Assignment 8: Narrative TheoryBy:

Marisha Inoke

PART A : TODOROV

Todorov

• Tzvetan Todorov (born March 1, 1939) is a Franco-Bulgarian philosopher. He has lived in France since 1963 and now lives there with his wife Nancy Huston and their two children, writing books and essays about literary theory, thought history and culture theory.

Todorov's narrative theory

• Todorov suggested that stories begin with an equilibrium (or normality).

• This is disrupted by an event which causes a disequilibrium which then causes other chain of events to occur.

• In the end the problem is solved and everything is restored back to its equilibrium.

Todorov suggested that there are 5 stages of narrative (with 3 major parts).

THIS ARE THE FIVE STAGES:

• Equilibrium (or normality).• Disequilibrium (conflict/disruption of

equilibrium by action or event). • Recognition of Disequilibrium

(disruption/conflict).• Attempt to repair.- NEW equilibrium.

Equilibrium

Disequilibrium

Recognitions of Disequilibrium

Attempt to repair

NEW equilibrium

Todorov’s narrative

theory

These five stages are familiar to the audience as it is mainly used in 'mainstream' films.

An example of a film with these five stages is Harold & Kumar escape from Guantanamo bay.

Equilibrium (or normality)

• In the beginning of the film everything is at equilibrium and it's just introducing the two characters (which are best-friends).

Disequilibrium • Then we have the

dis-equilibrium/disruption caused by an event that happened on the airplane where the gests misunderstood for using a bomb instead of a bong which he brought onto his flight.

• They both get imprisoned on suspicions of terrorism. Then soon after they escape from Guantanamo bay and try to outrun the authorities. Throughout the film they experience one situation after another.

Recognition of disequilibrium

• Harold & Kumar recognises the dis-equilibrium and that their both in a serious situation.

Attempt to repair disequilibrium

They both in the end get caught and taken into interrogation where they are found to be completely innocent.

Equilibrium is restored (NEW equilibrium)

• In the end they are free from imprisonment. Kumar ends up with the groom’s fiancé (his ex-lover) and flies to Amsterdam so that Harold can meet the girl he had previously met in the elevator.

• The ending scene is at a new equilibrium and everything is back to normal as it is a happy ending for both characters.

TODOROV TASK 1

PART B: LEVI STRAUSS

LEVI STRAUSS• He believed that our world is described in

BINARY OPPOSITES. • When we look at themes within stories they

consists of differences, contradictions and conflict or opposites.

BINARY OPPOSITES Night oldGood Boy Male

dayYoungBadGirlfemale

Cont.

• Suggests that we are only able to understand 'good' when 'evil' is present. An example of this is mainly in super-hero films where you have a binary opposites like the Hero and the Villain.

• Furthermore he believes that opposition offers structure to a text.

Problem

• The problem with Strauss theory is that it creates a dominant ideology for a Hero and a villain which is incorporated in to the text.

• It can create the dangerous 'norms' like the Hero is represented as a white, male, handsome, muscular and a good citizen.

• Whereas you have the ethnic minorities represented in a negative stereotype like causing a felony, breaking laws or being a bad citizen.

LEVI STRAUSS TASK 1

Film: Opposite 1 Opposite 2 Explanation

Spiderman (2002).

(Spiderman is seen as a hero as he saves the helpless girl).

Spiderman is presented as a Hero as he saves the girl as Hero's usually do in mainstream films, especially in super-hero films as it is incorporated in them. Furthermore, he is presented as a kind hearted individual when being

Costume presents the character as a binary opposite to Spiderman. It is conventional to see the binary

opposites in Action (Super-hero) films as there has to be a hero and a villain.

Sometimes it can be between the hero and his sidekick.

The hero is portrayed as an unselfish character as opposed to the villain as he is selfish and just wants POWER for selfishness reasons.

Genre: Action

DRAMAACTION HORRORSCI-FITHRILLER

cont.

Film: Opposite 1 Opposite 2 Explanation:

The Transporter

He is a hero as he protects the girl from the villain. It is made clear which side he is on during the film as there is binary opposites.

Portrayed as a villain as he is dressed in dark clothing and facial expression suggests that he is unwelcoming.

The binary opposites within an action film explicitly shows who is the hero and the villain.

The transporter is sympathetic to the female character.

GENRE: ACTION

Cont.

Film: Opposition 1 Opposition 2 Explanation:

Friday the 13th Franchise

The villain is portrayed as he kills innocent victims or preys on the vulnerable.

