Step 3: Analysis and Synthesis (Why is it put together this way?)
Having established a general sense of how a text organizes its elements, the next step is to ask why it organizes them this way. This work marks the point where you move from describing what you see to reflecting on what it means. Making this transition enables you to begin creating the critical distance needed to analyze and evaluate this text. To get this work underway, here are some questions you might consider:
- What message is the sign designed to express?
- How does is this message reinforced by the figure of the homeless man?
- How would you describe the general appearance of the homeless man? What reaction does it evoke?
- What physical elements of the photograph can be compared/contrasted
As I look at this photo more closely, here are the questions that come to mind:
