`book cover analysis`

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Cultural Representation Through Design

A Book Cover Analysis of Jessica Hagedorn 's Dogeaters

Often , book covers are composed with the ultimate strategy to attract potential readers and buyers - with arguable effects , Dogeaters manages to achieve this goal through a polarizing design method that using abruption in thinking that lends itself almost exclusively to shock horror , and even offense . Designer Stephanie Bart-Horvath utilizes elements that create morbid fascination for the story that is supposed to depict Philippine culture

The cover of Dogeaters is

an apparent hodge-podge of symbols to stand for various concepts and events in the story , yet the perceivable ethos is that of repulsion , and even confusion . Done to look like a painting with an overall tone of fiery gold and red , the immediate connection would be a depiction of hell this idea is confirmed by the presence of angels , decaying trees , and the main figure - the most disturbing of all - which is a woman 's body chopped off at the neck , and with bloodied stitches to a carved head of a man . The effect is emphasized by the use of a sword and a head held by its hair , and the focal point of a fetus seen through the woman 's belly . In the background , a lighter scene showing mountains and waterfalls are visible . However , on top of all these disconcerting images is the title Dogeaters ' in ragged font that works with the horrifying theme yet provides a weak link to...