Barthes' Narrative Codes

Roland Barthes' Narrative Codes

 

Action Codes
The audience recognises action codes within media texts as it is used to predict what will happen next after following a logical step. It also advances the narrative (story). For example, when a character packs a suitcase, the logical step after this would be to leave or go somewhere else. In our preliminary task, the protagonist walked up to the door and using action code, the next typical action was him walking out of the door.

Mystery Code/Enigma Code
This code is used to explain the narrative of a film by having control over what information and how much information is exposed to the audience. It grabs the audience's attention by setting up conflicts between characters, but it is then restored during the course of the narrative. In our preliminary task, if you carry on watching, you would find out what the documents meant and what mistake the antagonist made.

The Semic Code
This code is all about signs and meanings in a text that explains to us about the narratives and the characters. In our preliminary task, we unfortunately didn't use the effects of the semic code.

The Cultural Code
This code is used in order for the narrative to make sense to a culturally and socially aware audience. It makes reference to aspects from reality that the audience can relate to. It helps you understand the background of a character. In our preliminary task, the setting was based in an office/meeting room environment and made to look like a formal matter so it gives the indication that the characters could be middle class.

Codes of Oppositions
This code refers to a narrative that relies on binary opposites. For example, black v white, hot v cold, war v peace. In our preliminary, we have shown the opposites of male v female and to change the stereotypical representation of gender, the antagonist was female and she over powered the protagonist which was male.