Enigma Code

Roland Barthes Enigma Code

In the first hour of the lesson we learned about The Barthes Enigma Code

Enigma = Encode messages

Barthes Enigma Code is a theory that suggests a text whether that be television, film, a poster ect. portrays a mystery to draw an audience in, pose question and as such, become intrigued in the piece. Preparing you for the film, (hints, ideas e.g. Catch Me If You Can) it intrigues you.

A title sequence is supposed to make you question what will happen in the film.

Narrative/ Enigma Codes
Barthes' theory of the five codes is a way of grouping signifies according to the role they play in the text. These are categorised as:
- The Hermeneutic Code: The voice of truth - The code of enigmas or puzzles
- The 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.
- The Semantic Code: The voice of the symbol - Binary oppositions or themes. The inscription into the text of the antithesis central to the organization of the cultural code.
- The Culture Code: The voice of knowledge -  Though all codes are cultural we reserve this designation for the storehouse of knowledge we use in interpreting everyday experience.

• Reading a text with the five codes in mind is like looking at an image through a series of colored lenses. Image remains the same but your impression of it change.
• Text in which the semantic, symbolic, and cultural codes dominate are closer to Barthes idea of the text. They give you a sense of what the narrative is like rather than tell you what happens.