barthes' enigma code

2. DEFINITION
BARTHES’ ARGUES IN ‘S’/Z THAT EVERY NARRATIVE IS INTERURBAN WITH MULTIPLE
CODES
INTERTEXTUALITY – A REFERENCE TO ONE TEXT BY ANOTHER
ENIGMA CODE- A THEORY THAT SUGGESTS A TEXT PORTRAYS A MYSTERY TO DRAW AN
AUDIENCE IN, POSE QUESTIONS AND AS SUCH, BECOME INTRIGUED IN THE PIECE
BINARY OPPOSITION – THAT ALL NARRATIVES HAD TO BE DRIVEN FORWARD BY CONFLICT
THAT WAS CAUSE BY A SERIES OF OPPOSING FORCES

3. BARTHES’ ENIGMA CODE
1. PROAIRETIC CODE (THE VOICE OF EMPIRICS): THE CODE OF ACTIONS. ANY ACTION INITIATED MUST BE COMPLETED.
THE CUMULATIVE ACTIONS CONSTITUTE THE PLOT EVENTS OF THE TEXT
2. HERMENEUTIC CODE (THE VOICE OF TRUTH): THE CODE OF ENIGMAS OR PUZZLES.
3. CONNOTATIVE (OR SEMIC) CODE (THE VOICE OF THE PERSON): ACCUMULATION OF CONNOTATIONS. SEMES,
SEQUENTIAL THOUGHTS, TRAITS AND ACTIONS CONSTITUTE CHARACTER. “THE PROPER NON SURROUNDED BY
CONNOTATIONS”
4. CULTURAL OR REFERENTIAL CODE (THE VOICE OF SCIENCE): THOUGH ALL CODES ARE CULTURAL WE RESERVE THIS
DESIGNATION FOR THE STOREHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE WE USE IN INTERPRETING EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE
5. SYMBOLIC CODE (VOICE OF THE SYMBOL): BINARY OPPOSITIONS OR THEMES. THE INSCRIPTION INTO THE TEXT OF
THE ANTITHESIS CENTRAL TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CULTURAL CODE.

4. EXAMPLES OF BINARY OPPOSITION
Light dark
Right Wrong
Good evil
Strength weakness
Noise silence
Inside Outside
Youth Age
Poverty Wealth
Male female
Honest Deceitful
Human Alien
Sanity Insanity