The general conventions of a villain in the horror genre is commonly disfigured, deranged psychopath.

GENRE: HORROR

PART C : BARTHES

ROLAND BARTHES

• Similar to Todorov’s theory, the audiences experience of narrative involves anticipation and expectation of resolution to disruption/conflict.

Barthes Codes:

• Enigma code• Action code• Semantic code• Symbolic code• Cultural code

Barthes - Enigma

• Narrative is set up as a puzzle.• Enigma = mystery/puzzle

Enigma code example • An example of an enigma is a trailer for a film.

Example: The trailer of Slumdog millionaire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIzbwV7on6Q&safe=active

In the beginning of the trailer it poses a question for the audience.

The enigma is that will he find his true love.

Barthes - Action Code

• Codes of behaviour and actions that lead audience us to expect certain consequences.

• Based on other stories/films and their convention.

Action code examplesThriller/Mystery Slasher/Horror Romance Action:

A)

B)

Action:A)

B)

Action:A)

B)

Assumption:

a) The male character is going to get bitten by that snake.

b) The male character is going to shoot as it is in his intension as he holds in his hand a weapon.

Assumption:

a) The female character is going to get hooked on to that hook, which kills her.

b) She’s going to get killed.

Assumption:

a) Body language and facial expression suggests that they are in love.

b) Facial expression and gazing into each others eyes implying that they are going to kiss.

Barthes Semantic code

• Connotative (imply or suggest) meanings of characters, objects and locations.

Colour = BlackPredator

Creates enigma/mystery/bold/majestic.

Black Swan

The colour black suggests ‘modern, seductive, evil, majestic and bold’.

Spiderman 4

Black can suggest evil being present or taking over.

The reflection scene in Spiderman 4 is relevant as it connotes a change in character, old vs. new.

The hero is a handsome male who is muscular. He is also seen as a kind hearted character.

Furthermore, The Hero is always stronger and more powerful than the Villain.

The villain is the opposition to the Hero and sometimes the same gender. The villain is portrayed as a selfish greedy unattractive character.

Unattractive, selfish, weak and powerless.

Cont.• The villain is portrayed as the

character who is much more powerful and strong as opposed to the villain.

• The colour black is associated with ‘mysterious’ and ‘dark’ as Batman is a mysterious individual.

• He also leads a very secretive life as he lives two separate lives.

Iconography (sci-fi) • Iconographic features have clear

connotations and meanings to the audience.

Sci-fi = Aliens, Spaceship, Hi-tech futuristic gadgets used in the film.

Alien or unknown species.

A gadget used.

Furthermore, the colour black suggests ‘Modern’.

Barthes – Symbolic code• Symbolic features often signify oppositions and anti-theses

• Examples of symbolic code within a film like The Mona Lisa smiles as it is set in a time where females where it was uncommon for a female to stay in education and pursue a career.

• It made it explicit that the men where privileged enough to go onto further education as opposed to females.

• Females where subjected to doing house cleaning, cooking and taking care of their husbands and family.

Symbolic code examples from Mona Lisa smiles. (females)

Women from a certain time period are subjected to being a stay at home housewife who cleans, cook and is submissive to their husband.

Apron – suggests that she’s a house-wife.

Cook book for stay at home housewife's that are expected to cook for their family.

This is a traditional view of women from a period of time.

Female professor is not a stay-at home housewife and does not believe that women should be limited.

Strongly believes in education and that it can help women become independent, self-reliance and a dominant character.

Facial expression suggests that they are both happy.

Portray a happy stay at home house wife and husband who is the breadwinner.

Symbolic code examples Mona Lisa smiles (males)

The males are successful as they are privileged to go to university and get a degree, as it is acceptable.Portrayed as quiet successful and well presented.

Barthes – Cultural code

A male dressing up as a woman (Drag queen) was not originally featured in Romeo & Juliet.

In the modern adaption of Romeo & Juliet they use guns as weapons instead of swords.

Costume were not to represent the historical period of time that it was initially set in.

Costume makes it explicit that this is a modern version.

Pool is a more modern adaption to the scene when Romeo & Juliet meet in the garden.

Initially the men used swords to fight their enemy.

Barthes – Cultural code

• Another example of cultural code is Slumdog millionaire.

PART D : PROPP

Vladimir Propp

• Studied folklore and fairy tales.

• He formed 2 theories, the first one is the 7 distinctive character types called the spheres of action.

