Semiotic Analysis of the "Pahlevanan" Animation Based on Robert Ennis' Critical Thinking Theory

Critical thinking is one of the key topics in character development that helps individuals evaluate data and strengthen logical and illogical thinking. Visual media, especially animation, are recognized as effective platforms for teaching this type of thinking and play an important role in shaping children's perception and creativity. One of the Iranian animated productions that represents Iranian concepts, values, and meanings in line with analytical thinking and problem-solving skills with a critical mindset is the series "Pahlavanan." This research examines the signs of critical thinking based on Robert Ennis's theory in one of the episodes of this animation titled "The Talking Parrot" and seeks to answer the question of how the signs of Ennis's critical thinking manifest in this animation. The aim of this research is to identify the elements of critical thinking in this work as an example of Iranian visual culture and to promote critical discourse among children and adolescents. The results indicate that in this animation, two levels of reasoning and reflection are clearly understandable for the child and adolescent audience, but the decision-making level may be perceived as a shortcoming due to ambiguity and lack of clarity.
Keywords: Keywords: Critical thinking, Reflective thinking, Robert Ennis, Pahlavanan animation, The Talking Parrot, Barthes' semiotics
Introduction
Images, films, animated productions, and their dissemination through various media contain meanings, concepts, symbols, and collective memories that are produced and published for different purposes and applications. In these productions, especially for children and adolescents, there is another function such as the power of analysis, imagination, thinking, and the enhancement of critical thinking in various contexts and narratives. For example, in the social genre of these productions, the creation of mythical characters or heroes and anti-heroes, along with the actions of good and evil and their conflicts, which arise from different cultures, displays another aspect of critical thinking intertwined with elements such as decision-making, reflection, and reasoning. On the other hand, one of the most important discussions in the field of critical thinking that has been addressed by thinkers in the humanities is the importance of educating and familiarizing the child and adolescent age group with this style of thinking. Among them, Robert Ennis is one of the experts in the field of education who has elaborated on this important topic in his proposed model of critical thinking. This research examines the dimensions of critical thinking in one of the episodes of the Pahlavanan animation titled "The Talking Parrot" using a semiotic approach based on Barthes' duality of explicit and implicit signification to outline a suitable policy for constructing a cognitive model and applying it in the field of animation production and the flourishing of this domain. It should be noted that other episodes of this animation are not the subject of discussion. The question posed in this study is how the signs of Ennis's critical thinking manifest in the story of "The Talking Parrot" from the Pahlavanan animation series based on Barthes' theory of explicit and implicit signs.
 
In this research, the collection and categorization of information were conducted using library resources, including Persian and English books, articles, and theses. Additionally, the findings of this research were analyzed using Barthes' semiotic content analysis of the story of "The Talking Parrot" from the Pahlavanan animation in a descriptive, analytical, and interpretive manner, focusing on the signs within the work and based on Robert Ennis's theory. In this process, the authors selected 7 Images from the animation series for analysis.
Discussion and Result
In the Pahlavanan animation, the three elements of Ennis's critical thinking—reasoning, reflection, and decision-making—are clearly observable. This animation entertains the child and adolescent audience by combining music, speech, and imagery while also addressing thinking and problem-solving skills. The implicit message of the selected story "The Talking Parrot" critiques self-display and the abandonment of worldly attachments. According to the authors and based on Ennis's theory, the manifestation of the reasoning stage in the "Talking Parrot" animation is a series of events depicted from the beginning of the story until the parrot seeks refuge in the wrestling house throughout the narrative. This collection of factors led the parrot from a state of ignorance and ambiguity regarding life among humans to a stage of realism. The reflection stage in the story is revealed through the parrot's encounter with the hero Pouria, where the parrot evaluates its thoughts and actions. However, in the decision-making stage, the focus is on the parrot's struggle for liberation, and the wrongdoers remain unpunished. This may convey to children the impression that humans continue in greed and selfishness without responsibility and punishment.
Conclusion
The presence of critical thinking elements in animations contributes to the cognitive, emotional, and social growth of children. By utilizing animated content and a critical mindset, children can develop essential skills such as critical thinking, media literacy, creativity, and empathy. This type of thinking enriches the experience of watching animations and provides valuable tools for dealing with the complexities of the digital world. In the Pahlavanan series, Iranian stories and elements, along with concepts of good and evil, are presented in a way that is close to Iranian culture and thought. In examining the "Talking Parrot" animation, two levels of reasoning and reflection are clearly observable for the child and adolescent audience, but the decision-making level is less clear due to ambiguity and lack of clarity. This ambiguity can be perceived as a shortcoming, as there is a need for greater clarity and explicitness in messages for the child and adolescent audience.