Unit 1

1. Level 2 Media Unit 1C: Narrative
Linear narratives: Todorov’s Narrative Structure
Narrativesinthe mediacan be eitherlinearornon linear. A linearnarrative quite literallyfollowsa
line,withaclearbeginning,middleandend. Increasinglythoughnarrativesare nonlinear,where
Genre
example
Establishing
problem
Elaboration/
development
Complication Actionclimax Resolution
Romance
Horror Two menkill
and capture
crocodiles
thenthey
come across a
witch. The
witchmakes
the crocodiles
and the
crocodiles
killsthe 2
men.
Detectives
come to the
witches’
house and
questions2or
them.One of
themtellsthe
detectives
everything
but the head
witchgets
involvedand
solvestheir
problem.
The head
witchmade
the detectives
drinkwater
whichshe
spat into
make her
control the
detectivesso
now the
detectivesare
goingto tell
the
department
nothing
because the
headwitch
done
somethingto
themto make
the detectives
listentoher.
The two
witchesthat
got
questioned
whento
where they
keepbodies
and theygot
one of the
girlsdead
boyfriends
headand got
other
people’sbody
parts to try
and create
the ‘perfect
boyfriend’.
One of the
twowitches
and a
different
witchtook
the boyfriend
to the
different
witches’
house sothat
witchcan fix
himup and
make him
normal.One
of the witches
didn’tknow
where to
keepher
boyfriendso
the boyfriend
isbasically
hidingsothat
herschool
doesn’tfind
out.
Action Black guy
shootsa
detective 4
timesbecause
of the amount
of moneythe
detective is
sellingthe
gunsto him
for
($100,000).
Black guy
threatensthe
white
policeman
and a
construction
workersaid
what’sgoing
on thenthe
blackguy
drove away.
All the other
detectives
and
policemenare
at the station
and the head
detective tells
the rest of
themat the
stationto do
whateverit
takesto find
the detective
that got shot
The detective
ishidingor
else he is
goingto get
killedsoa
blackman
and woman
findhimand
fix himupby
tryingto keep
himalive and
remove the
bulletsfrom
The detective
endsup dying
whenthe
detectives
partner
reacheshim.

2. the story movesaroundintime andspace,usingtechniquessuchas flashback, flashforward,a range
of concurrent narrativesand narrators (characterswhotell the story).
Many HollywoodfilmsandTV dramas still follow abasiclinearstructure. The theorywe use to
analyse these wasoriginatedbyamediawritercalled Todorov.
Todorov(1973)’s model of narrative structure maybe usedacrossa varietyof forms(fictional /non-
fictional) andarange of media(print,TV,film, gamesetc..)
Todorov’smodel,whichisalsoknownasthe equilibrium/disequilibriummodel, isasfollows:
All storiesare similar in structure,in thatthey sharea movementacrossa series of threephases
which relate to a “problem”or a disruption:
OR:
Equilibrium Dis-equilibrium New equilibrium
The type of narrative problemanditsresolutionwilldependonthe genre of the film.Soina crime
story,the narrative problemisthe solvingof acrime. There are twistsor elaborationsof characters
as suspects.Eventuallythe problemwillbe resolvedwiththe arrestordeathof the lawbreaker.
and bringhim
back alive.
the wounds
that he has.
Sci Fi A toxicalien
creature
loose ona
planet.This
meansthat
CaptainKirk
and histeam
needtofinda
wayto stop it.
The alien
creature eats
off the salts
that isin
humans’
bodies.The
creature lives
on a hot
planetso
that’swhyit
alwaysneeds
to have salt.
The creature
can transform
intowhatever
so that itcan
hide itspaths.
Thisletsthe
creature to
mimica
squad
member
lettingthem
getaboard
the ship.
Crewman
founddead
on the ship
and the
creature has
been
reportedon
board.
The creature
isfrom a dead
race. The ship
has now
become
undercontrol
and the
creature has
takenthe
formof
Doctor
McCoy. The
creature
attemptsto
kill Captain
Kirk.
Whereas
tryingto kill
CaptainKirk
the creature
getsshot by
Doctor McCoy
savinghislife.
1.Establishinga
narrative “problem”
2.Elaborationof problem
(development 3.complication
4.Actionclimax
cclimax)
5.Resolution

3. Lookingat the openingorclimax of a filmcan establishwhatnarrative problemsare being
establishedand resolved.ApplyingTodorov’smodel toawhole filmcanoftenreveal abasic
structure behindwhatappearstobe a complicated story.
Empire – Episode 5 Season 3:
Equilibrium – 2 people in a studio
Dis-equilibrium – Oneperson beats up another person and the police are after
the girl, because of her probation officer
New Equilibrium – Vernon agrees to make music with Lucious (Lucious’ son
Andreis Vernon’s enemy)
Development – The woman goes on a date with some guy, starts a new
romance
Complication – Major conflict between 2 families
Dispatcher –
Donor –
Antagonist–
Protagonist–
False Hero - Lucious