A Semiotic Approach to the Visual Images in Brown’s “The Da Vinici Code”

Abstract

Abstract

The visual image is tackled in this study as it is treated as a sign. It is worth mentioning that a visual image as a sign is placed within the field of semiotics. Thus, the research deals with semiotics which concerns with studying signs in their deferent types. In addition, the study focuses on the theories of semiotics especially those which are introduced by Saussure and Peirce. On the practical part, Peirce's model of signs meaning is adopted. In addition, the researcher hypothesizes that Brown’s novel "The Da Vinci Code" contains and covers all types of visual images in Peirce's model. In addition, it is hypothesized that the visual image is used in the novel widely as an effective method of using signs and the visual images are interpreted according to norms, culture, and time in which they are used. Moreover, it is hypothesized that the sinsign is the most frequent visual image in both novels while the rheme sign is the less frequent one. Thus, the researcher reaches to the following conclusions; firstly, the semiotic visual image is one of the most important and effective means of communication between humans. Secondly, the semiotic visual image is analyzed and interpreted according to the customs, norms, and traditions of Christianity since the events of both novels occurred in an atmosphere of ecclesiastical and purely Christian rituals. In addition, the visual image takes many forms, including qualisign, sinsign, legisign, icon, symbol, index, rheme, desisign, an argument, and all these forms are found in the novel. According to the quantitative analysis of analyzed visual images, the total numbers in Brown’s novel are forty-nine visual images out of eight hundred and fifty-nine visual images. Thus, the sinsign visual image is the most frequent sign while the less frequent sign is the rheme visual image. According to the statistical analysis of overall numbers of visual images of the novel, the highest frequency goes to sinsign visual images and the less frequency goes to the abduction visual image. Thus, the researcher is partially achieved her hypothesis since some conclusions do not come true with the hypothesis.