Intertextuality

What is it?
"Intertextuality is the shaping of a text's meaning by another text. Intertextual figures include: allusion, quotation, calque, plagiarism, translation, pastiche and parody."
Intertextuality can take 3 forms;
Explicit - this is when the intertextuality is obvious. It is often a homage to a character, actor, or another text. 
Implicit - this is when it is subtle. It has the ability to be missed but is normally picked up by regular fans. It often makes the audience feel 'superior' if they spot the intertextuality. 
Accidental - sometimes intertextuality is by accident, this can often be pointed out afterwards and the creators can either choose to acknowledge it or ignore it. 


This can be explicitly seen in the Simpsons. The Simpsons, and similar programs such as Family Guy, use intertextuality throughout each episode to create humour in a recognisable way.


Intertextuality can often make the audience feel clever if they pick up the reference. This creates a feeling of achievement and makes the audience more interested in the text.

 

I have made a conscious decision to not use intertextuality in my magazine. This is because, although intertextuality is important, my young demographic may not understand some references; for example, generally a young audience would not understand the Abbey Road (Beatles) reference used in the Simpsons, therefore the intertextuality would be lost. Additionally, I feel that using intertextuality in everything leads it to become ineffective and mundane.