Roland Barthes proposed five narrative codes that can be used to analyze and understand the meanings and interpretations of a text: 1) the hermeneutic code refers to mysteries or enigmas in a text that create intrigue; 2) the proairetic code contains sequential elements of action that add suspense; 3) the semantic code suggests additional connotative meanings; 4) the symbolic code uses symbolism and opposites to develop tension and meaning; 5) the referential code refers to external cultural, historical or scientific knowledge referenced in a text. These codes provide ways to unravel and derive multiple interpretations from a text.

1. Barthes’ five narrative codes
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS AND REPRESENTATION

2. Roland Barthes
Roland Gérard Barthes 12 November 1915 – 26
March 1980) was a French literary theorist,
philosopher, linguist, 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, design theory, anthropology and post-
structuralism.

3. The five codes
 Barthes suggested that there will be one or more of the five codes that
describe the meaning of a text.
 Barthes said that texts may be ‘open’ (unravelled in a lot of different ways)
or ‘closed’ (there is only one obvious thread to pull on).

4. The five codes theory
 Roland Barthes describes a text as: "a galaxy of signifiers, not a structure
of signifieds; it has no beginning; it is reversible; we gain access to it by
several entrances, none of which can be authoritatively declared to be
the main one; the codes it mobilizes extend as far as the eye can read,
they are indeterminable...the systems of meaning can take over this
absolutely plural text, but their number is never closed, based as it is on
the infinity of language..."

5. What he meant
 The text is like a tangled ball of threads
 The thread needs to unravelled
 Once unravelled, we encounter a wide range of potential meanings.
 We can start by looking at a narrative in one way, from one viewpoint, one set
of previous experience, and create one meaning for that text.
 You can continue by unravelling the narrative from a different angle and create
an entirely different meaning.

6. The five codes
 Hermeneutic / Enigma code
 Proairetic/Action code
 Semantic code
 Symbolic code
 Referential/ Cultural code

7. The five codes
 Hermeneutic code (the voice of truth): The code of enigmas or puzzles.
 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.
 Connotative [or Semic] code (the voice of the person): The accumulation of connotations. Semes, sequential
thoughts, traits and actions constitute character. “The proper noun surrounded by connotations.”
 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.
 Cultural or referential code (the voice of science [or knowledge]): Though all codes are cultural we reserve
this designation for the storehouse of knowledge we use in interpreting everyday experience.

8. Hermeneutic/Enigma code
 This code refers to mystery within a text. Clues are dropped, but no clear
answers are given.
 Enigmas within the narrative make the audience want to know more.
 Unanswered enigmas tend to frustrate the audience.
 Is the way the story avoids telling the truth or revealing all the facts, in
order to drop clues in through out to help create mystery.

9. Proairetic/Action code
 This code contains sequential elements of action in the text.
 Proairetic elements add suspense to the text.

10. Semantic code
 This code refers to parts within the text that suggests or refers to
additional meanings.
 Elements of the semantic code are called Semes.
 The seme has a connotative function in the text. It has an extra layer of
meaning in addition to its literal meaning

11. Symbolic code
 This code is about symbolism within the text.
 It exercises opposites to show contrast and create greater meaning,
creating tension, drama and character development.

12. Referential/Cultural code
 This code refers to anything in the text which refers to an external body
of knowledge such as scientific, historical and cultural knowledge.