Symbolic Codes - Bathes

• He was a French Philosopher
• Barthes generally focused on literature however went onto applying his theory to media in his later life.
• The theory is focused on CODES
• Semiotics-A study of cultural signs and symbols (e.g. Red=danger)

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..."

• -    No right or wrong way to interpret
• -    There is no right entrance
• -    “infinity of language” - It can go on forever
• -    Anything can be a symbol
• -    ANYTHING can signify EVERYTHING
• -    One is no more important that the other
• -    “Plural texts”-Paradoxical-One text had lots of different meanings not one set meaning
• -    “Their number if never closed” People will always be interpreting it.
• -    “We gain access to it by several entrances”- Everyone watches something for completely different reasons and there’s no set way to engage
• -    “A galaxy of signifiers, not a structure of signifieds”- A whole range of things to interpret
• -    The meaning is created by US not the creator

He states there are FIVE CODES:

o   The Enigma/ Proairetic Code (ACT)  – Avoids telling the truth-Creates Mystery

o  The Hermeneutic Code (HER) - Builds tension through little incidents creating short moments of tension

o   The Symbolic Code (SYM) – Meaning of connotation – EVERYTHING (e.g.Red=Danger/Passion/Lust/Blood/Violence/ect…)

o   The Cultural Code (REF) – Themes that go across a whole film (Twelve Years a slave- slavery) – Links to Binary Opposites

o   The Semantic Code (SEM) – Depending on our culture we will interpret the film in different ways (e.g. cowboy films-Native Americans would see these and unfair and full of prejudise)