narrative theory lesson 1

Narrative Theory

Media Studies AS

Narrative:

the way in which a story is told in both fictional and non-

fictional media texts.

Vladimir Propp- Russian critic and literary theorist.- Analysed over 100 Russian fairytales in the

1920s.- He proposed that it was possible to classify the

characters and their actions into clearly defined roles and functions.

- Films such as Star Wars fit Propp’s model precisely, but a a significant number of more recent films such as Pulp Fiction do not.

- The model is useful, however as it highlights the similarities between seemingly quite different stories.

Propp’s Character Roles The hero (seeks something) The villain (opposes the hero) The donor (helps the hero by providing a

magic object) The dispatcher (sends the hero on his way) The false hero (falsely assuming the role of

hero) The helper (gives support to the hero) The princess (the reward for the hero, but also

needs protection from the villain) Her father

Tzvetan Todorov Bulgarian literary theorist Suggests most narratives start with a

state of equilibrium in which life is ‘normal’ and protagonists happy.

This state of normality is disrupted by an outside force, which has to be fought against in order to return to a state of equilibrium.

This model can easily be applied to a wide range of films.

Equilibrium Disequilibrium New Equilibrium

Task:

Apply the two narrative theorists we have covered today to the following clip.

One character may fulfil more than on role and one of Propp’s characters doesn’t necessarily take human form in a narrative.

Equalibrium On a high

mountain plain lives a lamb with wool of such remarkable sheen that he breaks into a high steppin dance.

Disequilibrium But there

comes a day when he loses his lustrous coat and, along with it, his pride.

New Equilibrium It takes a wise

Jackalope – a horn adorned rabbit- to teach the moping lamb that woolly or not, it’s what’s inside that’ll help him rebound from life’s troubles.

The Hero

Seeks happiness following the visit of the ‘van’ which leaves him without his lustrous coat

The Villain The farmer / van

which arrives and takes the sheep’s coat.

The Donor

The Jackalope. He teaches the lamb to jump and be happy

The Dispatcher

It’s the Jackalope again!

The helper

Once again, it’s the Jackalope

The Princess It’s the

contented happiness which the lamb gets from his new found boundin’ prowess, along with the respect of his friends.