On the presentations...

The two readings were interesting and fitting for our class on close reading. Bathes used psychoanalysis to explain away the deeper meanings beneath cultural symbols and the tactics of marketing. Barthes close reads mythologies, examining the connotation of word choices such as foam and deep. The argument made for detergent builds structurally but it is not entirely clear where it ends up. As for Wine and Milk it is interesting how much meaning the author attributes to the drink choice, as representative of a nation, a set of ideals, and a lifestyle. The sentence styles are varied and there is a frequent usage of italics (altering the words connotations). Each argument that the author makes is followed by examples that serve to validate and elaborate on the points. Both excerpts seem to be using style to sell the reader on the value of the given mythologies.