the world at war 1940s poster

Textual Analysis - ‘The World At War’

As represented

the image within

the background

has been hand

drawn, portraying

the limitation of

technology. The

shading could

represent that

there is ‘light at

the end of the

tunnel’, as of the

bright contrast

represented at the

bottom of the

building.

Within the main heading there are

various different colours; the

connotation of black represents

mourning/depression which is

portrayed as an aspect that comes

with more. The use of brown could

connote the earth and the fighting

with natural elements of the world.

White connotes

pureness,

portraying that

this product

represents the

true elements of

the war and the

narrative

represents

accurate meaning.

The subtitle at the top of the

poster entices the audience to

watch the film. It is also a form

of marketing as audiences what

to watch what is current and

reviewed well. Therefore, the

product will engage a variety of

people being a ‘classic’.

The background

colour allows the

audience to

further identify

with the era of

the product due

to the paper not

being ‘bleached

white’, which

represents how

things developed

in the future.

Moreover, the

shades of brown

could also

represent a shady

time within that

era (the war).

The planes are

symbolic to this

time period as

they signify the

oppositions

bombing; they

portray what the

war was about

and indicate what

the product is

about. Moreover,

the planes are

representative of

the opposition

and the rivalry

that countries had.

The planes are

very significant as

they were the

main form of

fighting a war.

The ground represents all the damaged building; this portrays the effects of the

war and the devastating problems that war causes in the after math. Moreover,

the burnt and damaged buildings represent the immoral aspects of war, the

darkness signifies this due to dark colours connoting evil, bad, mourning and

depression, and this is exactly what the war represents as of the long term effects

it needs.

The form of a

DVD portrays the

technological

advances of the

way technology

developed over

time; moreover,

the use of a DVD

creates a mass

audience as those

who do not want

to see the product

in cinema can see

it in the comfort

of their own

home.

The use of the

colour white

indicates purity

and innocence,

portraying a

binary opposition

with the other

aspects and

colours of the war

on the picture.

The black

signifies the

differing of the

purity as black

represents evil.

The boarder around the title

allows the audience to identify

with the importance of the title.


In order to interpret the correct codes and conventions of a war time period drama in a

poster, the poster above is of a 1940 product. This allows us as a group to identify (uses

and gratification theory) with the correct interpretation of a war time poster. Moreover,

this allows the audience to fully understand the era that our product is based around.

The title of the poster is of an immense size both in boldness

and in thickness, this allows the audience to identify (uses

and gratification theory) with the product title, ‘the world at

war’. Moreover, they are left with an enigma of what the

product will entail as they begin to wonder what aspects of

war will come across in the product. Furthermore, the

boarder around the edge of the product signifies the

importance of the typography as it allows the typography to stand out. The title is

centred on the rule of thirds, just where the title states ‘war’, this entices the audience as

during the 1940s, the war was what everyone was talking about, it was what took over

the world of the economy, politics and the people’s lives. This enables us to identify

(uses and gratification theory) with the factual accuracy needed to come around within

our product ‘venture’. Moreover, the brown/black colours represent deepness, evil,

mourning and immorality, all the aspects that entail a vicious war. The colours are not

bright and, therefore; do not bring happiness to the audience, complying to the utter

opposite of sadness and potentially guilt to some who may have fought in the war. The

product appeals to a mass audience from the very start of as the title states, ‘the world

at war’, appealing to everyone as there country was a part of this war. Additionally, the

product could also be used for educational purposes (uses and gratification theory). The

typography of the image has been represented as bold and bright; this allows it to

dominate the text, although being proportionally smaller than the image, the audience

are still drawn towards. Moreover, although the typography of the title is large, the

typography above it is a lot smaller and, therefore, represented to be less significant,

though it is still clear in order for the audience to read it and gain institutional an or

promotional facts about the product.

The background has a mixture of colours, for example, the shading has been done in a

delicate way. Parts of the background have been shaded in a deep brown, connoting

earth and the is abundant in nature, this portrays everything

to do with war as the war is fought on earth, unbalancing the

nature of the natural order of things. Moreover, in some parts

of the background the colour is of a lighter brown/white

portraying that war does have innocence and is not just fought

for the sake of fighting, there are clear reasons to go to war,

further presented by the white trying to come out as white

indicates purity. Additionally, the black typography at the top

of the poster and on the ground connotes the mourning that people may have gone


through after the war, as black represents overpowering and wickedness, emotions

some have towards war.

The planes in the background off the image are very symbolic

to the war as planes were how other countries fought over the

border; various different planes were used in order to bomb

the opposition, during the war planes were a great

technological improvement as they enabled the fighting to

escalate to a different level. Planes were one of the main

forms of fighting as dropping the bomb could cause mass

destruction to the opposition. Furthermore, the ground is

very symbolic of the planes and represents the destruction that the planes and the

fighting have caused. Moreover, within our product we maybe interpreting the

devastating effects of the bombing on the home town, this poster allows us to identify

(uses and gratification theory) with what the actually town looked like after the

bombing and once the war was over due to the amount of rubble on the ground.

