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The Photograph

"For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations." (Isaiah 61:11)
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Introduction:

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Current: Danbury, CT, United States
Welcome! A few years ago, I discovered an application that artists employ in their works to bring cultural awareness to their audiences. Having discerned this semiotic theory that applies to literature, music, art, film, and the media, I have devoted the blog, "Theory of Iconic Realism" to explore this theory. The link to the publisher of my book is below. If you or your university would like a copy of this book for your library or if you would like to review it for a scholarly journal, please contact the Edwin Mellen Press at the link listed below. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for visiting. I hope you will find the information insightful. ~ Dr. Jeanne Iris

Announcements:

I have demonstrated or will demonstrate the application of this theory at the following locations:

2023-24: I am writing my third book on iconic realism.

April 2022: American Conference for Irish Studies, virtual event: (This paper did not discuss Sydney Owenson.) "It’s in the Air: James Joyce’s Demonstration of Cognitive Dissonance through Iconic Realism in His Novel, Ulysses"

October, 2021: Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT: "Sydney Owenson’s use of sociolinguistics and iconic realism to defend marginalized communities in 19th century Ireland"

March, 2021: Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, North Carolina: "Sydney Owenson (Lady Morgan): A Nineteenth Century Advocate for Positive Change through Creative Vision"

October, 2019: Elms College, Chicopee, Massachusetts: "A Declaration of Independence: Dissolving Sociolinguistic Borders in the Literature of Sydney Owenson (Lady Morgan)"

22 June, 2023

Definition of the Semiotic Theory of Iconic Realism

by Jeanne I. Lakatos

Realism comprises authentic and independent aspects of the natural world, which individuals comprehend through sensory perception. The term icon describes a realistic person or realistic object, categorically perceived by a population as representative of a specific human activity or an object that bears significance to human activity. Iconic realism, then, involves the placement of an icon within the midst of a unique realistic setting, out of place for this particular icon, creating a static coalescence of the icon with the designated realism. Since both the icon and the realistic setting represent an aspect of the culture, the resulting friction between these two entities is the catalyst that generates enlightenment of a cultural dilemma. 

I used visual examples of iconic realism as the cover photos for my books, pictured below: 



5 comments:

  1. Thank you for the definition...I had to read it a few time to get my brain cells awake...and awake they are!!! So my question is to do with nature...where does this fit in...lets say the soldiers in Iraq; constantly on guard; minds are trained for enemy attack...no sleep...unfamiliar surroundings/home/family...does the stress of living within that particular realism cause the icon to become more realistic, as in 3D image, or is it due to being under so much stress that hallucinations have set in? Does this make sense?

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  2. Hi Maura,

    Well, thank goodness for your awakened brain cells!

    Hallucinations are a part of many PTSS patients' experiences, stemming from their military service. Their human nature is to endure the fatigue, stress and boredom of a war experience. Yes, even on the battlefield, soldiers may have these kinds of hallucinations. Therefore, any hallucinations or other aspects of human nature represented within a wartime story line would definitely contribute to rounding out the soldier's reality. The reality of a battlefield is that the natural world continues to function: birds fly, flowers bloom, rain falls, amidst the bombs flying and humanity dealing with survival and death.

    To illustrate iconic realism then with this scenario, a writer would have the soldier represent some aspect of a culture far removed from the battlefield. This writer would juxtapose the iconic character containing real emotions and physical reactions with a reality not associated with him/her, which would bring the audience to a recognition of a cultural flaw and the need to reform.

    In other words, the battlefield and all of its experiences, is the reality. The soldier would have to be someone who normally would not be functioning in that reality.

    Thanks and keep those brain cells a cookin' there.

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  3. The 'battlefield' could also be within a person's mind. For example, in the novel, _Fight Club_ by Chuck Palahniuk, the protagonist deals with his inner turmoil and through a fowl-mouthed, Christlike character, named Tyler, who not only defies cultural standards, he destroys them to prove his theory of corporate domination of societal consciousness. This novel is another example of iconic realism. Palahniuk places this iconic figure in the mind of a confused individual who lives in a very real world of superficialities. Through this psychological battle of inner transformation, Palahniuk brings the audience to a realization of the need for cultural reform.

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  4. It's just a shame I'm still a student and can't devote more time and attention to this Jeanne, it really opens up a whole new revolutionary theory...someone sent me some flowers today and didn't sign the card...it just said "I have you in the palm of my hand"...this is as close to iconic realism as I can get!!!

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  5. And there you go! As you can see, this theory has multiple applications.

    We're all students, Maura, every one of us. Buìochas le Dia! (Thank God!)

    Now, what you have to figure out is what kind of cultural transformation does this flower-bearer have in mind...hmmm, could be fun!

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