Propp's character roles and narrative functions 2

1. Soap Opera Genre –
Propp’s Character Roles
Propp’s Narrative Functions
Name: Alex Westbrook
Candidate Number: 64135
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number: 64135
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. The technical code of the mid shot of the woman standing
outside of her house smoking, connotes her ‘villainous’ nature
within the soap. This is further supported by the pace of the
shot-reverse-shot that accentuates her role as ‘The villain’
(struggles against the hero) .‘the hero’ (reacts to the donor,
usually marries the princess) ,who seems to be confronting ‘the
villain’, is represented as ‘a villain’ by the mise-en-scene in that
she appears much fresher faced and as if she has taken more
care with her appearance in comparison to ‘The villain’ who is
seen smoking and rather poorly dressed.
Trailer 1 – Eastenders spring 2017
trailer

3. Trailer 2 – coronation street
spring trailer
The villain within the trailer is presented straight away in the
trailer as a character who discloses having murdered another
character which immediately portrays him as an antagonist
within the storyline.
The false hero in the scene is the man who labels another
character who appears to be in a relationship with them or at
least was In an a relationship with them as an ‘attention seeker
and disgrace’ and then proceeds to go behind their back and be
intimate with someone else.

4. ‘Struggle’ and ‘villainy’
‘The villain’ comes into direct conflict with ‘the hero’ as she is
approached by the hero after ‘the villain’ previously getting into
a physical dispute and ‘the hero’ is thus confronting ‘the villain’.
The shot-reverse-shot between the two characters highlights the
sheer tension and anger on both sides.
Trailer 1 – Eastenders spring 2017
trailer
Propp’s Narrative Functions

5. ‘PUNISHMENT’: The villain suffers the consequences of their
actions, perhaps at the hands of the hero, the avenged victims,
or as a direct result of their own ploy. The villain within this soap
is seen suffering emotionally after having murdered another
character. The villain seems to be struggling with the seriousness
of his actions, and the way in which he refers to the incident is
almost as if it came as a result of desperation or perhaps even
was an accident.
Trailer 2 – coronation street
spring trailer
Propp’s Narrative Functions

6. ‘PUNISHMENT’: The villain suffers the consequences of their
actions, perhaps at the hands of the hero, the avenged victims,
or as a direct result of their own ploy. The villain within this soap
is seen suffering emotionally after having murdered another
character. The villain seems to be struggling with the seriousness
of his actions, and the way in which he refers to the incident is
almost as if it came as a result of desperation or perhaps even
was an accident.
Trailer 2 – coronation street
spring trailer
Propp’s Narrative Functions