Narrative theory

Todorov

Narrative structures traditionally follow a formula which was identified by Todorov. He studied classic fairy tales and stories. He discovered that narratives moved forward in chronological order with one action following after another, with a clear beginning, middle and end.

Todorov also suggested that the characters in the narrative would be changed in some way through the course of the story and that this would be evident by the ending of the story.

These are the traditional story formats:

1- the narrative starts with an equilibrium.

2- an actor or character disrupts the equilibrium.

3- a quest to restore the equilibrium begins.

4- the narrative continues to a climax.

5- resolution occurs and equilibrium is restored.

Levi Strauss

Levi strauss was a French anthropologist and ethnologist.

He looked at narrative structure in terms of binary oppositions. These are sets of opposite values which reveal the structure of media texts. Binary opposites make the narrative move forward as they allow for actual or potential conflict and from these we can establish meaning and relationships.

An example of this is in the Beyonce single ladies music video where light and dark is used:

Allen Cameron

Modular narratives articulate a sense of time as divisible and subject to manipulation. Cameron identified four different types of modular narrative.

1- anachronic: involve the use of flashbacks and/or flash forwards, with no clear dominance between any of the narrative threads. These narratives also often repeat scenes directly via a different perspective.

2- forking paths: narratives juxtapose alternate versions of a story, showing the possible outcomes that might result from small changes in a single event or group of events. The forking-path narrative introduces a number of plot lines that usually contradict one another.

3- epidsodic: narratives are organised as an abstract series or narrative anthology.

4- split screen: These films divide the screen into two or more frames, juxtaposing events within the same visual field.

Propp

Propp was a soviet folklorist and scholar who analyzed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements. He did character theory and analysed hundred of folk and fairy tales. He said that all narratives share the same structure with the same narrative. He identified 7 character roles:

-Villain: antagonist which struggles against hero

-Hero: protagonist who usually seeks something

-Donor: provides protagonist with an agent or object

-Princess: damsel in distress and reward for hero

-Princess’ father: rewards the hero and attempts to marry her to the hero

-False hero: claims to be hero and is portrayed as one but isnt

-Helper: aids the hero