Notes

A few basic concepts to act as the theoretic foundations :

(re-written here as understood by me. please feel free to point out errors.)


Semiotics: The study of signs and sign systems, signification and communication.
Every aspect of our cultural/formalized human expression is a sign/symbol.
Be it verbal, non-verbal, physical or experiential.

The sign/symbol > The signified/ the meaning that it carries.

The meaning carried a sign/symbol is usually subjective but largely commonly
agreed upon, and may vary from one frame of reference to another. The process
of carrying meaning largely depends upon the use of 'code'. 'code' here could
mean anything from body language, to road signage systems, i.e. any medium or
platform that supports and binds signifiers. Thus, the 'medium' of
communication that could support a signifier ( which in the above cases would
be say: a word and a stop sign, respectively ), and the context both become
relevant in analyzing the semiotics of any given subject.


Hermeneutics: The study of the process of interpretation or understanding.





Notes from Wiki :

Was looking up basic concepts of identity and fiction, and put together some useful sentences as an abstract to look at when confused or blank. Sometimes it's important to have markers you can anchor back to, when at sea :

As a non-directive and flexible analytical tool, the concept of boundaries helps both to map and to define the changeability and mutability that are characteristic of people’s experiences of the self in society. While identity is a volatile, flexible and abstract ‘thing’, its manifestations and the ways in which it is exercised are often open to view. Identity is made evident through the use of markers such as language, dress, behavior and choice of space, whose effect depends on their recognition by other social beings. Markers help to create the boundaries that define similarities or differences between the marker wearer and the marker perceivers, their effectiveness depends on a shared understanding of their meaning. In a social context, misunderstandings can arise due to a misinterpretation of the significance of specific markers. Equally, an individual can use markers of identity to exert influence on other people without necessarily fulfilling all the criteria that an external observer might typically associate with such an abstract identity.
Identity is a state of mind in which someone recognizes/identifies their character traits that leads to finding out who they are and what they do and not that of someone else. In other words it's basically who you are and what you define yourself as being. The theme of identity is often expressed in books/novels or basically any other piece of literature so that the reader can intrigue themselves and relate to the characters and their emotions. It's useful in helping readers understand that a person's state of mind is full of arduous thoughts about who they are and what they want to be. People can try to modify their identity as much as they want but that can never change.