Narrative: Barthes' Codes

Roland Barthes (1990, originally published 1973) defined five narrative codes:
1. Hermeneutic code - offering a puzzle to the audience with a delayed (or occasionally unanswered) answer.
2. Proairectic code - a series of logical consequences stemmed from a particular event.
3. Semic code - the connotations which are suggested by characters, objects, and settings, which are likely to be suited to the narrative.
4. Symbolic code - the binary oppositions and conflict between opposing forces in the narrative.
5. Referential code - the knowledge and ideologies that the audience brings to the film which aids understanding of the narrative e.g. in spoofs

Katy Perry feat. Kanye West - E.T.



To help me to understand these codes, I have studied and analysed Katy Perry and Kanye West's music video to 'E.T.'.

I found that the hermeneutic code applies to this video as the audience is left unaware of who these characters are, where they are, and what species they are. From 3:55, there appears to be some form of a conclusion or answer by the human removing his astronaught suit, while Katy Perry's character morphs into a faun-like creature. However, as the audience do not understand the narrative at the start, the coda has little to offer as an answer.

The semic code could also be applied in that the setting of space connotes the sci-fi narrative.