ROLAND BARTHES’ ENIGMA CODE

THE ENIGMA CODE

It is a theory that shows a text in which it draws the attention of an audience to watch on and become

intrigued. Usually a programme or film will not reveal the mystery or solution until the end which ensures

the audience watches until the end. It is the narrative hook enabling the audience to develop questions

within their mind. It is a smart code to ensure a whole film or program is watched.

The use of the code ensures that the audience are focused and intrigued, with a want to watch on to find

out what happens and to answer any questions. This is often used in many programmes and films which

give slight hints throughout making the audience guess, then they want to find out to see if their

predictions were right.

In the motorsport genre uses this very effectively. It shows the protagonist given an obstacle which they

then have to solve or overcome. The audience then want to watch on to see if the protagonist becomes

most successful in the end.

THE FIVE CODES

The linguist Roland Barthes gave a description of five codes in which

are woven into any narrative

The Hermeneutic code

The Proairetic code

The semantic code

The symbolic code

The cultural code

THE HERMENEUTIC CODE

This code refers to any element in which as tory is not fully explained and has a sense

of mystery to the audience.

The purpose of this is to keep the audience interested by keeping hem guessing and

intrigued to find out what happened. Therefore hiding the enigma until the final scenes of

a film when all is revealed and it becomes completely clear to the audience in most cases.

The code is displayed in the film Rush, where throughout the audience watch the

multiple races however there is the question in their minds of who will win the overall

race and become first? This is then revealed to the audience at the end after much

anticipation carrying them trough the film.

THE PROAIRETIC CODE

The Proairetic code also acts as a tension builder to he audience.

It relates to any other action or events within a film that indicate the fact that

something else is going to happen. This again intrigues the audience, guessing

what is going to happen and watching on to wait for I to be revealed.

It works alongside the Hermeneutic code developing the story at the same

time creating tension and keeping the audience interested and focused.

This is shown by the fatal accident in rush.

THE SEMANTIC CODE

This code gives additional meaning over the basic denotive meaning

of a word referring to connotations within a story.

It shows the extended meaning to a story with limited text to give the

audience more information.

THE SYMB OLIC CODE

This is very similar to the semantic code however is displayed on a

much wider level therefore going into broader, deeper and more

descriptive meaning of a story.

The code is typically used when a new meaning is arisen, causing

conflict and opposing ideas.

THE CULTURAL CODE

This code refers to anything that is founded upon staying with law of

a genre. It can not be challenged as is thought as of the foundation for

truth.