Deconstructing Messages in Comic Strips on the Instagram Account Komik Grontol: A Semiotic Analysis of Roland Barthes

Dery Saefudin; Siti Nurani; Adah Puadah; Kartono Kartono

doi:10.30599/y8g5k595

Authors

Dery Purnama Saefudin Universitas Indraprasta PGRI https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9958-6950
Siti Nurani Universitas Indraprasta PGRI
Adah Puadah IAI Pangeran Dharma Kusuma
Kartono Universitas Indraprasta PGRI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30599/y8g5k595

Keywords:

Comic Strips, Digital Media, Roland Barthes, Semiotics

Abstract

Comic strips as digital media serve as entertainment and an effective tool for social criticism. One prominent example is @komik.grontol, which consistently employs satire to critique various social, political, and cultural phenomena. This study uses Roland Barthes' semiotic theory to analyze how satire in this comic strip is constructed through visual and verbal signs. A qualitative method with a semiotic approach is applied to uncover the hidden meanings within the comic. The findings indicate that satire in @komik.grontol is structured through a combination of humor, irony, and hyperbole, operating across three levels of meaning. At the denotative level, the comic presents everyday situations that resonate with the audience. At the connotative level, it delivers sharp critiques of various issues, including economic disparity, labor exploitation, legal injustice, and consumerist culture. At the mythological level, the satire challenges ideologies that reinforce social inequality and systemic injustice. These insights highlight how @komik.grontol successfully conveys social criticism in an accessible yet thought-provoking manner, fostering public awareness of contemporary issues. Furthermore, this study enriches discussions in semiotics and popular culture by illustrating the role of comic strips as a medium for social and political reflection in the digital era.

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