Semiotic Analysis: Picturebook Example: 'Winnie the Witch'

I have looked studied one of my favourite picture books from my childhood, to gain a better understanding of the use of different modes in traditional paper books.

As with most picture books, the pictures illustrate the events which are described in the words. This is a large book (slightly bigger than A4 vertically), and the size of the illustrations are very large also. This is in contrast to the relatively small typography and simple typeface of the writing, and therefore this gives the effect of the pictures being the main focus of the book, thus having the effect of an illustrated story. In accordance with this, the illustration in Winnie the Witch takes a semiotic turn, with the illustration carrying extra details which the text does not itself explain, such a visual jokes and irony.

The authors' use of colour juxtaposition is beautiful. They effectively show a stark contrast of the colour black against every other colour. Winnie's cat Wilbur is black, and her entire house is black too, therefore the majority of the picture book is dark and gloomy in colour, creating postmodernistic tension.

However, Winnie continuously trips over her Wilbur, and so she finally decides to magically turn his fur rainbow. This is the first burst of colour we see in the book. The character of Wilbur the cat actually brings an aspect of social realism into this picture book, as Wilbur comes to terms with being taunted and treated as an outcast, first because of his black fur, and then because of his rainbow fur. This can actually link with deeper societal issues such as racism and discrimination.

This book is in its essence about the about power of colour. The colour is used to show characterization and is used as such throughout the book as we have just seen. The over-use of black used at the beginning, juxtaposed with the rainbow ending when Winnie changes the colours of her entire house so that Wilbur can stay black, really expresses the atmosphere and mood of the whole house; gloomy, cold, and dangerous to begin with, and cheerful, warm and safe at the end.