Claude-Levi Strauss Binary

Oppositions

Emily Jesson

Who was Claude Levi-Strauss?

• Claude Levi-Strauss is a French anthropologist , his theory was that the way we understand certain words doesn’t depend on the meaning it creates but more on our understanding of the difference between the word and its 'opposite' which is called 'binary oppositions'.

• He realised that words purely act as symbols for society's ideas and the meaning of words, therefore, he believed that they was a relationship between opposing ideas.

• Binary oppositions can be found in a range of media products such as a film trailers.

Examples of Binary oppositions:

• Good vs evil, this is particularly shown in genres such as action and thrillers.

• Dark vs light, this is again shown in action/thriller/horror films.

• Protagonist vs antagonist, this too can be shown in action/thriller

• Past vs future, this can be shown in action and history

• Feminine vs masculine this is particularly seen in horror/ thriller films as females are generally seen as being victims and males are seen to be killers.

Role Models • Trailer• Binary oppositions in characters: Fun

loving guy versus Serious pessimistic guy. The contrast in personality's of the main characters which are together through out the film.

• Young Poor Black Kid versus Middle Aged White Man, this is like a opposition in culture and class.

P.S I love You • Trailer• Old life versus New Life: Holly and

Gerry typical marriage, intensely in love, then Gerry unexpectedly dies and her life is changed completely and the film focuses on old compared to new throughout .

Dear John Trailer

• Love Versus War, John is in the military and this is an obstacle in the way of his love for savannah the film is based around how he has to choose war or love.

Dawn of the DeadTrailer

• Human Versus Zombies- this binary opposition is typical inhorror films. Zombies not being human creates a fear element in the film as humans seem weak and vulnerable compared to them and often have to fight for survival through out the film.