Media Journal Sheet

Name:
Tutor Name
Title of Text:1

Link to text
(if available)

Nina Johnston
Student No.
4935276
Daniel Dunne
American
Media Form (e.g.
Television Show
Horror Story
film)
Coven: Opening
scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTV1A2H62B4

Analysing your media text make relevant notes in the following sections:
Identify some elements of the media text that are operating as signifiers
and what their signifiers are:
First 10 seconds
Signifier: The lighting is dark and we see varying angles of a black horse neighing
and trotting along with a carriage drawn behind it.
Signified: The black horse and the dark lighting suggest that there could be an evil
theme throughout the show. The horse drawn carriage suggests that it may be set in
an earlier period of time.
10 secs 24 secs
Signifier: We can hear classical music being played on a piano. The camera cuts
briefly to people gathered at a party. The lighting is bright as there are chandeliers
hanging from the ceiling of the room. The camera closes in and cuts to a woman,
Delphine LaLaurie, who is seated and wearing olden-day formal attire with a
feathered headpiece. A man wearing tuxedo formal attire stands behind her. The
camera pans to a group of 3 men with drinks in hand, all wearing ruffled shirts and
tuxedos with monocles and walking canes. The camera then quickly pans to one side
where two of Delphines daughters are seated, who are also wearing olden-day
formal dresses. The camera pans over again to the other side where another
daughter is seated on her own, once again wearing similar attire.
Signified: The classical music and dcor within the room suggests that it may be a
formal event where only the prestigious would attend. The man standing so closely
behind Delphine implies that she may be a dominant character and he is her servant
or guard. He is also gazing down on her lovingly with a smile on his face, which
insinuates that he may hold great loyalty and respect toward Delphine. She is also
wearing a red dress, and red usually signifies superiority. The fact that the camera
consistently pans back to her face also signifies that she may be one of the main
protagonists. Judging from the attire and the slightly upward camera angling of the 3
men, they could also be representing wealth and superiority. The first two daughters
being seated together could insinuate that they form a closer bond with each other
compared to the other daughter who is seated on her own. There may even be a
rivalry between them also.
25 secs 55 secs
Signifier: The camera pans back to Delphine as she continues to speak with the 3
men and introduce her daughters. One of the daughters makes an inappropriate
comment, and then the scene closes in on her face and the face of an AfricanAmerican man in the distance at the party.
Signified: The suggestive facial expressions along with the comment made by the
youngest daughter insinuate that she is more rebellious and sexualised than her
sisters. Delphines flustered reaction also shows that she strongly disapproves of her
daughters behaviour. The scene closing in on the daughters face and the other man
implies that there may some sort of relationship between the two that is yet to come
or it may already be happening.

1* Provide copy of text where possible (e.g. attachment, photograph, link to online
video etc.)

56 secs 1:50
Signifier: The screen says New Orleans 1834. We see a lid being taken off a bowl,
which is filled with blood. It then cuts to a close up of Delphines face as she begins
to stroke her brush with the blood downward on her cheeks. She has a sombre
expression on her bare and make up less face. We see a brief aerial view of
Delphines bedroom and then it goes back to her painting down her entire face
furthermore with the blood.
Signified: The date shown tells us that the next scene took place in this early era of
time. We see Delphine stripped bare of her make up and fancy clothing, to the raw
and sinister woman who is painting human blood on her face. This strange act along
with the soulless expression on her face gives us a strong indication that Delphine is
not the same delightful woman who we saw speaking to the gentlemen at the party.
The dark lighting that we see during the aerial view of her bedroom also insinuates
that there is a dark presence within Delphine.
1:50 2:35
Signifier: Delphine furiously storms through the house, until she finds her daughter
and starts physically and vocally abusing her for sleeping with the African-American
house slave. Delphine then tells her daughter that they will deflect the blame on him
instead to save her daughters name.
Signified: The camera is predominantly focused on capturing the anger and fury in
Delphines face to further amplify her truly twisted and wicked persona to the
audience. We see that she has a strong hatred toward the African-American servant
and she would rather punish him than her daughter for acting so promiscuously.

What meanings are denoted, and identify some possible

connotations.
Denotations:
Delphine was in a high position of power during her era.
Delphine LaLaurie was a racist who hated African-Americans.
Delphine was a tortured soul with a dark side who put on a faade to
outsiders.
Connotations:
Someone of African-American descent could have tortured or hurt Delphine in
the past, hence why she developed a hatred toward them.
Delphines evil persona could have derived from her upbringing. Her parents
may have instilled in her mind to hate African-Americans. They also could
have treated her badly as a child, which caused her to become so sadistic.

Can a wider cultural message or theme be identified?

American Horror Coven touches upon racism and how the African-Americans were
mistreated during this era. This may resonate nowadays particularly in American
culture, as there is still not a complete level of equality between whites and people of
colour.

Additional Notes/Observations:

Delphine LaLaurie was actually based on a Marie Delphine LaLaurie (born

1780 died 1849) who was a New Orleans socialite and alleged serial killer,
infamous for torturing and murdering her household slaves in a chamber in
the attic of her home
Delphines father and uncle both allegedly had relationships with free women
of African-American descent. This could have been part of the reason why she
felt compelled to punish them in her own way.