Barthes' Semiotics

Roland Barthes' theory of Semiotics is distinguished by two components; the signifier and the signified.  Semiotics is defined to be the study of signs. After the 2008 presidential election, the signs "Change" and "Hope" has influenced people to believe that now, President Obama is hope for change that we need desperately in America. Now when we see the signs "Hope" and "Change" we know it represents Obama. Then let us study Obama's signs according to Barthes' theory of Semiotics.

- A Sign is the combination of itss signifier and signified -

According to Barthes' theory, a sign is a part of a system. A connotative system including three elements: the signifier, the signified, and the sign. The words "Hope" and "Change" themselves are the signifier and the interpretation of Obama = 'Hope for change' is the signified. And according to Barthes, the "combination of the two is the sign." This concept of the signifier and signified are influenced from Saussure, who highly influenced Barthes to study semiotics. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcRA2AZsR2Q 

But many critiques have been made saying that individuals have their own ways of interpretations. Not everyone has the same ideas seeing one sign which gives the world the diversity of ideas.