Barthes Codes

• Barthes method of analysis was to classify stories using codes and seeing these as the basic underlying structure of all narratives, he said that these codes drive the narrative and keep it going because we want to know the answers to these codes
• can be applied to print, narrative, music videos, magazines etc 

1. Proairetic code
2. Hermeneutic code
3. Cultural code
4. Semic code
5. Symbolic code

Proairetic Code

• Refers to an action of event that indicated something else is going to happen by witnessing this event the audience can say what that character will do.

Hermeneutic code

• refers to any element of story that is not fully explained
• full truth is often avoided in order to generate intrigue and narrative drive 
• keeps the audience guessing until final scenes where all is revealed and closure is achieved 

Cultural code

• where the text may contain references to things which exist beyond the text and could be classed as common knowledge; more commonly this is by using stereotypes to create meaning and relationships
• provokes pre-existing ideas/images in our minds based on cultural stereotypes and experience 

Semic Code

• it is to do with the process of characterisation
• meaning it can be interpreted through things like traits, actions, events texts that help to build a character and contribute to how we feel about them/how we identify their role in/relationship with the text

Symbolic code

• consists of contrast and pairings (just as binary oppositions) e.g night and day, good and evil
• structures that contain contrasting elements that are fundamental to how we perceive and organise reality
• we would study andy parallels, contrasts or patterns in the plot, structure, characters and their motives, situation or imagery,