So this week, we have been talking about semiotics and "The World of Wrestling” in class. Therefore, today I decided to talk more about "The World of Wrestling". For some reason, I really liked this piece because I felt like it took a topic that was of no interest to me and made it really interesting by forcing me to look at the sport in a whole new light.
Like Kate said in class, the piece was basically an example of semiotics in action. What interested me the most was how Barthes referred to wrestling as this intelligible spectacle that represents justice. The lines between how it actually does this are somewhat blurred in my mind, but I can kind of see where the justice aspect of it would come in.
Like Barthes said, amateur wrestling involves wrestlers who play these characters that represent different morals of life. However, being that these characters are somewhat larger than life, and in the real world good doesn’t always conquer evil, nor does those who are good get rewarded while those who are evil have to pay for their wrong-doings, I want to know what exactly is it that makes people love wrestling so much?
Personally, I couldn’t sit through an entire match because to me, it is still barbaric whether what’s happening is real or fabricated. Yet, there are millions of people who can’t get enough of something that they know probably wouldn’t take place in that manner in real life. I guess it all comes down to the notion that people simply like fantasy. We love that we live in a society that allows us to drift away every now and then into a place where our problems don’t matter for a little while. We can be who we want to be, feel how ever we want to feel, and take solace in that fact that someone has to pay even if it is for just a moment.
We like to be entertained. We like to be able to submerge ourselves in situations that take us from reality and make us feel as if we are living in a somewhat just world.
Like Kate said in class, the piece was basically an example of semiotics in action. What interested me the most was how Barthes referred to wrestling as this intelligible spectacle that represents justice. The lines between how it actually does this are somewhat blurred in my mind, but I can kind of see where the justice aspect of it would come in.
Like Barthes said, amateur wrestling involves wrestlers who play these characters that represent different morals of life. However, being that these characters are somewhat larger than life, and in the real world good doesn’t always conquer evil, nor does those who are good get rewarded while those who are evil have to pay for their wrong-doings, I want to know what exactly is it that makes people love wrestling so much?
Personally, I couldn’t sit through an entire match because to me, it is still barbaric whether what’s happening is real or fabricated. Yet, there are millions of people who can’t get enough of something that they know probably wouldn’t take place in that manner in real life. I guess it all comes down to the notion that people simply like fantasy. We love that we live in a society that allows us to drift away every now and then into a place where our problems don’t matter for a little while. We can be who we want to be, feel how ever we want to feel, and take solace in that fact that someone has to pay even if it is for just a moment.
We like to be entertained. We like to be able to submerge ourselves in situations that take us from reality and make us feel as if we are living in a somewhat just world.
Barthes said wrestling harbors the ultimate symbols of defeat and suffering, but how exactly does it do that? Yes, you have these characters that play the hero and the villain, but they are just that…. CHARACTERS. People who will walk away from the wrestling match and return to their normal lives as fathers, sons, and brothers. I guess this is why Barthes says the sport is intelligible, because amateur wrestlers are clearly good actors. They know when to turn it on and when to shut it right back off, and that in itself is a very interesting and intelligible thing for one to be able to do.
The photo that I chose for this week probably seems as if it doesn’t connect with what I have been discussing, but I just wanted to point out that in Barthes’ piece, he only refers to male wrestlers. Even though the sport is predominantly male, I still would like to make sure women are not left out of it. I have heard much too often that wrestling is a man’s sport, but there are many women who are just as passionate about it. I strongly believe that we women can do nearly anything a man can do and probably even better in some cases so in conclusion, I pose the question… “Girl’s can’t what??????”
Until next time...... :-)
1 comment:
Of course, in Barthes time only women did wrestle, right? I'm interested in how you're working through the Barthes. You question this idea of justice, which is where I think he really gets complicated. Justice finds its signification in these wrestler's bodies...we see justice acted out for us in such a horrific and yet choreographed way. At least we don't have to do it!
I would like to see you connect more to outside ideas. Remember what Barthes says about the Text...it's a "weave" or "network," right? Let's see that network at work. What ideas does the piece give you? Connect, connect, connect!
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