1. Roland Barthes’s The Structuralist Activity Student Edition Based on a presentation by: Liane Katzenstein Created by: Brett Ader Edited By: Dr. Picart Associate Professor of English Courtesy Associate Professor of Law

2. What is Structuralism?

3. Saussure’s Terms Signifier/Signified Signifier- __________________________________ Signified- __________________________________ Example?

4. Saussure’s Terms Continued Synchronic/Diachronic Synchronic- _________________________________ ____________________________________________ Diachronic- __________________________________ ____________________________________________

5. Can you define and give an example of Simulacrum?

6. Discussion Question By studying the form rather than the content, what does that do to the author’s message?

7. Dissection Dissection- ________________ ________________ ________________ or “mobile fragments” Dissection- ________________ ________________ ________________ or “mobile fragments”

8. Articulation “Once the units are posited (Fixed), structural man must discover in them or establish for them certain rules of association” (Barthes 1129) “Once the units are posited (Fixed), structural man must discover in them or establish for them certain rules of association” (Barthes 1129) Form- _____________________________ __________________________________ Form- _____________________________ __________________________________

9. Discussion Question What similarities or differences do you see between Barthes and Foucault?

10. What are Barthes’ Goals of Structuralism?

11. Accusations Against Structuralism Structuralism emphasizes synchronic over diachronic and thus fails to account for historical change Discussion Question: Do you believe that this statement is true?