Semiotic Analysis of the Posters Prepared Towards Women in the Second World War: Women's Land Army Case

Abstract

The paper applies semiotic analysis on the posters prepared by Women's Land Army established in the USA, England and Austria in order to improve the agricultural production, which was decreased after men's joining to the army in harsh conditions of the Second World War, and prevent psychological destruction by employing the unemployed urban women as well in some kind of labor and enabling them to earn income even if it is just a smidgen.The study in the paper argues that the posters published in these three countries have sonic characteristics in common; they all use visual expressions of presentable women in the agricultural lands due to addressing the urban women and describe the smiling women without any sign of exhaustion to indicate how this work is easy and pleasant. Despite these positive and pleasant descriptions, not only the statements of the people lived in the relevant period and but also the nature of agricultural production reveal that the signified do not jibe with reality: