Book SummaryMythologies, by Roland Barthes

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Mythologies

Think about all the images, messages, and stories you’re confronted with throughout the day. Open the newspaper in the morning, and you’ll see photos of wars, profiles of political candidates and entrepreneurs, and reports on the latest stock prices. Scroll through social media, and you’ll encounter a barrage of photos, videos, ads, and memes, all communicating some message. Go to the store, and products will catch your attention—consciously and subconsciously—with designs and slogans.

According to Roland Barthes, an influential 20th-century French philosopher and literary critic, these objects and images that we consume throughout the day are filled with myth. He says on a broad level, myth is a mode of communication—a myth conveys a message. Myths occur when society’s dominant institutions (for example, the government, the advertising industry, or Hollywood) imbue an image, object, or phrase with meaning. These meanings then serve to shape the way people in society view the world. By creating these associations,...

Mythologies Summary Part 1: Understanding Myth

Before discussing where myth appears in society, let’s first define myth as Barthes presents it. Barthes explains that a myth is a message that’s conveyed when an object, image, or phrase becomes associated with a concept or value, and thus takes on a symbolic meaning. For example, a national flag may be associated with the concept of freedom, conveying a message about that nation to its citizens. Myths shape the way we view the world and hold power over us when society’s dominant institutions—for example, the government, the advertising industry, or Hollywood—craft these messages for us.

In this first section, we’ll discuss the process of mythmaking. First, we’ll look at the basic components of myth to better understand what it is and how we interact with it. Then, we’ll discuss how myths come into being. Finally, we’ll explain why Barthes believes that myths can pose dangers to society.

The Use of Imagery to Reinforce Power Structures

In his 1972 book, Ways of Seeing, art critic John Berger discusses the ways that art can be used to influence public perceptions and understandings of the world. He...

Mythologies Summary Part 2: The Myths That Create Social Reality

Now that we understand what myths are and how they’re created, we’ll look at concrete examples of how myths are used to reinforce cultural norms and values. Since Mythologies includes 53 essays describing examples of myths Barthes collected from French magazines, we’ve identified the most common themes among them—namely, class, race, gender, and beauty constructs—and picked out one of Barthes’s examples to illustrate each theme. We’ll then illustrate the same concepts with contemporary examples.

Class Constructs: “The Blue Blood Cruise”

In his essay “The Blue Blood Cruise,” Barthes examines myths that perpetuate class distinctions. He describes a news segment about members of European royalty taking a yacht cruise of the Greek islands in 1954. As part of the media covering this event, Barthes says a King was pictured wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and a Queen was wearing a print dress, both of which would be unacceptable and unimaginable in any other context. The reports made mention of such details as the participants waking at 6 a.m., and the men shaving themselves, as if these daily minutiae were worthy of public press.

Barthes says the myth here lies in the...

Shortform Exercise: Spot the Myths Around You

Barthes says that the most insidious thing about our cultural myths is their invisibility—the fact that we don’t notice them allows us to accept them without question. See if you can spot the myths you encounter today.

As you scroll through the internet today, take note of any advertisements you come across. Stop and contemplate a few of them. Can you decipher any hidden messages in the images or phrasing used? Are any subtle messages being conveyed about race, gender, class, beauty, or politics? Describe one in as much detail as possible.