• The 7 spheres of action are mainly based on historic fairy tales as they include the hero, villain, dispatcher, donor, helper, heroine and false hero.

Propp – 7 spheres of Action

1) Hero2) Villain3) Dispatcher4) Donor5) Helper6) Heroine 7) False Hero

HERO• An example of a Hero is

Katniss from the film ‘The Hunger games’.

• She is portrayed as an independent strong female character because she is like a mother to her little sister.

• Furthermore, she is also portrayed as a kind hearted hero.

VILLAIN• Opposes the hero.• The villain who usually creates the

narrative disruption.• An example of a villain is the Green

goblin from the super-hero film ‘Spiderman’.

• The Green goblin is portrayed as the villain as in most super-hero films there is a binary opposites.

Another example of a villain from another film is the creator/inventor of the Hunger games who allows peoples lives to be taken for entertainment.

DISPATCHER

• Starts hero on it’s way• An example of the

dispatcher is the Godmother from Cinderella.

• She Sends Cinderella on her quest to restore the equilibrium

DONOR

• He gives advice to Katniss that will help on her quest.

HELPER• An example of a Helper is

Rue from The Hunger games.

• Rue is portrayed as a Helper as she helps Katniss from dying from the bee-stings in the forest.

• She also looks after Katniss when she was unconscious for days.

• Rue

HEROINE

• Often referred to as Princess.

• Usually female but not always

• Peeta is a Vulnerable character and just like Princess’ in fairy tales they need a Prince/Hero to rescue them.

• Often in love with the Hero or ends up with the hero.

FALSE HEROThe false hero is a stock character in fairy tales, and sometimes also in ballads. The character appears near the beginning of a story in order to claim to be the hero or heroine and is, therefore, usually of the same sex as the hero or heroine.

• An example of a false hero is Scar from Lion King, The brother of Mufasa.

• He appears to be a false hero as he only wants to be king but the only two things standing in his way is Mufasa and the future king; Simba.

Colour black = dark, mysterious or perhaps dangerous.

- Eyes are unusual colour - Scar near his eye

PART E: Terms

Diegesis

• Diegesis is the world of film or programme we see on screen is known as the diegesis or the diegetic world.

• The world that the characters live in TV/Film.

• The things that make up the Diegesis is the diegetic elements.

An example of Diegesis • A TV programme or film is

considered to be DIEGESIS as long as the characters do not look directly into the camera or talk to the camera, which breaks the Diegesis as it brings the diegesis and reality together.

• An example of Diegesis :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=276mzf_Go8U&safe=active

Narrative range

• Unrestricted narration – A narrative which has no limits to the information that is presented.

• Restricted narration – Only offers a minimal information.

Restricted narration = Enigma/mystery/puzzle.

An example of unrestricted narration

This an example of a unrestricted narration as information is not restricted from the audience.

An example of restricted narrationAn example of this is a trailer for a film. Trailers give so little information so that people will go and watch it in cinema’s to see the ending.

Trailer for the film The Life of Pi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxY4l9kFGD0&safe=active

Trailer makes the audience feel a sense of enigma as it brings up questions on whether Pi ever got to see English (Tiger) again.

Shows the relationship between Pi and English the tiger.

Narrative depthObjective character identification – The viewer is given unique access to a character’s point of view. It is seen from their perspective. POV Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4&safe=active

This is from a characters perspective where we are given the unique access.

Cont. Subjective character identification – The view is given the unique access to what a range of characters can see and do.

PART F : MODULAR NARRATIVE (CAMERON)

Modular Narrative

• Modular narratives articulate a sense of time divisible and subject to manipulation.

Modular narratives (Cameron theory)

• Forking path• Episodic • Anachronic • Split Screen

Forking path • Narratives juxtapose alternative

versions of a story, showing the possible outcomes that might result from a small change in a single event or group of events.

• Allan Cameron shows how this formal play reflects a persistent fascination with questions of chance and destiny, memory and history, and the representation of simultaneous events.

Episodic

• Narratives are organised as an abstract series or narrative anthology.

• Anthology consists of a series of shorter tales which are apparently disconnected but share a random similarity, like episodes.

Anachronic

• Contains flashbacks and flash-forward's.

• An example of Anachronic is Memento.

• In the film Memento the

main character has a condition where he has temporary memory loss, He can only have memories of his past and tends to have flashbacks of his dead wife.

Split Screen

• The screen is divided into two or more.

• Example of a split screen is used in films and YouTube videos.