VISUAL CODES AND MEANING PRODUCTION IN CHILDREN`S LITERATURE: A STUDY WITH BARTHES`S SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS MODEL

Authors : Gökçe Arifoğlu

Pages : 205-218

Doi:10.7456/tojdac.1797643

View : 125 | Download : 460

Publication Date : 2026-01-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This research aims to examine the visuals in preschool children\\\'s books from a semiotic perspective. In this study, illustrated children\\\'s books are considered not only as aesthetic elements supporting the text, but also as signs carrying social, cultural, and pedagogical meanings. The research was conducted using descriptive analysis and semiotic analysis approaches, which are qualitative research designs. The study group consists of two illustrated preschool children\\\'s books that were on the best-selling list in the children\\\'s category of an e-book sales platform and were selected between January and December 2025. The Semiotic Analysis Form, developed by the researcher, was used during the data collection process; six pages were selected from each book, and the visuals on these pages were examined based on the following dimensions: Signifier (object, color, character, place), Signified (denotation/initial meaning), Connotation (cultural association, emotion), Myth/Ideology (naturalized social messages), Text-visual relationship, and Message/emotion conveyed to the child. The analysis revealed that images in children\\\'s books are not merely aesthetic elements; they also convey various ideological and pedagogical messages, including gender roles, environmental awareness, family structure, friendship, and cultural identity. This finding demonstrates that images are powerful tools that influence children\\\'s perception of the world and their emotional and value development. The research highlights the importance of visual literacy and semiotic analysis in the field of children\\\'s literature and highlights the need for educators, parents, and authors and illustrators to produce and evaluate visual content more consciously.
Keywords : Semiyotik, Göstergebilim, Çocuk Edebiyatı, Resimli Kitaplar, Görsel Okuryazarlık

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