Roland BarthesRoland Barthes suggested that each each narrative contains 5 different codes, which allow the audience to better understand the plot. These 5 codes are:

• Action

• Enigma

• Symbolism

• Culture

Action

The action is a scene which shows the audience that something important happens, which is resolved at some point. In the Hotel Babylon clip, this is where the action is first recognised, triggered by the officer.

Enigma

The enigma is part of the plot where the audience is presented with a situation which is proved difficult to solve. This delays the story’s ending. In this clip, the enigma would be the point at which the receptionist alerts a member of staff about the fact that an immigration officer is there. This is an enigma as is it represented as a code and the purpose is not immediately obvious.

Symbolic

The symbolic codes are what various objects or colours in the clip that connote certain ideas to the audience. For example, the receptionist wears a white suit which gives off the impression that she is a good character. The characters’ accents also connote their status, as the white characters speak much more formally.

Cultural

The cultural code is a device which is used to signal to the audience that a certain element within the scene connotes a particular culture. In the Hotel Babylon clip, this is shown in a scene featuring two characters praying, as well as speaking another language.