After the death of a mother, the boy lives with brother Salim in the streets though Salim eventually becomes a thief. Latika is the Jamal love though she has gone astray Karim, K. (1998), The problems and challenges that Jamal faces in the street makes him have a broad knowledge that even professors could not get. He participates in the biggest game in Mumbai of who wants to be a millionaire. He answers all question correct the fact that makes the sponsors think that he is cheating. He goes through torture but eventually he wins the twenty million rupees and gets back his girl by the name Latika (Boyle, 2009). On the other hand, three idiots is a movie that describes of three friends in college in Mumbai. The three friends are Farhan, Raju and Rancho. The movie starts when the two friends embark on finding their lost friend Rancho, who made a great step towards changing their destiny. Rancho, a bright student, contributed heavily to changing of their friends through making them understand that success follows where there is excellence (Hirani, 2011). The two pieces of literature are crucial demonstrating visual text analysis. Audience targeted by the three idiots and the slum dog In visual text analysis, it is important to know the ideal audience that a given piece of work targets. For instance, in the movie three idiots the audience is the society, parents, teachers and the students. The Indian system of education emphasizes rote learning than practicality. Many students want to cram definitions and literature without knowing the meaning behind it. Moreover, some of the students want to get education to fight poverty. Rancho, who is the protagonist in the movie, wants to show that education is not all about rote learning. Instead, it should involve practicalities and skills that will help people overcome the challenges in life. Viru is the school principle and encourages memorization rather than practicality (Koch, Heimerl & Ertl, 2013). Rancho discourages memorization when he inserts ridiculous words in the report made by their friend. The boy memorizes the speech without taking into account meaning of the words. He dramatizes an abusive report on teachers the fact that embarrasses teachers and the minister of education. This was verification that memorizing is not a healthy of learning (Doerr & Mattoni, 2013). Rancho advises the headmaster Viru to stop frustrating the student who making a helicopter and give him another chance that will ensure that he gets his goals. However, VIRU DOES NOT consider plea, goes ahead, and postpones the examination of the student. Out of frustration, the student commits suicide, and the news is all over that Viru the principal made the boy commit suicide. The system of education is vague and contributes people to commit suicide due to frustration whenever they lose their dreams. On the other hand, Raju tries to commit suicide after the principal discontinues him from education. He feels alienated and heartbroken after remembering his family in total poverty at home (Drieger, 2013). However, Rancho saves him and finally he recovers from the shock. His attitude towards life changes and understands that success only follow those who are ready for it. On the other hand, Farhan wants to be a photographer but the parents advocate that he should become an engineer. He is not versant withy mathematics nor physics and most of the times he will fail in the examination. He feels frustrated and wants to commit suicide too. However, Rancho manages to convince Farhan parents that he should what he loves since perfection brings success. The parents finally agree, and they allow Farhan to follow the photography career. The saving mission of Viru daughter also demonstrates the practicality of education. Out of pandemonium and abyss of death, Rancho uses his knowledge and generates electricity and vacuum cleaner that he uses to assist in the delivery of Mr. Virus grandchild. Finally, Mr. Viru understands that education is all about practicality and not mere learning. The director aimed to show the audience that Indian system of education needed change that could be made possible through collaboration of all parties; teachers, students, parents and the government (Drieger, 2013). In the same breath, the slum dog movie addresses the entire population, the rich poor and the middle class. Jamal is a just a unique boy. His story and life are unique, and it appears as if it was preparing him for the task of winning the twenty million rupees. It is a lesson that surpasses education and skills. He is just a slum orphan, and the best job he has ever done is a “Chai Wallah”. However, his knowledge and skills and skills make him the genius of the year. The death of his mother in a civil war exposes him to the street environment where he learns to survive. He works with his hands aiming that one day he will reunite with his girlfriend Latika. However, he realizes that his brother Salim has slept with her and felt awful; as a result. The eventual victory of Jamal Malik affirms that fate is the key determinant of position of people in life. A poor man can become rich while rich can become poor. The move sought to address the issue of social class and fate. Education and hard work do not guarantee wealth; rather it is destiny and fate (Koch, Heimerl & Ertl, 2013). Purpose of the slum dog and the three idiots Purpose refers to the goal of making the literary work. The above-mentioned movies aim to educate and sensitize people on excellence and respect for humanity. First, the three idiots want to highlight the significance of working towards excellence rather than success. When people work towards excellence, it is automatic that the success will automatically follow them. However, when people chase success, there will always face hurdles that will cost lives and disappointments. Rancho knows the secret to success is getting the skills and perfecting such skills. He shows practicalities of education to solve the daily problems through making devices that suit particular purposes (Koch, Heimerl & Ertl, 2013). For instance, he made a spoon, shock that punished the boy who was urinating in his room. His activities are practical hence proving that success will follow for those who are excellent. His teachings eventually materialize after Farhan follows his desire of being a photographer and he becomes one of the best in India. Raju changes his mentality towards life and knows that success is not chased rather, its passion and excellence that gives success. He ends up getting a good job after affirming in the interview that his attitude is better than the job, and the interviewers love his boldness and eventually gives him the job(Doerr & Mattoni,2013). Mr. Viru resilience in his teaching methods finally collapses after realizing that his daughter would