This is a powerpoint explaining Todorov's narrative theory and the 5 stages he believed every film should have.

1. Narrative Theorist:
Todorov
By Art Noble

2. About Him
• Todorov was Bulgarian/French historian and philosopher, he was the author of
many books and essays which he has won many awards for. Todorov was born
March 1st 1939 in Sofia, Bulgaria and passed away on the 7th of February 2017.
• Todorov’s narrative theory suggests that there are 5 stages to every film.
• 1. Equilibrium - (Where everything is as it should be)
• 2. Disruption - (There is a disruption in the event)
• 3. Recognition – (There is recognition from the characters that the disruption
has occurred)
• 4. Repair Disruption – (Attempts from the characters to solve the disruption and
bring things back to normal)
• 5. Return/Start a new Equilibrium - (Characters then begin again and start with
everything being normal and as it should be)

3. EXAMPLE 1 – THE HUNGER GAMES (2012)
Equilibrium
Disruption
Recognition
Repair Disruption
New Equilibrium
The Equilibrium being the fact that Katniss has gone
beyond her district to fight in battle.
The disruption is when Katniss’s sister is called up to
fight but Katniss stands in place and volunteers.
The recognition is when Katniss realizes she may never
see her family again and is putting her life at risk.
Repairing the disruption is when Katniss is determined to
prove people wrong and win the games and is put
through a series of challenges.
A new equilibrium is when she has teamed up with Peeta
and have refused to kill one another so the games have
ended with two winners resulting in both of them being
successful.

4. EXAMPLE 2 – HOT FUZZ (2007)
Equilibrium Disruption Recognition
Repair DisruptionNew Equilibrium
The equilibrium to begin with is Sargent Angel
enjoying his life as a police man on the streets
of London. A disruption is caused when the
Sargent is told he has no future in London and
is going to be transferred to a new location in
the country. The recognition comes into play
when Sargent Angel realizes his future in
London is over and is going to have to make a
new life in the village. Repairing the disruption
begins when starts to enjoy himself and begins
to undercover the strange happenings occurring
within the village. Finally the new equilibrium
is Sargent Angel has decided to stay and
continue to make the village safe by staying
with the police force.

5. EXAMPLE 3 – THE WOMAN IN BLACK (2012)
WHERE THE THEORY WASN’T FOLLOWED
The film begins with the
scene above of the three girls
who have seen the Woman in
Black and they proceed to
jump out the window leading
to their death.
The film continues with
Arthur Kipps being sent on
duty to the village and to
Eel Marsh House to go
through the documents of
one Alice Drablow leaving
his family behind for the
weekend. Acting as the
Equilibrium
Several scenes later and the recognition of
the trouble happening has been noticed by
Kipps as he begins to witness the horrors
and fears of the Woman in Black.

6. EXAMPLE 3 – THE WOMAN IN BLACK (2012)
WHERE THE THEORY WASN’T FOLLOWED
Repairing the disruption begins
when Kipps discovers the only
way to bring the Woman in Black
to peace, is to reunite her with
her son whose body they
discover in the marshlands
outside the house where he died.
The new equilibrium is the opposite to Todorov’s theory
because it ends on an emotional note and we also see the
Woman in Black is still alive and is still terrifying the village, It
ends with the main character dying with his family and cuts to
a close up shot of the Woman in Black as she stares down at
the camera.

7. Why It Doesn't’t Follow the Theory?
• The reason the Woman in Black doesn't follow the theory of having
5 stages to every movie is because, at the ending there is meant
to be a new equilibrium where everything has returned to normal
and life goes on. In the Woman in Black the opposite happens, the
main character is still alive, and the villain being the Woman in
Black is still alive, leading to the obvious conclusion that more
terrifying experiences are to come.