Narrative Theories(Barthe’s & Cameron)

Rachael Sampson

Barthe’s 5 Code Theory

• The Hermeneutic Code – This code is also known as enigma codes. These codes give information to the audience which advances the storyline, such as expressions of worry.

• The Proairetic Code – Also known the as action code. This is any action which moves the narrative forward (events taking place) e.g., someone informing the protagonist on an occurrence.

The Semantic Code

• This code refers to connotation within the story that gives additional meaning over the basic denotative meaning of the word.

• It is by the use of extended meaning that can be applied to words that authors can paint rich pictures with relatively limited text and the way they do this is a common indication of their writing skills.

The Symbolic Code

• This is very similar to the Semantic Code, but acts at a wider level, organising semantic meanings into broader and deeper sets of meaning.

• This is typically done in the use of antithesis, where new meaning arises out of opposing and conflict ideas.

The Cultural Code

• This code refers to anything that is founded on some kind of work that cannot be challenged and is assumed to be a foundation for truth.

• Typically this involves either science or religion, although other canons such as magical truths may be used in fantasy stories. The Gnomic Code is a cultural code that particularly refers to sayings, proverbs, clichés and other common meaning-giving word sets.

Allan Cameron – Modular Narratives

“Popular cinema has displayed a turn

towards narrative complexity”

Anachronic

• This is where a flashback or flash forward is used in the narrative. E.g. Pulp Fiction – there is no clear dominance between the narrative threads

Forking Path

• Forking Path is where they show alternative versions of the story, outcomes that might result from slight changes, e.g. sliding doors –the film shows a woman missing a train, and how her life would be different if she actually got on the train.

Episodic

• Episodic DOES NOT mean t.v series such as The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. It means alternative stories joined together by one theme e.g. a documentary talking about a famous person.

Split Screen

• This one is pretty basic; splitting the screen rather than temporal lines. – different things happening at the same time.