have died were not for Rancho, who applied the learnt knowledge. He admits that rancho I the best student and gives him the most coveted pen. Finally, Rancho ends becoming a good scientist who industries are willing to make alliances with him. The movie main purpose is depicting the importance of education and the desired structure. People should follow their dreams rather than do things for money. Chasing success is vanity rather excellence welcomes success (Koch, Heimerl & Ertl, 2013). On the other hand, slum dog main purpose is depicting that fate and destiny are the determinants of people lives. Jamal Malik is just a slum boy who loves the world around him. He learns from every opportunity, and that prepares him for what awaits him. Every challenge that he encounters in the street makes him wiser, and that occurrences pack his memory with unique knowledge that determines his fate. Moreover, the movie teaches that covetousness and love of money makes people lose what God promises. Jamal did not show love of money and his answers were a reflection of his past (Drieger, 2013). Therefore, the director indicates that covetousness is a great impediment towards success in life. Chasing money only leads people to early death just like Salim his brother. He died a sad death after chasing money and killing people. The movie further shows that the weak ends up being the strong and for those who wait will eventually get the desires of their heart. After waiting for Latika for many years, eventually she landed on his arms (Koch, Heimerl & Ertl, 2013). Context of slum dog and the three idiots The slum dog captures the city of Mumbai streets and the slums in the outskirts. Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city, and the two main religions are Hinduism and Islam. The people in the slums are Muslims, and the other Hindus kill them for being Muslims. In the case of fighting, Jamal and Salim lose their mother and left as orphans Karim, K. (1998), They wonder in the streets of Mumbai, and they eventually land in the hand of children philanderers. However, they managed to escape, and they went to Mumbai where they struggle to earn a living. The life in the city forces Salim and Jamal to follow two different ways. Salim becomes a thief while Jamal a “Chai Wallah”. The circumstances and opportunities allow him to participate in the famous game “who wants to be a millionaire”. The movie teaches that the people even slum people can turn to be great men (Drieger, 2013). The three idiots also capture Mumbai city and the surrounding. The main context covers school life and a few incidences of working life. The three friends meet in college of engineering and have different abilities in the field. From the depiction, it is evident that Farhan hates engineering, Raju loves engineering but cannot study because of problems at home while, and Rancho is a talented engineering student (Doerr & Mattoni, 2013). He tops in most of his exams the fact that makes him the eye of the students. His activities move the plot to different areas of India creating different contexts. Rancho creates hospital context when he takes Raju and his father to the hospital after different occasions. This context shows the abilities of Piya and Rancho. Piya being a medical student, she plays an important role in showing the practicality of education. With her help, her sister, delivers the baby in a warehouse (Drieger, 2013). Tone in the three idiots and slum dog In literature and critical analysis, tone refers to the author’s attitude towards a given subject. About the two movies, the directors have a given tone towards the characters and themes. At first, in the slum dog, the author ridicules the man who spearheads the game since he thinks high of himself forgetting that he is not there on merit. He tries to confuse the boy, but he eventually gets the correct answers (Doerr & Mattoni, 2013). The director depicts the host as a pessimist hence portraying in a disapproving tone. He disapproves him, and the police officers were torturing the boy when Jamal narrates the stories behind his success. On the other hand, he uses an approving tone towards Jamal in his quest to become a millionaire. Moreover, he disapproves the actions of Salim that leads to his premature death. The premature death of Salim disapproves the principles behind Jamal’s success (Boyle, 2009). On the other hand, the author mocks the Indian system of education through depicting suicides and frustrations emanating from education. Memorization and rote learning are the key sources of frustrations among students in India. Bunches of students have lost their lives through suicide because of frustrations emanating from Mr. Viru. For instance, the student with helicopter project committed suicide after learning that he would not graduate. Moreover, the students who appear to be good are just bunches of memory cards void of skills. The director approves Rancho and his quest for practicality in education (Koch, Heimerl & Ertl, 2013). He knows that the success can only follow those who are excellent. Otherwise chasing success will only make one a loser. Farhan and Raju are examples of people who chase success rather than chasing excellence. Therefore, the director uses accusatory tone towards the directors of education while he approves the like of Rancho and Piya, who embrace education to gain skills rather than ways of emancipation from poverty (financial gain). Conclusion Visual text analysis is a crucial study since it helps ardent readers to know the meaning behind the messages from authors and movie directors. Like criticism, visual text analysis seeks to underpin the intention of artists in an attempt to grasp the intended intention. In the case of slum dog and the three idiots, visual text analysis helps in underpinning the intention of the author hence coming with conclusive thoughts and assumptions that will facilitate comprehension and further criticism. References Boyle, D. (Director). (2009). Slumdog millionaire [Motion picture]. INDIA: Distributed by Icon Film Distribution. Doerr, N., & Mattoni, A. (2013). Advances in the Visual Analysis of Social Movements. Bradford: Emerald Group Pub.. Drieger, P. (2013). Semantic Network Analysis as a Method for Visual Text Analytics. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 79, 4-17. Hirani, R. (Director). (2011). 3 idiots [Motion picture]. India: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Koch, S., Heimerl, F., & Ertl, T. (2013). Visual Document Retrieval: Supporting Text Search and Analysis with Visual Analytics. Computing in Science & Engineering, 15(4), 66-74. Karim, K. (1998). From ethnic media to global media: Transnational communication networks among Diaspora communities. Retrieved from http://www.transcomm.ox.ac.uk/working%20papers/karim.pdf Read More