Narrative theories in ‘Se7en’

By Tj Cifaldi

Propp

Hero – Mills Villain – Doe Donor – Somerset Helper – Somerset Princess – Tracy Father – Somerset Dispatcher – the Police Captain False Hero - Doe

Toderov

Start equilibrium- Mills is transferred to the undisclosed city where he is met by Somerset

Disruption of equilibrium- investigation of the fat mans death (greed)

Recognition of disruption- the scene where Somerset confronts mills and the police captain about the link between the three murders that have already taken place

Attempt to repair disruption- (three different possibilities)

1) When Mills and Somerset go to the location of their suspect

2) When John Doe turns himself 3) When Mills and Somerset take Doe out

to find the last two bodies

Equilibrium returned- When Mills shoots Doe

Levi-Strauss

Some binary opposites in seven are: Police vs. criminals Law vs. chaos Good vs. evil Sanity vs. insanity Morals vs. justification Somerset vs. Mills Somerset vs. Doe (note, Mills and Doe are

not opposites) Doe vs. the Victims