Todorov's narrative theory suggests all stories follow a five-part structure: equilibrium, disruption, recognition of disruption, attempts to repair disruption, return to equilibrium. This structure is seen in a Friends episode where the equilibrium is visiting a childhood home, disrupted when childhood items are destroyed, leading to attempts to repair the disruption and a return to equilibrium. Propp's character theory includes the hero, villain, donor, princess, and helper archetypes seen in Harry Potter with Harry as the hero and Voldemort the villain. The hypodermic needle theory argues media directly influences passive audiences but has been criticized as outdated given modern research abilities.

1. NARRATIVE
THEORY'S
BY : A L H A D I S H A R I F

2. TODOROV’S NARRATIVE THEORY
• Tzvetan Todorov's narrative theory suggests that all narratives follow a five part structure
where they begin with normality, then something causes a disruption, leading to
recognition of the disruption. An attempt to repair disruption then begins which leads to
normality.
These are the steps for all traditional stories:
1. Equilibrium (everything is as it should be)
2. Disruption (by an event)
3. Recognition of disruption
4. Attempts to repair disruption
5. Return to equilibrium
• So a linear narrative will go in a straight line – or normally in chronological order.
• A non linear narrative will be a story told out of order and can often be confusing for the
viewer

3. EQUILIBRIUM
• In the episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S season 7 episode 13, the episode follows Todorov’s
narrative
• In this episode the equilibrium is that Monica and ross’ parents are selling their
childhood house and they go visit it for the last time

4. DISRUPTION
• The disruption in the event is that the dad (Jack Gellar) and Ross find out all of
Monica's childhood items/memories are destroyed
• Monica thinks Ross was the favorite child which makes the disruption worse

5. RECOGNITION OF DISRUPTION
• Ross and his dad realize and decide to try and make new memories for Monica by
putting some of Ross’ items in new boxes

6. ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR DISRUPTION
• Monica then realizes the items in the box were not hers and her dad then decides to
tell her the truth which results her in storming away, her dad then decides to give her
the Porsche

7. RETURN TO EQUILIBRIUM
• The new equilibrium ends in Monica receiving a Porsche and also getting rid of the
chair that she hated

8. PROPP AND CHARACTER TYPES
THEORY
• THE HERO Traditionally the hero is the main protagonist in a film, his role is usually to restore
normality
• THE VILLIAN is the enemy of the protagonist, he is commonly known as a antagonist. His role in
the film is to stop the hero from completing his mission
• THE DONOR gives the hero something to help him complete his mission in the most efficient way,
for example, a magic sword.
• THE PRINCESS is often the prize the hero receives from completing his mission. This character is
vulnerable and often succumbs to the villains needs
• THE HELPER assists the hero in restoring normality. This may be a fellow traveler or a friend he's
known his whole life
• THE PRINCESSES FATHER is an authority figure who grants an award to the hero for saving his
daughter
• THE FALSE HERO is a character who is at first on the protagonists side but eventually turns on him

9. HARRY POTTER – THE HERO
• The Hero Harry Potter, the victim who becomes the hero in the Harry Potter series.
Begins with Harry being victimized and bullied by his aunt and uncle. Parents killed by
Villain when he was younger. Then approached and receives information from the
donor which gives him a fighting chance.

10. THE VILLAIN - VOLDEMORT
• Throughout the film series Lord Voldemort is the villain. Everyone is afraid of him and
are even afraid to say his name aloud. He brings out Harry’s weaknesses and proves
great strength.

11. THE DONOR AND THE DISPATCHER -
HAGRID AND DUMBLEDORE
• Dumbledore supports harry in all the films. He guides and protects him acting as the
donor and dispatcher sometimes telling Harry where to go and what to do.
• Hagrid Introduces Harry to the wizarding world and helps him get his first wand

12. THE HELPER - RON AND HERMIONE
Ron and Hermione have been friends with Harry ever since they met on The Hogwarts
Express, they are with Harry nearly every time he fights Lord Voldemort and they help
him out along the way.

13. THE PRINCESS - GINNY WEASLY
• The Princess, although not a conventional princess, she ends up marrying the hero.
She is a character who has been rescued.

14. THE FALSE HERO - DRACO MALFOY
• Draco Malfoy and Harry have never got on right from the very beginning. Malfoy is
jealous of Harry and does everything in his power to stop him from succeeding.

15. HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY
• This is the idea that the mass media injects thoughts, values and beliefs into the
audience, by doing this it influences them and can may change their opinions, this
theory applies how powerful and controlling the media can be.
• The media injects its message straight into a passive audience

16. WHERE DID THIS IDEA COME FROM?
• This idea came from media theorists particularly looking at propaganda text from
World War 1 and World War 2
• For example, a poster in WW2 detreated from Nazi propaganda suggested the Jews
portrayed to be as evil and sinister people, this then supports the idea as the media is
trying to control peoples minds by giving out negative vies of the Jewish community

17. CRITICIZATIONS OF THE THEORY
• This theory has been criticized greatly as the concept ignores the idea that not
everyone behaves and reacts in a certain way.
• This also gives a false portrayal of audiences as it suggests that we just take on any
information and act on it, no matter the source or format it was created from.
• Nowadays we are able to research anything and find out if it is true, this is due to our
strong opinions, however, in the past people weren’t able to research due to their lack
of technological knowledge and people just believed what anyone said if it had high
credibility and if the person saying it had a high power status, this then suggests that
the theory is outdated.

18. HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER TIME?
• This theory has been developed over time for example,
• Advertising in the past used to be just simply just showing the product, what it does
and what it can offer you, nowadays it has become about aspirations and associations.
Red Bulls advertising campaign uses individuals who perform amazing stunts and
tricks, they then just put the Red Bull logo onto their equipment, suddenly red bull
becomes associated with these stunts and tricks. They become successful just by
associating them the product with these individuals.
• The audience are just sitting there, passively being affected by the media

19. BARTHES ENIGMA CODES
• An enigma code poses questions to the audience that are answered shortly after or
later on in the film, for example in the pilot episode in the TV show Fargo, a man is
displayed walking up to kids and then leaves, his origin and identity isn’t then revealed
till later on in the episode, which leaves the question of “Who is he” in the audiences
head.
• These questions then enable the audience to get intrigued with the film
• Enigma codes then entice the audience to watch the rest of the film or show as they're
curious to what will happen next

20. HOW ARE THEY USED IN OTHER
FORMATS OF MEDIA?
• They can be used in a magazine cover to persuade the audience to buy it which will
then justify their curiosity on what happened to a certain celebrity
• They can also be used in radio, as the host tends to highlight stories they're going to
discuss in an hour or any certain time which would intrigue the audience to stay tuned
or wait until that time, they often word them as a cliffhanger.
• They can also be used in videogames as they sometimes convince the audience to buy
certain things for access into a new chapter or level in the game

21. TYPES OF CODES
• Hermeneutic code: This is where the story is not fully explained. The end of the
narrative is hidden until the end of the film to persuade the audience to keep watching
• Proairetic code: When an event or action in a show or movie indicates what will
happen to a certain character next and the audience often can predict it.