2. Barthes (1915 – 1980) was a French literary
theorist, philosopher, critic, and semiotician.
Barthes' ideas explored a diverse range of fields
and he influenced the development of schools of
theory including structuralism, semiotics, social
theory, anthropology and post-structuralism. His
theory on Media-Codes was important to the
media in structural terms as well as explaining
the audiences understanding of the narrative
3. The Proairetic Code
The Hermeneutic Code (or (Action code) builds
Enigma code) refers to any tension, referring to any
element of the story that is other action or event that
not fully explained and indicates something else
therefore creates mystery to is going to happen, and
the reader and questions to which then gets the
be answered. The purpose reader predicting as to
this is typically to keep the what will happen next.
audience guessing until the Resulting in increased
final scenes when all is interest and excitement.
revealed and all loose ends
are tied off and questions
get answered.
4. The Semantic Code
This code refers to connotation within the story that gives
additional meaning over the basic obvious meaning of the word.
It is by the use of extended meaning that can be applied to words
that authors can create open with relatively limited text.
The Symbolic Code
This is very similar to the Semantic Code, but acts at a wider level,
organising semantic meanings into broader and deeper sets of
meaning.
This is typically done in the use of opposition, where a new
meaning arises out of opposing ideas. Such as good/evil and
light/dark.
The Cultural Code
This code refers to anything that is founded on some kind of
recognized principle that is not challenged by the audience and is
always assumed to be the truth. Normally this involves either
science or religion.
5. Many of these codes can be seen in the
Se7en Trailer.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114369/
Such as the fact that Detective Mills is
holding a gun indicates the involvement
of violence and that it is part of his job.
As well a creating the enigma- who is
the killer?
6. The Hermeneutic and Proairetic Codes work as
a pair to develop the story's tensions and keep
the reader interested. Barthes described them
as:
"...dependent on ... two sequential codes: the
revelation of truth and the coordination of the
actions represented: there is the same constraint in the
gradual order of melody and in the equally gradual
order of the narrative sequence."
7. Barthes’ theory suggests that by not fully explaining
something and creating a mystery, it keeps the audience
guessing about what will happen. By not explaining certain
scenarios, shots and plot lines it leaves the audience to try
and work out what the film is about and thus would be
encouraged to go and see the film.
Best examples of the enigma code being used in trailers are
in horror trailers. This is because of the “monster” would
not be revealed as this would ruin the element of shock,
surprise and mystery about it.
