Three Quotes from Rhetoric of the Image

1. We are still, and more than ever, a civilization of writing, writing and speech continuing to be the full terms of the informational structure.  In fact, it is simply the presence of the linguistic message that counts, for neither its position nor its length seem to be pertinent.

In the advertisement, there is a linguistic message.  And as Barthes believes, it is the most pertinent message to relaying information.  While the images in the ad allow viewers to formulate ideas on what the show may be about, the words on the ad relay information.  HBO realizes the importance of the linguistic message and utilizes it here to share information about the date and time of the series finale.

2. The type of consciousness the photograph involves is indeed truly unprecedented, since it establishes not a consciousness of the being-there of the thing (which any copy could provoke) but an awareness of its having-been-there.

The image of James Gandolfini in this advertisement is a photograph.  While it may easily have been photoshopped, it creates the idea in viewers’ minds that Gandolfini was actually there in front of the Statue of Liberty at some point in time.  Because we now have “proof” that he was once there, the message that the advertisement is trying to relay is not more credible.

3. The variations in readings is not, however, anarchic; it depends on the different kinds of knowledge—practical, national, cultural, aesthetic—invested in the image and these can be classified, brought into a typology.   

This ad relies on this type of knowledge that Barthes describes.  We can use national knowledge to understand the Statue of Liberty symbolizes things such as freedom and New York City.  We can use aesthetic knowledge to understand that red color of “Made in America” may be symbolizing bloodshed and predicting an especially violent series finale.  Practical knowledge can be used to interpret Gandolfini’s facial expressions.  One can look at the ad and see that he looks like he’s suspicious of someone or something and that he may be plotting some kind of revenge.