Summary
In BL’s Task 6 post, they summarized a movie title and plot using emojis. They reflected on viewing words as symbols rather than syllables, which was also a focus in my own post. BL also used mathematical symbols ( +, –, ×, =) to show relationships between emojis and considered using ∀ but decided not to overuse them, noting that readers might not recognize the symbol. Their reflection emphasized how language evolves with new media and how context is essential for interpreting symbols – without shared understanding, meaning can easily be lost.
Why I chose this post
I chose a Task 6 post because I was curious how others summarized a movie using only emojis. BL used UBC Blogs, the same platform as me, making their site familiar and easy to navigate.
Reflection
I initially couldn’t figure out BL’s movie from the emojis, showing that symbolic communication doesn’t come naturally to me. The mention of “dystopias” in their reflection made me think it was The Hunger Games, and I’m fairly sure that’s correct.
I appreciated their use of mathematical symbols to express relationships, something I hadn’t considered with my own post. Their emoji sequence was also vertically arranged, making it easier to follow compared to my single-line layout. BL’s point about context resonated with me; without the clue about “dystopias,” interpreting the emojis would have been really challenging. Communicating through symbols requires prior knowledge and imagination.
Like me, BL used UBC Blogs, and I wondered if their emojis displayed correctly, since I had to use a screenshot for mine. BL’s post privileges visual and symbolic literacy, while mine relied more on linear reading. This aligns with Kress (2005), showing how modern media meaning often depends on visual and contextual cues. Compared to mine, their organized, visually structured post enhances understanding and engagement, reflecting how new media encourages fluid, dynamic language blending symbols, visuals, and text.
Their approach contrasts with mine, highlighting how the same task can be interpreted in multiple ways. I would likely depict The Hunger Games in a simple linear line, as I did in my Task 6 emoji summary. It illustrates how our differences shape the way we interpret and respond to the same task. Seeing BL’s vertical arrangement of emojis also made me think about how I could experiment with different visual arrangements in the future.
Reference
Kress, G. (2005). Gains and losses: New forms of texts, knowledge, and learning. Computers and Composition, 22(1), 5–22.