Visual Literacy (Grade 10 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Visual Literacy
What is visual literacy?
Visual literacy is the skill of making sense of information that is presented to us through pictures, images, and other visual elements rather than just words. When you are visually literate, you can look at a drawing, photograph, cartoon, or advertisement and understand not only what you see on the surface, but also the deeper meanings and messages being communicated.
Key definition: Visual literacy is the ability to read, understand, and interpret information presented in visual form.
A person with strong visual literacy skills can identify three important aspects of any visual text:
- Message: What is the visual trying to tell us?
- Tone: What is the emotional feeling or attitude being expressed?
- Purpose: Why was this visual created? What does the creator want to achieve?
Visual literacy involves recognising how different elements work together to create meaning. These elements include images, colour choices, layout decisions, and text. When you analyse a visual text, you need to understand how all these parts combine to communicate a complete message.
Why visual literacy matters for your exam
In your NSC English FAL exam, you will regularly encounter questions that ask you to analyse visual texts. These might be cartoons, posters, or advertisements. Understanding visual literacy is therefore essential for exam success.
Visual texts in exams typically combine both images and words. You need to demonstrate that you understand how both elements contribute to the overall message. Simply describing what you see is not enough – you must explain what it means and why the creator made specific choices.
An important skill in visual literacy is being able to interpret ideas that are not stated directly. Often, the most powerful messages in visual texts are suggested through symbols, facial expressions, or layout choices rather than being written out clearly. Your job is to identify these subtle meanings and explain them in your answers.
Analysing visual texts
When you are given a visual text to analyse, you should examine it systematically by looking at five key elements. Each element contributes to the overall meaning and message.
Image and subject matter
Start by identifying the basic content of the visual. Ask yourself these guiding questions:
- What is actually shown in the image?
- Who or what is the main focus of attention?
- What action or situation is being illustrated?
The subject matter gives you the foundation for deeper analysis.
Worked Example: Analysing Subject Matter
If you see an image of a person holding a phone while driving, the subject matter is distracted driving. This then allows you to think about what message might be communicated about road safety.
Symbols and meaning
Symbols are visual elements that represent something beyond their literal appearance. They suggest deeper meanings and help communicate complex ideas quickly.
When analysing symbols, look for visual clues that might have symbolic significance. For instance, a light bulb often represents an idea or inspiration. A dove might symbolise peace. Dark clouds could suggest trouble or danger ahead.
The key is to think about what the image represents, not just what it shows on the surface. Ask yourself: "Could this element have a deeper meaning?" Consider the context and the overall message to help you interpret symbols correctly.
Colour and layout
Colour choices in visual texts are never random – they are carefully selected to create mood and meaning. Different colours can evoke different emotions and associations:
- Red often suggests anger, danger, urgency, or passion
- Blue typically represents calmness, sadness, or trust
- Dark colours might indicate seriousness, danger, or sadness
- Bright colours often suggest happiness, energy, or positivity
Layout refers to how elements are arranged on the page. The positioning of images and text guides your attention and shows what is most important.
Understanding Visual Hierarchy:
Generally, what is placed in the centre of a visual is the most important element. Items at the top may suggest superiority or importance, while items at the bottom might suggest lesser importance. The layout creates a visual hierarchy that helps communicate the message.
Text and font
In many visual texts, words and pictures work together. You need to examine how they complement each other and contribute to the overall message.
Font style and size add layers of meaning to written text. Bold, large letters often indicate importance or urgency. Italics might suggest emphasis or a different voice. Handwritten-style fonts can create a personal feeling, while formal fonts suggest seriousness or authority.
When analysing text, consider:
- What words are used and why?
- How do the words relate to the images?
- What does the font choice tell us about the tone or purpose?
Facial expressions and body language
In cartoons, advertisements, and other visual texts that include people or characters, facial expressions and body language are powerful tools for communicating emotions and attitudes.
Expressions and gestures often reveal feelings that might not be stated in words. A character's eyes can show fear, joy, anger, or surprise. Their posture might indicate confidence, defeat, or defensiveness. The way characters move or position themselves communicates meaning.
When analysing facial expressions and body language, ask:
- What emotion is being shown through the character's eyes, mouth, or overall expression?
- What does their posture tell us about how they feel?
- How do their gestures or movements contribute to the message?
Tone, purpose, and audience
Three crucial aspects to identify in any visual text are its tone, purpose, and intended audience. Understanding these elements helps you grasp the complete message being communicated.
Tone
The tone is the emotional attitude of the visual text. It reflects how the creator wants you to feel when viewing it. Common tones include:
- Serious: The visual treats the subject matter with gravity and importance
- Humorous: The visual uses comedy or wit to make its point
- Critical: The visual expresses disapproval or judgement
- Persuasive: The visual tries to convince you to think or act in a certain way
To identify tone, look at the combination of elements – colours, expressions, symbols, and text – and ask yourself: "What feeling or attitude does this create?"
Purpose
The purpose is what the creator is trying to achieve with the visual text. Ask yourself: "Why was this created? What does the creator want to happen?"
Common purposes include:
- To entertain: Making the audience laugh or enjoy themselves
- To inform: Providing facts or information about a topic
- To persuade: Convincing the audience to believe something or take action
- To criticise: Pointing out problems or flaws in something
Sometimes a visual text can have more than one purpose. For example, a cartoon might entertain while also criticising a political situation.
Audience
The audience is the group of people the visual text is aimed at. Understanding the target audience helps you interpret the choices made by the creator.
To identify the audience, consider:
- Who would be interested in this message?
- What knowledge or background does the audience need to understand it?
- Are there elements that would appeal to a specific age group, culture, or interest group?
Worked Example: Identifying Audience
An advertisement for a retirement village would target older people, while a poster about university applications would target teenagers and young adults.
Useful exam tips
These practical strategies will help you answer visual literacy questions more effectively in your exam:
Critical Exam Strategies:
Always start by reading captions and headings carefully. These often provide important context that helps you understand the visual. Don't skip them or leave them until last.
Make sure to refer to both the image and the text in your answers. Visual literacy is about understanding how these work together, so your response should show you've considered both elements.
Use proper visual literacy terminology in your answers. Terms like symbolism, contrast, composition, perspective, irony, and tone show the examiner that you understand the technical aspects of visual analysis. These terms will earn you marks.
When asked for your opinion, always support it with evidence from the visual. Don't just say what you think – explain why you think it by referring to specific elements. For example: "The use of dark colours suggests sadness or danger, which makes the message more serious."
Never just describe what you see. The examiner wants you to explain what it means. Move beyond description to interpretation. Instead of writing "There is a person holding a phone," write "The person holding a phone while driving symbolises the danger of distracted driving."
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Visual literacy is the ability to read, understand, and interpret information presented in visual form such as cartoons, posters, and advertisements.
- When analysing visual texts, examine five key elements: image and subject matter, symbols and meaning, colour and layout, text and font, and facial expressions and body language.
- Always identify the tone (emotional attitude), purpose (what the creator wants to achieve), and audience (who it's aimed at) of visual texts.
- In exams, refer to both images and text, use proper terminology, and always explain what things mean rather than just describing what you see.
- Visual texts often communicate ideas that aren't stated directly through symbols, expressions, and layout choices – your job is to identify and explain these deeper meanings.