“UNPACKING IMAGES”
KEY QUESTIONS
TO ASK WHEN ANALYZING MEDIA MESSAGES
CONTENT:
What do you see?
Who are the main figures or objects?
What are the main actions/events?
What key words or phrases appear in this message?
Project Look Sharp, Ithaca College
http://www.blmedialit.com/soviet_posters.pdf
AUDIENCE & AUTHORSHIP:
Who made this message?
Why was this made?
Who is the target audience (and how do you know)?
Who paid for this?
Who might benefit from this message? Who might be harmed by it?
What kinds of actions might be taken in response to this message?
Project Look Sharp, Ithaca College
http://www.blmedialit.com/soviet_posters.pdf
MESSAGES & MEANINGS:
What is this about (and what makes you think that)?
What ideas, values, information, and/or points of view are overt?
What ideas, values, information, and/or points of view are implied?
What is left out of this message that might be important to know?
What techniques are used? Why were those techniques used? How do they communicate the
message?
How might different people understand this message differently?
What is my interpretation of this and what do I learn about myself from my reaction or
interpretation?
Project Look Sharp, Ithaca College
http://www.blmedialit.com/soviet_posters.pdf
Source: Designer unknown, Literacy is the path to communism (1920).
1917-1920
Comrade! Having tripled our energy,
Through the lines of guns and hackles
of bayonets,
Let’s have a joyful meeting in a bloody
battle of
The third anniversary of the October
Revolution!
It [the revolution] guarantees our
imminent victory,
We will never again be slaves!
After temporary setbacks and
misfortunes
We march towards a joyous kingdom
of labor.
Slain with the proletarian sword,
With its last gasp the dragon of
imperialism opens its jaws.
The Soviet, federative, Socialist, and
world
Republic: Long live her power!
Date and artist unknown.
Source: 1920 Red Army poster by Dmitrii Stakhevich Orlov with the caption
‘Have you volunteered?’
Source: Strahov-Bratislavsky, Adolf Iosifovich, 1926. Translation - Liberated woman build up socialism!
Source: Death to world capitalism! V. Deni. 1931.
Source: Sirocenqo, Long live the great Stalin! (1938).
Source: Victor Ivanov . 1943. "We are Drinking the Water From Our Native Dnieper, Soon
We Will Drink From Prut, Neman and Bug"
Source: Artist Unknown. “In USSR There Are Many New Schools, In USA Schools
Are Getting Closed All the Time “ (1950s)