What is intertextuality?
DEFINITION: Intertextuality n. the relationship between texts, especially literary ones.
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/9/7/119787916/published/transparent-troll-face.png?1527069095)
This unit will explore the way that cultural stories transmit units of meaning through the culture. We will now explore this idea through the common concept of a meme.
What is a meme?
A meme is “an idea, behaviour, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture”. A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. The word ‘meme’ is a shortening (modeled on gene) of mimeme (from Ancient Greek mimema, “imitated thing”). Different cultures will have different criteria that indicate whether a given idea should be ‘transmitted’ through time within a culture.
A meme is “an idea, behaviour, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture”. A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. The word ‘meme’ is a shortening (modeled on gene) of mimeme (from Ancient Greek mimema, “imitated thing”). Different cultures will have different criteria that indicate whether a given idea should be ‘transmitted’ through time within a culture.
Activity 1: Internet Memes Prezi
Have a look at the following Prezi: ‘Using Internet Memes In the Classroom’
prezi.com/armj3gi9kz0h/using-internet-memes-in-the-classroom/ The prezi defines a meme as ‘a snippet of culture’, ‘a thought, behaviour, or artifact’ and that it ‘spreads via transmission and adaptation’. Memes are usually: - Something everyone has seen or recognises. - Spread via sharing or imitation or adaptation. To make a meme: - Start with a photo and add a funny (or punny) caption. - Mashup different genres or topics. - Use current events. |
Activity 2: Make a Meme
Now it's your turn.
Think about how memes are transmitted through culture. Certain parts of the meme remain the same (the relationship between the picture and caption) but certain parts are adapted to the current context (usually a part of the caption).
What is the criteria for transmission?
HUMOUR! A meme isn't successful unless it's funny! This also means that it must be relatable to many people within a culture, in order to be transmitted.
Use a site like QUICKMEME.com to create your own meme. Your target audience is your class.
Once you create your meme, answer the following questions in your books:
1. How is this meme relatable within the culture of this classroom?
2. How has intertextuality been used in the creation of your meme?
3. Would this meme be rapidly transmitted outside this classroom? Why/why not?
Think about how memes are transmitted through culture. Certain parts of the meme remain the same (the relationship between the picture and caption) but certain parts are adapted to the current context (usually a part of the caption).
What is the criteria for transmission?
HUMOUR! A meme isn't successful unless it's funny! This also means that it must be relatable to many people within a culture, in order to be transmitted.
Use a site like QUICKMEME.com to create your own meme. Your target audience is your class.
Once you create your meme, answer the following questions in your books:
1. How is this meme relatable within the culture of this classroom?
2. How has intertextuality been used in the creation of your meme?
3. Would this meme be rapidly transmitted outside this classroom? Why/why not?
Activity 3: Techniques of Intertextuality
1. Read the following definitions and see examples.
2. Create a table in your workbook like the following, for all techniques:
2. Create a table in your workbook like the following, for all techniques:
Name the technique, provide a definition in your own words, and think of an example in a text. Also add any new terms to your Quizlet flash cards.
Allusion
Usually an implicit reference, perhaps to another work of literature or art, to a person or an event. It is often a kind of appeal to a reader to share some experience with the writer. An allusion may enrich the work by association and give it depth. When using allusions a writer tends to assume an established literary tradition, a body of common knowledge with an audience sharing that tradition and an ability on the part of the audience to 'pick up' the reference. The following kinds may be roughly distinguished: (a) a reference to events and people; (b) reference to facts about the author; (c) a metaphorical allusion.
See examples
Pastiche
A patchwork of words, sentences or complete passages from various authors or one author. It is, therefore, a kind of imitation and, when intentional, may be a form of parody. An elaborate form of pastiche is a sustained work (say, a novel) written mostly or entirely in the style and manner of another writer.
See examples
Parody
The imitative use of words, style, attitude, tone and ideas of an author in such a way as to make them ridiculous. This is usually achieved by exaggerating certain traits, using more or less the same technique as the cartoon caricaturist. In fact, a kind of satirical mimicry. As a branch of satire its purpose may be corrective as well as derisive. Parody is difficult to accomplish well. There has to be a subtle balance between close resemblance to the 'original' and a deliberate distortion of it's principal characteristics. It is, therefore, a minor form of literary art which is likely to be successful only in the hands of writers who are original and creative themselves.
See examples
Translation
Three basic kinds of translation may be distinguished; (a) a more or less literally exact rendering of the original meaning at the expense of the syntax, a grammar and idiom of the language into which it is put; (b) an attempt to convey the spirit, sense and style of the original by finding equivalents in syntax, grammar and idiom; (c) a fairly free adaption which retains the original spirit but may considerably alter style, structure, grammar and idiom.
Quotation
A quotation is the repetition of one expression as part of another one, particularly when the quoted expression is well-known of explicitly attributed by citation to its original source, and it is punctuated with quotation marks. A quotation can also refer to the repeated use of units of any other form of expression, especially parts of artistic works: elements of a painting, scenes from a movie, or sections from a musical composition.
Epigraph
Four meanings may be distinguished: (a) an inscription on a statue, stone or building; (b) the writing (legend) on a coin; (c) a quotation on the title page of a book; (d) a motto heading a new section or paragraph.
Allusion
Usually an implicit reference, perhaps to another work of literature or art, to a person or an event. It is often a kind of appeal to a reader to share some experience with the writer. An allusion may enrich the work by association and give it depth. When using allusions a writer tends to assume an established literary tradition, a body of common knowledge with an audience sharing that tradition and an ability on the part of the audience to 'pick up' the reference. The following kinds may be roughly distinguished: (a) a reference to events and people; (b) reference to facts about the author; (c) a metaphorical allusion.
See examples
Pastiche
A patchwork of words, sentences or complete passages from various authors or one author. It is, therefore, a kind of imitation and, when intentional, may be a form of parody. An elaborate form of pastiche is a sustained work (say, a novel) written mostly or entirely in the style and manner of another writer.
See examples
Parody
The imitative use of words, style, attitude, tone and ideas of an author in such a way as to make them ridiculous. This is usually achieved by exaggerating certain traits, using more or less the same technique as the cartoon caricaturist. In fact, a kind of satirical mimicry. As a branch of satire its purpose may be corrective as well as derisive. Parody is difficult to accomplish well. There has to be a subtle balance between close resemblance to the 'original' and a deliberate distortion of it's principal characteristics. It is, therefore, a minor form of literary art which is likely to be successful only in the hands of writers who are original and creative themselves.
See examples
Translation
Three basic kinds of translation may be distinguished; (a) a more or less literally exact rendering of the original meaning at the expense of the syntax, a grammar and idiom of the language into which it is put; (b) an attempt to convey the spirit, sense and style of the original by finding equivalents in syntax, grammar and idiom; (c) a fairly free adaption which retains the original spirit but may considerably alter style, structure, grammar and idiom.
Quotation
A quotation is the repetition of one expression as part of another one, particularly when the quoted expression is well-known of explicitly attributed by citation to its original source, and it is punctuated with quotation marks. A quotation can also refer to the repeated use of units of any other form of expression, especially parts of artistic works: elements of a painting, scenes from a movie, or sections from a musical composition.
Epigraph
Four meanings may be distinguished: (a) an inscription on a statue, stone or building; (b) the writing (legend) on a coin; (c) a quotation on the title page of a book; (d) a motto heading a new section or paragraph.