Reading Comprehension Question A:
ANALYSING AND COMPARING IMAGES
Over the past few years at least one text each year has incorporated visual elements and there has been a question asking the student to analyse, compare and/or evaluate the images presented on the paper. The marking scheme advised examiners to: ‘Reward evidence of visual literacy’. So what exactly is ‘visual literacy’ then? Simply put it’s the ablility to ‘read’ images, to form an understanding of a message or meaning communicated in the form of an image rather than words. We’ve been doing this since we were small babies, long before we could talk or read – so these questions must be easy-peasy then – right?!
They can be, with careful practice and preparation. Good visual literacy comes from paying attention to the details of an image and listening to what feelings are evoked as you study it. Elements like framing, positioning, colour, light and shade, camera angles, graphics, fonts, facial expressions, body language, symbolism and setting can all communicate emotion and meaning. The meaning will depend on the context and also on your cultural experiences.
The colour red, for example, can communicate a range of emotions and messages: passion, love, anger, warmth, danger etc. A red poppy may make you think of fallen soldiers in past wars as it is used as a symbol of remembrance, someone else may see it as simply a beautiful flower. Trust your instincts as the Examinations Commission is unlikely to pick deliberately obscure symbols.
In 2016 the task on Text 1 was to evaluate posters for productions of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. These posters incorporated text and visual imagery in comical or dramatic ways to advertise individual productions. All contained drawings rather than photographs. Some of the posters featured bright, vibrant colours, some more muted, dark tones. Each poster made a different choice in terms of graphics and fonts. Some focused on humour, others focused on mystery. The task was to “choose the poster that you think is most effective in advertising a production of the play”. Look for visual images that are eye-catching and look for the techniques of persuasion typically used in advertising: humour, epigrams ‘when seeing double leads to trouble’ etc.
As always, read the task extremely carefully and make sure you address every element clearly in your answer, linking to the written text if asked to do so. Practice on the images in past papers or check out worldphoto.org for some incredibly powerful images to analyse and compare.