Roland Barthes

Barthes identified 5 codes as the basis of narrative form, however, we are primarily concerned with the first two:

ENIGMA CODE:

• Associated with enigma
• The story is driven by asking questions to solve a mystery
• Once a secret is revealed it is ‘irreversible’
• Offers the viewer deliberate evasions of the truth, mixtures of the truth, partial and suspended answers to increase the tension and effect of the final revelation.
• We are not satisfied until all loose ends are tied
• E.g. murder mysteries, thrillers

ACTION CODE:

• Closely related to the text’s narrative structure
• Action or plot is created by the viewer who pieces the data together by turning them into events
• Action creates questions
• Applies to any action that implies a further narrative action
• E.g. a man draws a gun on an adversary; the suspense is built in the action where the audience wonder what the resolution will be – will he kill his opponent or be wounded himself?

We can find examples of action codes in any films that include action! Especially in Adventure or Thriller films. Enigma codes can be found in Murder Mystery films and are also sometimes used in Horrors and Thrillers.