Narrative Structure

Todorov’s - Equilibrium

Basically states that most story’s/plot lines follow the same pattern/path – there are 5 steps

EQUILIBRIUM: will at first, it will display a happy start, where the majority of characters are content and everything is as it should be

A DISRUPTION: The second part of the story will feature a problem or something will disrupt the happiness

REALISATION: this part is when everyone realizes the problem and it is chaos

RESTORED ORDER: when the characters attempt to repair the damage and restore the problem

EQUILIBRIUM: this is the final part of the plot where the problem is resolved and normality is restored

Prop theory – Character Types

He identified a theory about character and actions that provide structure for the text

The typical characters he found were:

THE HERO: a character that seeks something

THE VILLAN: who opposes or actively blocks the hero’s quest

THE DONOR: who provides an object with magical properties

THE DISPATCHER: who sends the hero on their quest with a message

THE FALSE HERO: who disrupts the hero’s success by making false claims

THE HELPER: who aids the hero

THE PRINCESS: acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villain’s plots

THE PRINCESS’ FATHER: who acts to reward the hero for his effort

Levi Strauss – Binary opposites

He believed that the way we understood certain words depends not so much on any meaning they themselves directly contain however but by our understanding the different of the word and it’s ‘opposite’.

E.g. our understanding of the word ‘villain’ depends on the difference between that word and the opposing word ‘hero’.

Barthes

Signifier & Signified

The signifier is the object and the signified is the meaning of the object. Semiology is the relationship between the signifier and the signified. E.g. the signifier: Rose. The signified: Love, romance and/or tragedy. The signifier: close up. The signified: emotion/importance. 

Enigma 

The way the tension is built up and the audience is left guessing what will happen next.

Action

Any action that implies a further narrative action.

Learning comments:

From doing this task, I have learned that it is effective to have a narrative structure following one of the theories. It makes it more clear for the audience to understand what is expected from the film.

In Harry Potter, it is all about growing it up gradually to make sure the audience doesn't get confused. The way it follows Levi's theory of the contrast of evil with good reassures us that it is going to be a dark film.

The narrative is build up immediately in Stand By Me. It is introduced by reminiscence of the past. As the opening goes it, it travels back in time to set up the film. This is effective because we can understand it is going to show something that changed the characters life.

Fish tank opening shows violence but is portrayed in a casual way. This helps me to understand how life is going to be portrayed through language, and especially through action.