Semiotics is the study of signs and their meaning in society and can be applied to television and popular culture. The central elements of semiotics are the signifier and the signified. The signifier is the visible image and the signified is the idea conveyed by the image. The opening sequence of The Sopranos combines symbols of city, class, and violence to convey the power held by the main character. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The city is an important symbol/signifier in this opening sequence that conveys the power that the main character, Tony Soprano, holds. As the opening sequence begins, Tony heads from New York to New Jersey. The reason we can tell he is driving through New York is that we see him pass the city skyline and they specifically show the Twin Towers and the Statue of Liberty. We then see him enter New Jersey while paying the toll booth that says "New Jersey Turnpike". The way Tony angrily tears up the toll ticket shows that he is annoyed that he has to pay for it. Tony's anger at having to pay for the survey seems like he is annoyed that he is in New York and just wants to go back to his home in New Jersey. As he passes through New Jersey, we see the poor infrastructure, bridges and numerous factories he passes. Tony passes a meat market and a pizza restaurant, which are symbols shown through the popular foods people commonly eat in New Jersey. The symbols identifying New York City and New Jersey show the significant importance of where the main character's home is located. Class is also an important symbol in the opening sequence. As Tony travels from the city to the suburbs, we see that there are no longer any tall buildings and there are mostly houses. The way we can identify that Tony enters the suburbs is when we see two lanes on the road transitioning into one lane. This signifier is the painted lane and how it turns into one, the meaning is that from this symbol we can tell that Tony is entering a smaller city, commonly known as a suburb. Small towns or suburbs usually have one street and there aren't as many lanes as there typically are in a city. The signifier of a suburb is referred to as an area where most middle- and upper-class families live. Most families move to the suburbs to raise their families and send their children to quality schools. Towards the end of the opening sequence, Tony is driving through some wooded areas and appears to stop at a gated driveway leading to a mansion. The signifier is the villa which is suitable for upper class families who can spend their money on a luxurious home. When we see Tony driving at the beginning of the opening sequence, we see that he is wearing gold rings and a bracelet. These gold jewelry symbols are indicated as a man who is rich and can afford expensive things in life. We also see him smoking a cigar while driving, cigars are aimed at people who are successful and have money. In the media, we typically see people living luxuriously, smoking cigars, to show off the success and power they hold. The villa, the suburbs, his gold jewelry and the cigar symbolize the upper class and power. Finally, violence is an important meaning, we can see it through the choice of the song "Woke Up This Morning" by Alabama 3, i.e. used throughout the opening sequence. The lyrics, "When you woke up this morning, you got yourself a gun" repeat.