When you analyze a multimodal composition, thinking about each mode on its own can be a helpful first step to interpreting the composition as a whole. Ask yourself what modes are present. Written words and static images? Audio and moving images? Then consider the role of each mode within the composition. What work does each mode do? For example, do written words convey information or make a plea? Does audio evoke an emotional response? Do moving or static images illustrate a concept or provide background?
Remember to consider the features of each mode as well. Are written words large or small? Bold or fine? Where do they appear? What size are the images, and how are they arranged? How are moving images sequenced? How loud or quiet is the audio? If you consider the modes separately, you’ll be better equipped to think about how they work together.
Take a look at a public service message commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund, a group devoted to protecting nature. The composition uses two modes: written words and a static image. Which mode grabs your attention first? For most viewers, the cheetahs immediately draw the eye. But why? Think about the surrounding space. The background focus is so soft that no other distinct objects appear, only a dark blur. The cheetahs, however, are in sharp focus in the foreground. Their striking spots stand out against the muted background. It would be easy for a viewer to glance quickly at the public service message and see nothing but an adorable photo of cheetahs, except for one thing: the tags on their backs. Marked with “S” and “XL,” these are unmistakably clothing tags. What at first appears to be a touching scene of mother and cub becomes more sinister with the recognition of these tags. These animals are going to be used for clothing.
Student writer Wayne Anderson made the following argument about the ad:
The makers of the ad could have inspired outrage by showing a violent image of cheetahs that had been killed for their furs. They probably recognized, however, that many viewers would instinctively look away and try to forget the image rather than absorb the message. By emphasizing the image of the two cheetahs, the mother guiding her cub in their natural habitat, the ad designers draw in their audience and elicit a sentimental response. Some viewers will feel sympathy and want the cheetahs to survive.
The image alone, however, does not convey the whole message. It delivers a troubling truth and makes viewers feel sympathetic and sad, but it might not have a lasting influence. The text in the upper right corner adds a subtle punch: “Fashion claims more victims than you think.” The statement plays on the familiar concept of fashion victims, people whose clothing choices make them look ridiculous. Here the term victim is being applied to the cheetahs that may be killed to gratify someone’s fashion sense. If the image showed two adult cheetahs or an entire group, the image probably would not be as effective. It’s easier for most people to think of cubs especially as needing protection from harm. Maybe the term victim is supposed to make viewers feel protective and not just sympathetic. Playing on this familiar phrase also helps make the message memorable.
Public service message
Related topics:
Genre: What kind of multimodal text is it?
Purpose and audience: Why and for whom is the multimodal text created?
Meaning: What effect does the composition have on the viewer?