Semiotic Analysis of The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard free essay sample

The bringing out of themes concerning love, adultery, and the harshness of reality, is supported by the usage of realistic, detailed set design and props in an attempt to recreate human life realistically. These include objects which serve actantial roles, like the typewriter, glasses of wine and cricket bat, being represented authentically or by visual replicas, thus being used as iconic signs of themselves. The set design of Henry’s living room over different periods also serves as an iconic representation of the time the play was set in, when considering specific props used, like the vinyl record player, typewriter, and the rotary dial telephone, which indicates a time set around the 1980’s, thus establishing a consistent time period for the play. This aspect of realistic stage design reduces the challenges of restructuring the stage, while shortening the psychical distance between the audience and the play, creating a natural stage environment the audience is familiar with. We will write a custom essay sample on Semiotic Analysis of The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This allows the issues of concern to be portrayed in a setting of familiarity, creating the sense that these issues can be inherent anywhere in our world, building the audience’s sense of immediacy with the themes, thus improving the effectiveness of the messages conveyed. Lighting takes on various functions in the play, accentuating moods, and expressing emotions of the scenes more effectively, to underscore themes1. Lighting serves an atmospheric function in the scene where Max was distraught after Charlotte leaves, in their play within a play. Amidst a darkening of the set, a disco ball sends patterns of light in swirls all about the stage, creating a melancholic atmosphere which complements the mood of the scene. Also, this same usage of lighting was repeated when Henry was upset, in a later scene. This usage of lighting serves an effective iconographic function, by drawing attention to the theme of the relation between fiction and reality as expressed in the play, by being deictic to the implicit connection between the two scenes, one of a fictional reality created by Henry, and the other which is reality experienced by Henry himself. While the mise-en-scene successfully aids in bringing out the themes of the play, there are aspects which challenge audience competence, limiting comprehension of certain parts of the play. One aspect would be a blurred distinction between scenes which are â€Å"plays within a play†, acted out by the characters as actors, and the representation of reality in the play. The first scene, which was a â€Å"play within a play†, would be difficult to distinguish from reality, until the second scene, when the answer was revealed explicitly in the dialogue. Also, the scene when Max confronts Annie in reality, for cheating on him, has a set designed in the same layout as the first, â€Å"play within a play† scene, thus creating a sense of confusion in distinguishing when the characters are acting, from when the dialogue was taking place in â€Å"reality†. There is a function of mise-en-scene that aids the ability of the audience to differentiate between them. These scenes that tend to be confused, have their sets very sparsely designed as compared to Henry’s well lit and richly furnished living room. With lighting focused on the characters and dim backgrounds, akin to stereotypical notions of certain plays where only minimal props are required to build an environment, and the focus is on the characters only, these scenes differentiate themselves from the reality of the play, as the nature of their set design is deictic to the idea that they are â€Å"plays within plays†, when contrasted with Henry’s living room, which is used to portray reality in â€Å"The Real Thing†.

The Definition and Description of Geological Erosion

The Definition and Description of Geological Erosion Erosion is the name for the processes that both break down rocks (weathering) and carry away the breakdown products (transportation). As a general rule, if rock is just broken down through mechanical or chemical means, then weathering has occurred. If that broken-down material gets moved at all by water, wind or ice, then erosion has occurred.   Erosion is different from  mass wasting, which refers to the downslope movement of rocks, dirt, and regolith primarily through gravity. Examples of mass wasting are  landslides, rockfalls,  slumps,  and soil creep. Erosion, mass wasting, and weathering are classified as separate actions and often discussed individually. In reality, they are overlapping processes that usually act together.   The physical processes of erosion are called corrasion or mechanical erosion, while the chemical processes are called corrosion or chemical erosion. Many examples of erosion include both corrasion and corrosion. Agents of Erosion The agents of erosion are ice, water, waves, and wind. As with any natural process that takes place on the Earths surface, gravity plays a major role as well. Water is perhaps the most important (or at least most visible) agent of erosion. Raindrops strike the surface of the Earth with enough force to break apart soil in a process known as splash erosion. Sheet erosion occurs as water collects on the surface and moves toward small streams and rivulets, removing a widespread, thin layer of soil along the way. Gully and rill erosion occurs as runoff becomes concentrated enough to remove and transport larger amounts of soil. Streams, depending on their size and speed, can erode away banks and bedrock and transport large pieces of sediment.   Glaciers erode through abrasion and plucking. Abrasion occurs as rocks and debris become embedded on the bottom and sides of a glacier. As the glacier moves, the rocks scour and scratch the surface of the Earth. Plucking takes place when meltwater enters cracks in the rock beneath a glacier. The water refreezes and breaks off large pieces of rock, which are then transported by glacial movement. U-shaped valleys  and  moraines  are visible reminders of the awesome erosive (and depositional) power of glaciers.   Waves cause erosion by cutting away at the shore. This process creates remarkable landforms like wave-cut platforms, sea arches,  sea stacks, and chimneys. Due to the constant battering of wave energy, these landforms are usually short-lived.   Wind affects the surface of the Earth through deflation and abrasion. Deflation refers to the removal and transport of fine-grained sediment from the winds turbulent flow. As the sediment is airborne, it may grind and wear away surfaces with which it comes in contact. Like with glacial erosion, this process is known as abrasion.  Wind erosion is most common in flat, arid areas with loose, sandy soils.   Human Impact on Erosion Although erosion is a natural process, human activities like agriculture, construction, deforestation, and grazing can greatly increase its impact. Agriculture is particularly notorious. Areas that are conventionally plowed experience upwards of 10 times more erosion than normal. Soil forms at about the same rate that it  naturally erodes, meaning that humans are currently stripping away the soil at a very unsustainable rate.   Providence Canyon, sometimes referred to as Georgias Little Grand Canyon, is a strong testament to the erosional effects of poor farming practices. The canyon began forming in the early 19th century as rainwater runoff from the fields caused gully erosion. Now, just 200 years later, guests can see 74 million years of beautifully layered sedimentary rock in the 150-foot canyon walls.