An effective way for public service organizations to reach the public is through a multi-sensory approach. Such was the case with the Global Water Foundation. Years ago, to bring awareness of water shortages throughout the world, this organization created a brief, poignant film using iconic realism as a way to elucidate for its audience this grave ecological issue. In this brief film, the iconic image of a whale leaping out of the desert sand focuses the audience's attention to the increasingly devastating diminution of potable water in specific areas across our beautiful planet.
© Dr. Jeanne I. Lakatos, Ph.D.
Introduction:

- Dr. Jeanne Iris
- 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:
22 August, 2025
'Global Water Foundation and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to see and hear the video)
An effective way for public service organizations to reach the public is through a multi-sensory approach. Such was the case with the Global Water Foundation. Years ago, to bring awareness of water shortages throughout the world, this organization created a brief, poignant film using iconic realism as a way to elucidate for its audience this grave ecological issue. In this brief film, the iconic image of a whale leaping out of the desert sand focuses the audience's attention to the increasingly devastating diminution of potable water in specific areas across our beautiful planet.
21 August, 2025
Imre Madách's "The Tragedy of Man" and Iconic Realism
20 August, 2025
Saint Stephen and Iconic Realism
Saint Stephen was ordained one of the first deacons of the Christian faith by decree of the first apostles of Jesus after Jesus' crucifixion. He was outspoken about the hypocritical actions of the Jewish leaders. Many widows in Jerusalem were not being appropriately cared for, and Stephen made this known to the Sanhedrin. Instead of listening to his reasoning, the Jewish leaders and others led him outside the gates of Jerusalem and proceeded to stone him to death. As he was being stoned, he spoke these words, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." (Acts 7:60)
How does this act of martyrdom reflect the semiotic theory of iconic realism?
1. An iconic, real figure, Stephen, is brought to trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin. (an iconic, realistic figure in a place not usually associated with Christian leaders)
2. He believed in the Law of Moses, yet the Jewish leaders thought of him as a political and religious threat, and gave Saul of Tarsus orders to have him stoned to death. (An extreme action that causes Stephen to resist any thought of combative response.)
Note: Saul would eventually receive the Divine calling to serve the Lord as Paul and compose many of writings found in the New Testament.
3. As Stephen was being stoned, he was heard crying out, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." (Acts: 7:60) Forgiveness within his heart that reflected the words of Jesus before He perished on the cross. (This action brings the reading audience to an awareness of the need for forgiveness in order for one to save one's soul.
Saint Stephen's feast day is December 26.
Background information has been paraphrased from this website:
19 August, 2025
Christine de Pisan (or Pizan) Medieval Writer, and Iconic Realism in Roman de la Rose
18 August, 2025
Tyree Guyton's 'Heidelberg Project' and Iconic Realism (Click this title to view more information)
17 August, 2025
Shakespeare's 'Venus and Adonis' and Iconic Realism

Iconic realism is evident in William Shakespeare's epyllion, "Venus and Adonis." He places these two beings of varying mortality in a lush setting, similar to the Garden of Eden, but the goddess of Love finds it impossible to obtain the object of her desire, for his own desires and eventual mortality triumph. Through his representation of this immortal creature in conjunction with a mortal setting and circumstances, Shakespeare uses the goddess of Love to elucidate for his readers the importance of suffering as a vital aspect of the human experience.
16 August, 2025
White Wolves-"Fear" and Iconic Realism

In this beautiful musical presentation by IceFloeSoul, with lyrics sung by Sarah McLachlan's mystical voice, the concept of stewardship once again appears through the illustration of the iconic white wolf in late winter/early spring, a symbol of freedom. This video lets the audience see this animal and hear its haunting voice, along with voices of other animals and sights of natural parallel structures.
The juxtaposition of this visual and aural experience with contemporary music and words that describe a love theme provides the audience with awareness of the human connection to and responsibility for maintenance of a healthful environment, alerting us to possible limitations of freedom and corollary fear, if we are not watchful.
15 August, 2025
Dante Alighieri's "Paradiso" and Iconic Realism
Photo from Google Images
14 August, 2025
Two Candles Burning and Iconic Realism
The following poem is the poetic version of the Introduction to a collection of short stories that I will finish writing...one day...
How does this explain iconic realism? Well, I was sitting in a church, watching two candles that people lit for a specific purpose, and I noticed how these candles seemed to take on the characteristics of playful humans. The candles were iconic representations of human need, sharing an inanimate form of delight in a setting that was meant to be solemn and prayerful. This activity, in turn, captured my attention, brought me immediately to my knees, and lifted my heart to furtively pray for the two people who lit those wicks hours before I arrived.
Two Candles Burning
Two candles burn
dripping wax
in a molten dance
of devotion and delight
caressing the air,
amusing, antagonizing
in mischievous coalition.
Flames pulsate
in a zephyr's wave
like birds with fluttering,
flickering wings
and entwine mid-air.
Two guests, having left the pews
leave with their prayers
still swirling through the air.
Imploring with solicitude
as the reflective waxen fervor
blends with my own petitions,
I kneel and add their hopes to mine.
© Jeanne I. Lakatos
13 August, 2025
'Harmony of the Spheres' and Iconic Realism
12 August, 2025
Blade Runner and Iconic Realism

