Barthes - Theorist

Barthes is a French theorist who narrowed down the action of a text into five key narrative codes which can be applied to any film.


1. HERMENEUTIC     (ENIGMA CODE)
              This code refers to any element of the story not fully explained,
              the mystery keeps the audience guessing.

2. ACTION CODE
              This code builds tension, refers to the action, an event that indicated
              something will happen. In most films we gain closure.
              (open narrative/closed narrative).

3. SEMANTIC CODE
              This code refers to connotations within the story,
              the additional meaning.
              (connotation - underlining meaning, what it symbolises).

4. CULTURAL (REFERENTIAL) CODE
              This code refers to the culture knowledge that you have of the film
              and of that society, morality and ideology.

5. SYMBOLIC CODE
              This code refers to the wider/bigger meaning of the film.
              Organising semantic meanings in deeper and broader meanings.