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1. NUR SYAHIRAH BINTI GANI (80710)

2. ALYSSHA ADLIN BINTI ISMAIL (98095)

3. NUR JEHAN BINTI MOHAMAD (100425)

4. NAJAH HAYANI BINTI MOHD NADZARI (100033)

5. NURUL SYIFA HUSNA BINTI MOHD ZAHWAN (100708)

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Our group has decided to choose the theme of crime/thriller for this semiotic analysis. This is a topic that has suspense, intrigue and hidden meanings that can be discussed in this analysis. We have selected four pictures to explore the meanings behind these pictures. The objective of our analysis is to uncover the layers of signification based on these visuals in terms of its denotation, connotation and myth.

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Denotation

The picture depicts two white people, a woman and a child, sitting closely on a velvet red couch. The girl is wearing glasses, smiling widely showing her missing teeth. She is dressed in a pink polka-dot dress on top of a white shirt paired with a white fluffy bonnet, clinging to a little puppy. The woman is wearing a vibrant colored plaid dress, smiling while embracing both the child and dog.

Connotation

The image conveys a sense of warmth, contentment, and familial intimate personal bond. They are sitting close together and smiling, showing affectionate mother-daughter relationship. The child clothes and demeanour may convey innocence and fragility, but the mother's presence suggests protection and nurture. The presence of the small dog reinforced the image of a perfect loving family.

Myth

The narrative shown in this painting is that of a difficult and tragic relationship between a mother and her daughter. It depicts not only a familial relationship, but also a story of deception, abuse, and, ultimately, a desperate struggle for freedom. It is the tragic story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Dee Dee, who suffers from Munchausen syndrome, inflicted and faked illness on her daughter. Gypsy was kept isolated and forced to received unnecessary medical treatments before realising the truth and seeking freedom. To avoid being controlled, she and her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, murdered Dee Dee in 2015. This crime showcases the issues of control, independence, and the underlying darkness in familial connections.

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Picture of Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard

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Denotation

The picture shows a woman with black shirt and black pant with a red sleeveless dress on top of the black shirt was smiling brightly with her teeth shown. She was escorted by a bunch of people who wore earth-toned coloured uniform. Her hand was handcuffed with the other women beside her. Two of the uniformed women were wearing white scarf. There was a flashlight behind them. There were not only women that escorted her, but there were also some men at the back.

Connotation

The woman in the middle was escorted by policewomen for her trial, but the woman seems unbothered and relax. She was smiling and it looks like she was so proud of what she did. The picture emits creepy and scary vibes, especially from the woman in the middle that smile brightly, almost looks like she was a witch. From the picture, it seems like the policewomen were quite uncomfortable around her as they did not show any expressions. They also looked like they were tired handling the case.

Myth

The name of the woman in the middle was Mona Fandey. She used to be known as a singer in Malaysian pop genre. Being only a singer did not make her has an easy life, despite there were a lot of performances and talks that she got offered to because she did not get paid enough. So, besides being a singer, she was also a shaman. Because of that, she was known as a famous shaman that has helped a lot of people to get what they want. One day, on July 2nd, 1993, a politician, Mazlan Idris was reported missing after he went to see Mona Fandey. A lot of assumptions were made, and unfortunately, Mona Fandey’s husband, Juraimi Hassan confessed about the murder that he and his wife did. During Mona Fandey’s trial which was from December 1994 until February 1995, Mona Fandey acted very cheerful, and she was seen to be wearing fancy and beautiful clothes. She also posed for the camera. On November 2nd, 2001, Mona Fandey was executed by hanging, and she was only 45 years old.

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Denotation

In this image, there is a group of people being in one cramped space. Three of them are sitting near a wall of drawers or storage. A man is standing and peeking from a corner of the space. The man cautiously peeking suggests that he might be monitoring the situation. The people seemed to be distressed. Their expressions and body language shows a feeling of fear and anxiety. This overall image depicts a scene of high tension.

Connotation

This image is in a black-and-white nature insinuates that the scene from the image was from many years ago suggesting that this was an old image of a real event. In the image, expressions and body language of the individuals connotes them to may be in a hostage situation. Their faces and tense positioning suggest that the individuals are under pressure. The individuals being in space with small drawers indicate that they might be in a bank or storage area. Considering what is stored in a space such as bank vault or storage area, this implies that this image shows a scene of robbery or crime site.

Myth

This image is from the year 1973 when a bank robbery took place in Stockholm, Sweden, in August. The known term of “Stockholm syndrome” was originally coined from this case where the individuals that were held hostage developed a special bond with the robbers. The hostages began sympathizing with their captors and formed an unexpected emotional alliance. The tense felt by the hostages during the captive was a critical component in the development of Stockholm syndrome. The extreme stress led hostages identified with their captors as a coping mechanism. This phenomenon narrates how severe pressuring situation can lead hostages to build empathy for the captors as a survival strategy. This historical event highlighted the resilience and adaptability of human psyche in facing extreme situations.

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Denotation

There are three young women looking happy while walking together side by side. They are wearing different types of dresses, a deep v-neck cut, lace and silk. They are being led by a female officer in uniform , along with others in the background. The place looks like a hallway in a building, and there is a light fixture set up in the back.

Connotation

The woman in front of them is an officer appointed to escort them for a trial at a police station or a court. Despite the situation, the young women seem unbothered and nonchalant. Based on the way they are dressed, the setting of this picture is likely from the 1960s or 1970s, as the length of the dresses was popular during the 1960s. This style can be referred to as bohemian, heavily influenced by psychedelic trends. There is also a sense of rebellion in this picture, reflecting the 1960s, a period known for countercultural movements. These movements, while often promoting positive change, were sometimes viewed as harmful due to their association with radicalization and extremism.

Myth

This is a famous picture of the Manson Family cult members, often known as 'The Manson Girls,' who were involved in the notorious murders led by Charles Manson. The photograph shows Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten being escorted to the court during their trial for the Tate-LaBianca murders. Charles Manson, the leader of a cult named The Manson Family also an American criminal and musician. This cult happened in California started in the late 1960s. The cult members    carried out several murders and believed they were committed to studying and implementing Manson's unconventional religious teachings.

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To sum up, we can conclude that our semiotic analysis reveals the multiple layers of meanings and significant patterns hidden behind these crime/thriller pictures. Each pictures meant to be a visual texts or an object, inviting audiences to decode its hidden messages. By analysing the topic in terms of its denotation, connotation and myth, we are able to get a deeper understanding of the topic’s cultural significance.