11 August, 2025
James Joyce's Ulysses: Breathing in Natural and New Laws
Often, individuals perceive the world in terms of various human laws and semantic representations established by the community. These laws or rules of thought have been the subject of many philosophers throughout history. One such philosopher was Thomas Aquinas, who described differences between natural law and new law, represented by Christ.
Dr. Taylor Marshall, who devoted his doctoral dissertation to Thomas Aquinas’ philosophical approach to such laws, states:
Natural law is not the same as ‘laws of nature’ such as gravity. Natural law is an inward inclination toward the good and the avoidance of evil. It is a natural operating system. Thomas [Aquinas] explicitly teaches it is not chiefly a set of moral commandments. Rather it is an inclination humans have toward the good. (43)
Dr. Marshall continues with his discussion of Natural Law versus Thomas Aquinas’ interpretation of New Law in which he states:
The New Law of the Gospel fulfills what is lacking in the natural law. It is required that every Christian seek to prayerfully persuade every man and woman on Earth to enter into the New Law of Christ.” (44)
In his novel, Ulysses, James Joyce illustrates the manner in which human beings manage these laws, both Natural and New, as he weaves in and out of Leopold Bloom’s odyssey as if he were a spirit, acknowledging the human frailties and the responsibilities that many leave deposited along the wayside of their life’s journeys. He utilizes Bloom’s adventure to reveal this spiritual arc to the reader through a combination of language, human interactions, and observations.
As a reader of Joyce’s Ulysses inhales and exhales this linguistic masterpiece, an opportunity exists to affect change in the reader’s consciousness and perhaps even in one’s own community. Through his configuration of various linguistic and literary styles to illustrate various societal constraints, Joyce presents his reading audience with views of his own cognitive dissonance, represented as the other through Leopold Bloom, as well as the distinction between the Irish consciousness and that of other countries in Europe during the first world war years.
Joyce releases his own constraints and embraces the possibilities associated with challenging stereotypes, linguistic barriers and cultural standards. He creates his own version of Nature and New Laws. His extensive references to elitist whims within this novel contribute to the iconic intricacies of dissonant cultures existing in the midst of a torn tapestry of Dublin and Europe as the people deal with the post and pre- world wars. Indeed, Joyce’s use of iconic realism throughout his novel, Ulysses, creates an awareness of the need for cultural change.
10 August, 2025
'Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress' by Dai Sijie and Iconic Realism
09 August, 2025
Emily Dickinson and Iconic Realism
08 August, 2025
Irish Music and Iconic Realism in Sydney Owenson's piece, "When Floating O'er"
From my presentation at an annual Conference of the Association of Franco-Irish Studies, Dublin, Ireland:
The Irish melody, “When Floating O’er: Cathleen Nolan” from Sydney Owenson’s 1803 collection, Twelve Original Hibernian Melodies, demonstrates an iconic vision and focuses the audience’s attention on iconic elements associated with late 18th - early 19th century Ireland that deal with transformation. This particular piece demonstrates my semiotic theory of iconic realism in that it complies with the following necessary components of my theory:
1. The presence of a realistic icon: a representation of Cathleen ni Houlihan.
2. Deliberate placement of the icon within the midst of a unique, realistic setting out of place for this particular icon: lyrical and musical choices.
3. A created dissonance between these two entities as the catalyst that generates audience enlightenment of a cultural dilemma in need of transformation: Irish awareness of cultural valor.
Not only did Owenson’s nineteenth century listening audience experience the pleasant melody of this tune, they also were able to interpret the lyrics as an Irish romantic memory or a realization that a change in the historical relevance of Irish history was at hand. Playing this piece and other Irish melodies on her harp, Owenson exhibited iconic realism by bringing attention of Irish history, plucked on soothing strings. Perhaps, her attempt was to lull her audience into a state of acceptance or awaken them gradually by means of intense harmonics.
Thus, the utility of music as a means of representing the semiotic theory of iconic realism involves a multiple sensory application in connection with sound wave production and its effect on human cognition. Whether the connection originates from a classical music composition, sounds of nature, or a synthesized production, juxtaposition of an iconic sound with an aspect of realism produces an auditory response that ultimately can lead to an audience’s awareness of positive change, be it cultural or individual.