Media AS Coursework: Narrative

Narrative consists of lots of little elements (spoken or written accounts) which makes up one meaningful story and creates the films we watch today.

Todorov's Narrative Theory

1. Equilibrium: The main characters are introduced and everything is currently normal.

2: Disruption A problem arises which will disrupt the story,

3: Realization: The problem is realized and chaos happens.

4. Restore order: The protagonist tries to repair to problem and restore order again.

5: New equilibrium: The problem is solved and order is restored meaning everything is back to normal.

This narrative theory is useful as it explains the narrative of films and it can also be applied to short films like we're doing in media, so I can follows this in order to created an effective short film.

Todorov's narrative theory is still very much the same today as the majority of films always follow this structure of happy, disruption, happy. especially if we were linking to to fairy tales (which we can relate to Propp's narrative theory) but even action, horror, sci-fi we follow that same structure.

Propp's Narrative Theory

This type of order normally relates to films such as Disney and Princess films such as Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin and Cinderella.

Propp's narrative theory still applies to modern day narratives especially when looking into a specific genre such as fantasy (Disney and princesses) as they always get their prince and happy ending but always have to conquer a villain on the way.

Barthe's Narrative Theory

Barthe said that narrative works with five different codes: Action, Enigma, Symbolic, Semic and Cultural.

Barthe's theory can be quite abstract in the way he incorporates it to the narrative as I can see how all of the action, enigma, symbolic and semic codes can all be added to the narrative but Cultural narrative codes are the least likely to appear in a modern day film.

Strauss's Narrative Theory

Levi- Strauss looked into binary oppositions which meant conflict between to contrasting ideas/terms.

For example:
A 1970's western film between the Homesteaders and Native Americans

Out of all of the different narrative theories, Strauss's theory is the most different as everyone else talks about the different stages of a narrative but Strauss focus mostly on characteristics and abilities and incorporates mise-on-scene. His theory does have a small connection between looking into narrative as the juxtaposition ideas of good vs evil could be incorporated into this theory.

Overall narrative over time hasn't changed much at all, as we still like to follow the typical pattern of Strauss's narrative theory (which is the most popular) and if we don't have the resolution in the end it's normally because of a part 2 so therefore the story still continues and then in the end of that second half there will usually be a new equilibrium. All narrative theories co-inside with one another as they all have the idea of good vs evil -which is still very typical in today's films- and the ideas of having a happy ending.

Analyzing film plots

Thor 2

This film fits into Todorov's theory of

Equilibrium - Disruption - Realization - Restore Order - New Equilibrium.

In the beginning of the film we see Thor be introduced as the protagonist as he is trying to bring peace to the nine realms. We then meet Jane who is the prize of Thor (Like the Princess in Propp's theory) as she finds an anomaly - just like the one when Thor came to earth - she finds herself getting sucked into a worm hole. Over the course of this happening an evil villain is introduced and Thor has to partner up with his brother to conquer him and defend Asgard (their planet) In the end order is restored and everything i back to normal in Asgard.

Equilibrium: Thor trying to keep peace with the nine realms but other than that Asgard is fine and everyone on Asgard is okay.

Disruption: Jane is sucked into a worm hole and red crystals which belong to an evil man takes over her body.

Realization: Thor realizes that something has gone horribly wrong when the person who owns the crystals comes to Asgard and kills Thor's Mother as she was protecting Jane.

Restore Order: Thor gets help from his brother and Jane's family after a big action scene eventually the villain has been conquered.

New Equilibrium: Even though both Asgard and Earth got a little destroyed with the chaos of the fight no one is harmed and peace is restored once again.

Bridesmaids

This film fits into Strauss's idea of having two contrasting people such as the old best friend vs the new best friend. You can also link this to Todorov's narrative theory of having an equilibrium, disorder, equilibrium because that also has a key part in the narrative.

Annie is maid of honor to her best friend at her upcoming wedding but she finds that her best friend has also met another new friend called Helen and Annie doesn't seem to like her. Now we know that Helen is putting on a front to the Bride-to-be and acting like her best friend by being on her side and buying her the most expensive gifts for the wedding so that Annie is pushed out of the way and out of the picture. In the end they Annie and the Bride end up making up and Helene admits to being nasty to Annie and the ending is happy again.