Bathes Theory

Barthes said that: a text had no beginning, that it is

reversible, we can gain access to it by many
entrances (none can be authoritatively declared to be
the main one), it can be indeterminable.

Meaning

Text needs to be unravelled

Unravelling can lead to several potential meanings
We can look at text from one perspective and create one
meaning
You can continue by unravelling the narrative from a range
of angles and create new meanings
 Barthes said texts can be:

OPEN or CLOSED
(they can be unravelled) (only one obvious thread in the story)
Barthes then narrowed down this to Five Codes
which can be present in any narrative:
The Action Code resolution is produced through action
e.g. battle
The Enigma Code where tension is built up and
audience left questioning
The Symbolic Code new meaning comes from conflicts/
opposing ideas
The Cultural Code looks at the audiences wider cultural
knowledge/morality/and ideology
The Semantic Code story has an additional
meaning/underlying connotation
 Se7en opening
sequence link to
baths theory
Action
A person( unidentified)
Preparing a document Referential
Semic Religion
Pictures Biblical 7 sins
Cute his fingertips Morals
to remove Character viewed himself to be an
fingerprints

{
angel
Sewing
Book
Recording data

Enigma
Who were the people?
Who should they be looking
for?
What is the writing about?
Who was that person?
Symbolic
Preparation/planning (fingertips
removed)
Journal confused/ distorted
Precision in planning (sewing)
The films seems to portray a man who
has numerous targets and sets up
method to remove them from existence
 How this theory links to our movie

Our film does follow Baths theory as our short film will
attempt to use the enigma code. We want the audience to
be left the edge of their seats and for them to be
questioning everything that occurs within our film
immediately after the tension is built up.