Opozycja swój – obcy w wizualno-werbalnych metaforach publicystycznych

Abstract

Based on covers of weekly magazines, it is easy to notice that the focal point of mass media is conflict situations. Their comments lead to the polarisation friend – foe, which is expressed by the visual and verbal presentation of the world of politics. Despite the fact that the visual and verbal repertoire, which allows the positive evaluation of friends and negative evaluation of foes, is quite plentiful, clean patterns in portraying individuals are noticeable. Foes are aggressive, unpredictable, menacing, rapacious, dishonest and, at the same time, determined to build their positive image in order to attract new voters. Friends, in turn, are the victims of stalkers and their actions (the target of their attacks) and the long-awaited (true) saviours. Magazine covers evidence social divisions and simultaneously consolidate and develop them, being an element of a relentless struggle to win audience and voters. This is because the marketing (attracting readers’ attention) and political (uniting the audiences against specified antagonists and around the figure of the depicted hero) aspects are of great importance here.