By Will Slocombe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl5EDzss4-Q

ROLAND BARTHES: SEMIOTICS

THE HERMENEUTIC (ENIGMA) CODE

An element of story that creates a mystery and intrigue for the audience. Unanswered enigmas can become frustrating for the audience.

I believe this is enigma code because it creates suspense and mystery as to whether the French staff is going to stab the English chef.

THE PROAIRETIC (ACTION) CODE

A proairetic code is a code that builds tension and indicates that something else is going to happen.

When the hotel manager meets his old friend (the swimmer), the manager looks around to see if anyone is looking at him. He then acts the uncomfortable and agitated around his old ‘friend’. This creates tension because the audience does not know why the manager is acting in this way.

THE SYMBOLIC CODES

Organises semantic meanings into a broader and deeper level of meaning.

3The two piles of money notes symbolise the criminality that is going on in this scene, as people hardly use that amount of cash for legitimate reasons.

THE CULTURAL (REFERENTIAL) CODE

This code refers to pre-existing knowledge that the audience may have to make sense of the text. This usually involves science or religious knowledge.

An example of this is the argument between the French and English chefs, which represents the hostile Anglo-French relationship which majority of British people are already aware of.

THE SEMANTIC CODE

This code refers to connotations within the narrative that give extra information or meaning to the text.