Analyzing Barthes' Five Codes in Children's Stories and Examining Children's Perception of Their Hidden Meanings

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Linguistics, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Media and Culture, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Children's literature provides an effective medium for the transmission of cultural, social, and moral values. Drawing upon Barthes’ theory of the five narrative codes, this study analyzes the narrative structure of a selection of children's stories to explore how meaning is encoded within the text. Employing a qualitative approach i.e. interview, the responses and interpretations of fifteen preschool-aged girls were documented and analyzed through the lens of reception theory. Findings indicate that while the participants lacked the capacity for conscious analysis of complex textual layers, they more readily understood the proairetic and hermeneutic codes compared to the cultural and symbolic ones. This suggests that, although some narrative codes pose greater cognitive demands, children are nonetheless capable of interpreting a significant portion of the text's hidden meanings through imagination, identification, and lived experience. The study highlights the need to align narrative strategies with children's cognitive and interpretive capacities.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Linguistic Studies: Theory and Practice

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 02 December 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 05 July 2025
  • Revise Date: 01 December 2025
  • Accept Date: 02 December 2025

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