A powerpoint about the stuff.

1. Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes suggested that each each narrative contains 5
different codes, which allow the audience to better understand
the plot. These 5 codes are:
• Action
• Enigma
• Symbolism
• Culture

2. Action
The action is a scene which shows the audience
that something important happens, which is
resolved at some point. In the Hotel Babylon
clip, this is where the action is first
recognised, triggered by the officer.

3. Enigma
The enigma is part of the plot where the
audience is presented with a situation which is
proved difficult to solve. This delays the story’s
ending. In this clip, the enigma would be the
point at which the receptionist alerts a member
of staff about the fact that an immigration officer
is there. This is an enigma as is it represented as a
code and the purpose is not immediately
obvious.

4. Symbolic
The symbolic codes are what various objects or
colours in the clip that connote certain ideas to
the audience. For example, the receptionist
wears a white suit which gives off the impression
that she is a good character. The characters’
accents also connote their status, as the white
characters speak much more formally.

5. Cultural
The cultural code is a device which is used to
signal to the audience that a certain element
within the scene connotes a particular culture. In
the Hotel Babylon clip, this is shown in a scene
featuring two characters praying, as well as
speaking another language.