Additionally, the poster appeals to a mass audience

due to the use of the writing at the top, the audience

are drawn to the brightness and contrast between

the white and the dark colours on the rest of the

poster, portraying binary opposition. The heading

reads ‘award winning’, representing to the audience that this product has been

reviewed as a very respectable product. Moreover, the use of

the product being about war further entices the audience as

they are able to watch the product for various reasons, some

may want to watch the product for educational or factual

aspects, whereas, others may want to watch the product for

entertainment or escapism, all connoting the theory of uses

and gratification. In addition, the product is also available to

the audience on DVD which portrays an advance in

technology and how it has developed over time, it allows for a mass audience as the

product is available in every possible way, for example, you do not need to go to the

cinema to watch the product.

The background building portrays a significant aspect of

potentially a symbolic building in that country as it is

the only building that has not been damage by the

bombings, however, this may also present ‘the light at

the end of the tunnel’, representing that things will be

built up again after the war. Furthermore, the building is

lighter than the rest of the images within the poster

which further represents that it is of an importance as the lighting is shinnying on to it.

However, this has been challenged by the planes flying towards the building, reinforcing


the idea of mass destruction that comes with the war. The building only has a base to it,

representing that it may have already been destroyed by the acts of the war and the

bombings. Nonetheless, the building is the prime image due it being centred within the

poster, additionally; the poster is the biggest image on the poster, therefore, enticing the

audience to look at it, creating an enigma as they wonder what the building is and why it

seems to be significant.

Moreover, within the main image there is a male figure standing with his back to the

audience, the dark colours symbolise depression, which after the war

was somewhat of a short term effect. Furthermore, the grey/white

trousers could connote the innocent people who were hurt or injured

by the war and the devastating effects that they had to go through for

others mistakes. As the male figure is standing alone it could connote

the loneliness and sorrow of the emotional feature war leaves behind.

The way in which he stands in the rubble and the burnt down

buildings portrays the long lasting mental effects the war can leave

behind, representing that there is more to war than just the fight.

Most of the images within the poster have been hand drawn, for

example, the building in a background, the rubble on the floor

and the image of the male figure. This represents that

technological advances in the 1940s had not yet come around

and Photoshop were non-existent. In order to portray the

correct codes and conventions of a war time period drama,

aspects of our ancillary task poster should hold elements of a

hand drawn image, this way the audience will be able to identify

with the poster (uses and gratification theory) and, more so, will

be able to gain the correct factual information of how products

were made.

The layout of the poster is very significant in allowing the

audience to see what is most important to the product; it further

allows the audience to gain an enigma as they may assume the

narrative of the product. For example, within this product ‘The

world at war’, the most dominating aspect is the primary image of

knocked down buildings, due to it being centred within the rule of

thirds. The image holds great importance and stays within the

stereotypical conventions of a war time period drama as it

evidently portrays the damage a war can cause and the effect it

has on the society of the country, intertwining both the war and

drama conventions of a product. Furthermore, the title has been placed at the top of the

product, this allows the audience to identify with the image as, the majority of the time


the title has a relation with the image and the product portrayed, for example, by the

use of the word ‘war’ the audience are able to gain a perspective of what the product is

about and allows them to understand why there are damaged buildings on the image.

Various drama and war conventions have been portrayed through this product, for

instance, the use of having the man standing alone looking at the damaged area,

represents a sense of isolation and, therefore, portrays elements of drama within the

product, more so, the damaged area and buildings represent the impairment that the

war causes. In addition the product represents a great deal of emotion that is

represented through the drama genre, this is done by the use of positioning of the image

and more so, due to the colours used as each colour represents a sense of loneliness.

Furthermore, the narrative of the product has been represented through the use of the

typography and image placement, the title of the product is called, ‘the world at war’,

this allows the audience to identify with the fact that the product will be about the ‘war’

and, they therefore gain a sense of enigma as they may start to wonder what the

product entails and the elements within it. Additionally, the colours allow the audience

to identify (uses and gratification theory) with the idea that the product will not be a

‘happy go lucky’ film due to the dark shading and the stereotypical connotations of them

being of sorrow and death-things experienced through war.

Conclusively, this poster holds a significant amount of detail in putting across all the

emotions needed to entice an audience. Moreover, the audience appeal is important in

order to gain a mass audience, this poster does so as it enables all aspects of different

audiences to watch the product, for example, people can use this product for

educational, factual and entertainment purposes.

the world at war 1940s poster

Automotive