Roland Barthes' 5 Codes

Roland Barthes' 5 Codes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd68fZq_af4


This is the opening sequence of a brilliant film about slum life in Rio de Janeiro from the late 60s to early 80s - City of God. Here I analyse the scene and pick out Barthes' codes.


Enigma Code

• Who is sharpening the knife for and for what?

• What is the significance of the chicken?

• Why are these people chasing the chicken?

• What is the boy discussing that he is trying to get a photograph of?

• Who are these people and why are they carrying guns?

Action Code

• Chicken watching another be prepared to eat, scary and builds tension and suspense

• Escape of animal

• Chase scene, we don't know if it will escape to freedom or not

• Lots of running and shouting; action is taking place

• Police v armed thugs standoff

• Boy talking about Lil Ze finding him, then slow-motion as he arrives at the scene

Semiotic Code

• City represents danger

• "It's been that way ever since I was a kid" *cut to flashback* - we will see different events across different time periods, filling the plot like puzzle pieces throughout the film

• 'Lil Ze' shouting commands at companions as well as the public, pushing people in his way - he is a dominant, controlling, violent character

• Boy talking about working for the paper, an honest profession. He doesn't want to get involved with 'the hood'; he is 'one of the good guys', not a criminal 

• Lil Ze's bad teeth; not much money or access to dental care, health care etc

• Police aiming at criminals; outnumbered, yet there IS still some resistance against crime 

Cultural Code

• Bustling, multicultural city, favela area; setting is Latin America

• The characters are speaking in a different language - somewhere far from where we are and very different

• Typically South American/Latino music, diegetic and in public; audience can piece together setting

• Guns displayed; violence/illegalities are likely to surround the lives of this rabble

• Grafiti, public swearing; the audience instantly know that this is not the friendliest of places 

Symbolic Code

• The chicken and it's journey could represent the how small and in vulnerable one is in this society, that in the City of God you are always running, always under attack
• The first thing we see is knives; this likely symbolises danger and violence