Write a 3-4 page essay that provides a semiotic analysis of ONE of the following

Write a 3-4 page essay that provides a semiotic analysis of ONE of the following options. At some point of your essay, you should point out one of the logical fallacies we have addressed so far. Identify, define, and explain how the logical fallacy relates to the example you mention. For example, you might show that a social media site is using a strawman fallacy. If you can’t find a logical fallacy in your text, then you could use an example of one in your introduction or conclusion to show the problem with it.
If you are familiar with a sport, analyze various aspects of the sport such as the participants, the style of play, the playing field, the rules, the crowd, and so forth. In what ways does the sport reflect a certain culture? What specific cultural, social, and/or psychological values does that sport represent?
Provide a semiotic analysis of a fitness club or other athletic arena. What do you notice about the layout? about the participants? about the activities that occur in that space?
Select a toy or game to analyze. Discuss ways in which children are socialized through the toy or game. What signs of the toy or game portray certain values? How do gender, race, and/or class figure into the games?
Analyze a social media site (such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, etc.). You will not be analyzing one person’s page; instead, you will be analyzing the overall site itself. What are the functions of the site? For example, are people allowed to “poke” each other? What does it mean to “follow” someone or have a “following”? Consider what the various functions on the page suggest about the culture that uses it. Are there certain tools that appeal to different age groups, genders, ethnicities, etc.?
IMPORTANT CAUTIONS
Do not select any of the texts that were assigned in class unless you have something significantly different to add to our class discussion.
For the sports option, don’t just explain HOW a sport is played. Instead, explain WHY those rules or the style is important. Also, try to avoid points about how your sport builds character. This can be true of nearly every sport. If in doubt, ask yourself, “Is my point true of most sports?” If the answer is yes, find a more original point.
For the game or toy option, don’t turn your paper into a social topics paper. Remember that it still needs to be a semiotic analysis. For example, if one of your thesis points is how dolls are used to reinforce stereotypical roles, don’t start talking about gender roles in our society and forget about analyzing specific details about the doll itself.
For the social media option, one of your thesis points shouldn’t be “People can connect more through social media.” This is too obvious of a point and is true of pretty much every social media site/app. Instead, find more analytical points unique to that particular social media site. For example, why does Snapchat have posts that disappear? Why does Instagram use photos more than text? Why does Twitter have a limited number of characters? Do these different features attract a different audience with different values/needs? (Don’t address ALL these questions. These are just the TYPES of questions you could address if you happen to select that particular social media site/app.)
OBJECTIVES
To think critically about the role of sports, games, toys, or cyberculture in our culture.
To utilize other writers’ theories to help support and/or to articulate your own opinions and disagreements with those writers.
To provide a central thesis statement and to support that thesis statement with evidence from your analysis.
LOGISTICS
Must be typed and double-spaced with 1” margins on all sides. Use MLA formatting.
Standard 12 pt. font should be used.
The paper should include an informative and interesting title (do not use “Essay #3” or just the name of the sport, toy, game, or social media as the title).
Papers must be a minimum of three FULL pages in length (not including the heading and title). Papers that are shorter will be graded as if there were not a page minimum then multiplied by the percentage that is completed. For example, a paper that is 2.5 pages will be graded and then multiplied by 83%, which is how much of the assignment was completed.