Roland Barthes 5 narrative

codes

Enigma CodesLinguist Roland Barthes described five codes that are woven into any narrative.

• The Hermeneutic Code• The Proairtic Code• The Semantic Code• The Symbolic Code• The Cultural Code

The Hermeneutic Code

• The Hermeneutic Code refers to any story element of the story that is not fully explained and hence becomes a mystery to the audience.

• The purpose of the author in this is typically to keep the audience guessing, which in the case of my film I will do by keeping the McGuffin of the object that the main character finds a mystery within the trailer.

The Proactic Code• The Proactic Code also builds tension, referring to any

action or event that indicates something else is going to happen.

• The trailer for my film will use Proactic Code throughout initially by setting up the main character as a slightly off kilter person who seems kind of aloof and difficult to pin exactly his feelings or thoughts at any given moment. This ambiguity, creates in the audience a sense of possibility as we’re not entirely certain at any point of his motives, so at any moment he could turn and do something completely horrendous.

The Semantic Code• This code refers to the point within the text that suggests or

refers to additional meanings.• Initially at the start of my trailer there is little indication of the

horror that will unfold during the course of the film. Audiences will hopefully relate the start of the film to other films about quarter life crisis, so when halfway through the trailer the true nature of the film hits it will jar the audience. In one shot in the trailer the character will be framed against a wall with a photo of Franz Kafka on it suggesting to the audience for the film who I expect will probably recognise him, to wonder if the film is possibly allegorical, and if the events in the film may take on a Kafkaesque, surreal quality.

The Symbolic Code• This code is about symbolism in the text. It exercises opposites to

show contrast and create greater meaning, creating drama and character development.

• In my film the character will initially be wearing a deep purple hoodie, a colour which has a slightly ambiguity in the way audiences will interpret it, creating a mystery about the main character, and his intentions. The colour is an enigma in that in both conjures up power and royalty, which also representing femininity and peacefulness, which is probably the reason it is so often worn by figures of power throughout the whole world. Because of the use of the colour purple the audience will never quiet be sure if the character is in control of what’s going on, or whether he has fallen into anarchy

Referential Code

• This code refers to anything within the text which refers to an external body of knowledge such as scientific, historical and cultural knowledge

• My film is mostly set in a contempary modern urban city so all scientific, historical and cultural knowledge imparted within the film will reference modern day England. There is a brief flashback to Russia in the 1960’s, which in the final film will have Stalin and Lenin posters everywhere, and people will dressed in 1960’s Russian clothing.