“An image can denote certain apparent truths, providing
documentary evidence of objective circumstances. The denotative meaning of the
image refers to its literal, descriptive meaning. The same photograph connotes
more culturally specific meanings. Connotative meanings rely on the cultural
and historical context of the image and its viewers’ lived, felt knowledge of
those circumstances – all that the image means to them personally and socially
(Sturken and Cartwright 19).”
This is an image of a bible I found online taken by Oleksandr
Pakhay from Ukraine. It is taken in
someone’s home (which is evidence on the top right hand corner with the wooden
floor, a glass table, and part of the cable), maybe on the dining table. The
primary elements in this image – an opened bible and hands in praying position
–are clearly shot in the center, with secondary elements: the ear of the wheat
and bread. It is interested to note that the elements in the photo are
carefully selected and positioned because of the unnatural look of the scene;
no one would read and pray with the wheat and bread aside. Plus the wheat is
blocking part of the bible, which will cause difficulty while flipping the
pages.
Even though the denotation of the image is as simple as
such, the elements suggest various levels of connotative meanings. First of
all, this is a praying scene taking place in a private environment. Praying is
to bring oneself before God. If the denotation is a person praying, the first
level of connotation is a person speaking to god through prayer. Secondly, the bible is opened which means
that the person was reading it before his prayer. Bible is the word of God. By
reading and praying back and forth, the image represents communication (with God) rather than one person’s solo speech.
The word of God is also our daily bread, which is clearly suggested by the
wheat and bread aside. The very action of reading is also the action of
consuming. This point out that the bible is not only a book of knowledge, it
also gives us hope and faith for the scripture says that man shall not live
with bread alone (Deuteronomy 8:3).
Work Cited
Holy Bible. New Revised Standard
Version/Chinese Union Version. National Council of Churches of Christ in the
United States of America/ National TSPM & CCC. Shanghai: National TSPM
& CCC, 2006.
Pakhay,
Oleksandr. ON Table Bible, The Ear Of The
Wheat And Bread And Hands Of The Person Who Be Prayed. Ukraine. 123rf.com. Web. 7 Feb. 2013. <http://www.123rf.com/photo_3605564_on-table-bible-the-ear-of-the-wheat-and-bread-and-hands-of-the-person-who-be-prayed.html>
Sturken,
Marita and Lisa Cartwright. Practices of
Looking: an Introduction to Visual Culture. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2001. Print.
