Pamela Metaphors

2.3.1 Metaphor. In semiotic terms, a metaphor involves one signified acting

as a signifier referring to a different signified. Metaphors are unconventional

because they disregard ‘literal’ or denotative resemblance. Metaphorical

images often imply that which advertisers would not express in words

(Chandler 2007: 128). There are several kinds of metaphors; orientational 13

ontological 14

values in a culture or subculture ( Lakoff & Johnson cited in Chandler 2007:

129).

In Figure 1 is a phrase in large capitalised letters stating ; “All animals have

the same parts”. The word “Animal” is used metaphorically for both humans

and animals, in an effort to create equality between them (Warren 2000:

127). The word “parts” is a synecdoche 16,

In Figure 1, the photograph of Pamela can be interpreted as a synecdochic

fallacy. Analogically, Pamela represents the ideal ‘look’ for all women; she is

portrayed as submissive and promiscuous, meagrely dressed with the perfect

features and body. Analogical signs include visual images, gestures, textures,

taste and smells and can signify subtleties which seem ‘beyond words’.

Emotions and feelings are analogical signifieds (Chandler 2007: 48). The

21 See page 10-11

22 Hypernymy: the use of a member of a class for the class (superordinate) which includes it, e.g. a

‘mother’ for ‘motherhood’, ‘bread’ for ‘food’, ‘Hoover’ for ‘vacuum-cleaner’, or vice versa; the use of

a superordinate for a hyponym, e.g. ‘vehicle’ for ‘car’, or ‘machine’ for ‘computer’ (Chandler 2007:

132).

9

connotations 23 signified by Pamela’s appearance, are that all women must

look like Pamela in order to be culturally accepted. I n this case Pamela

represents the ideal woman, other women are measured by this constructed

ideal, and consequently all women are then seen as consisting of labelled

‘parts’, like Pamela in Figure 1. The segmented body of Pamela portrayed