The document discusses various character and narrative theories that can be applied to analyze horror films, including Propp's character theory, Todorov's narrative structure theory, Levi-Strauss's binary opposites theory, and Barthes's five codes of narrative. Propp's theory identifies common character archetypes like the hero, villain, helper, and princess. Todorov's theory describes the stages of narrative as equilibrium, disruption, recognition, repairing, and new equilibrium. These theories are then applied to analyze the characters and narrative structure of the films Insidious and Sweeney Todd.

1. CHARACTER & NARRATIVE
NINA ONUNGWA

2. • To add to my research I will be conducting a detailed an analysis on different
horror films and the characters especially the antagonist. Doing an analysis will
give me an idea on what is conventional from the antagonists that are
reoccurring in the horror genre. This will give me the correct information so I will
know exactly how the characters within my film production will be portrayed and
the conventions and codes they will need to obtain.

3. PROPP'S CHARACTER
THEORY
• Vladimir Propp introduced a character theory where he
suggested that every narrative has a number of specific
characters that can be easily identified by the audience. Each
of these specific characters have a certain function which is
an important element regarding the structure of the
narrative. These specific characters that are typical in every
narratives consist of:
 The Hero (protagonist)
 Villain (antagonist)
 Dispatcher
 Donor
 Helper
 False Hero
 The Princess/ The Father

4. • The Hero - is a character within the narrative who seeks
something, stereotypically this character is male protagonist who
the mission to restore normality or the equilibrium within the text,
the hero does this by defeating the antagonist and saving his love
interest, which is a very stereotypical storyline, especially in action
films for example in Spider-Man where he is defeating villains yet
trying to keep his love interest safe. There are two different types
hero:
• Victim Hero – The Victim Hero is the centre of the villains attention,
so they are always targeted and undertaking many obstacles set by
the antagonist.
• Seeker Hero – The seeker hero is the hero that spends most of
their time and energy helping/supporting the victims of the villain.
• The Villain within the narrative is the main antagonist
that is in opposition to their mission and causing moral
panic to the characters within the film and he audience.
This character is stereotypically male, with a bad past
which adds to the element of moral panic as the
audience could feel slightly sympathetic to the villain as
a bad past signifies humanity. For example Jigsaw in Saw
who gives victims horrific challenges which results in
their death.

5. • Dispatcher – The dispatcher within the
narrative is the person who sends the
hero/heroine on their mission and is in
charge. Within present days this is done on
advanced technology, where the dispatcher
is kept updated and informed when
something drastic may occur.
• Donor – Within the narrative a donor's
main purpose is to aid the hero in some
form during their mission, which results in
the disequilibrium being restored after the
effect from the disruption. How the Donor
aids the hero may be physical such as a
weapon, magic (if it was a supernatural
film) or key information to help them. An
example of a donor in The Hunger Games
would be Haymitch that provided Katniss
Everdeen with physical help to make sure
she survived during the game.

6. • Helper – The helper has similar ideologies to the
donor, but it is differentiated as the helper supports
the hero throughout their missions. They usually
appear at critical moments to give them guidance, so
overall they are the hero's sidekick. An example of
'the helper' is Donkey within Shrek who helps Shrek
as he goes an saves the princess and defeats the
dragon.
• The princess/prize/love interest/damsel in distress
– Within every narrative involving a male hero, there
is always a female that is in some form of trouble due
to the villain and needs to be saved, which conforms
to Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze, where the
audience is put into perspective regarding a
heterosexual man upon a women. This is due to the
love interest stereotypically looks pretty with
seductive ideologies. More regarding the princesses,
it is made clear within the narrative that the hero
deserves the girl but there is an evil force keeping
them apart however when the protagonist defeats
the antagonist, the stereotypical 'happy ending'
occurs. Also the father is connected to the princess
and within the narrative this character stereotypically
rewards the hero and protects the princess.

7. • False Hero – The false hero within
the narrative is the fake 'hero' which
conforms to many of the ideologies
surrounding the hero throughout
start, which connotes his integrity
and gains respect from people for
example the princesses father.
However, these attributes are false
and the false hero attempts to
disrupt what the real hero's mission
is.

8. INSIDIOUS
• Insidious conforms to Propp's character
theory as well as Todorov's theory of
narrative.
• What is insidious? Insidious is about a happy,
young family that has moved into a new
home which in time, very strange things start
occurring. For example, the young boy slips
into a coma and becomes possessed by the
evil spirits.

9. INSIDIOUS – PROPP'S CHARACTER THEORY
Insidious follows most of propp's character theory, for example:
• The hero – the father
• The donor/dispatcher - The women who could get rid of spirits
• The villain – All of the evil sprits
• The helper – Various characters within the film
• The princess – The young boy (Which is a subversion as the 'princess/damsel in
distress is normally female however the boy is in need of rescuing within the film)

10. TODOROV'S THEORY
• In 1969 Todorov introduced a theory where he believed this theory regarding the
structure of the narrative can be depicted within any film. This is because he believed
all films had exactly the same narrative pattern and went through particular stages,
theses stages consist of:
o Equilibrium (All as it should be)
o Disequilibrium (Disruption of Equilibrium – by an event)
o Acknowledgment (Recognition of the disruption)
o Solving (Attempt to repair the damage)
o and new again equilibrium

11. TODOROV'S THEORY IN SWEENEY TODD
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street a story about a sinister barber, released in 2007 follows Todorov's theory, I used this example as it is
within the horror genre.
• Equilibrium: Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) returns to London after spending 5 years arrested within Australia due to false accusations, he returns
under the new identity 'Sweeney Todd' hoping start a somewhat normal life.
• Disruption: However, after arriving he finds out information from Mrs. Lovett that his wife after he left, died from suicide after she poisoned herself
with arsenic due to Turpin (the mane that falsely accused him) raping her and having custody over his teenager daughter.
• Recognition: To try and start a normal life Sweeney Todd decides to start up his Barber shop business again, but still cannot come to terms with the
death of his wife and losing his daughter too. But, when his former assistant visits him trying to blackmail him he kills him out of anger. Not a while
later, he even missed his chance to kill Tupin which builds his anger even more.
• Repair: Due to missing his only chance of closure by not killing Tupin, he takes his revenge elsewhere he decides to cause havoc around London
killing his customers that enter his barber shop, whilst still finding a way to kill Tupin. Mrs. Lovett is also a part of the havoc as she starts turning the
dead bodies into pies to sell them, where they are both benefiting from the situation.
• New equilibrium: Without realising Todd kills his wife who he thought was a beggar women as that is what Mrs. Lovett told him, he lets the women
fall through the trapped door and also finally kiss Tupin. Later on, he then finds out that he was lied to and the beggar women was his wife which
results in Mrs. Lovett being thrown into the basement. When cradling his wife's body, he sense Toby's presence within the room and allows himself
to be killed so he can be t rest with his wife.

12. LEVI-STRAUSS THEORY
• Levi Strauss (1958) came up the theory that the way words are interpreted is not
down to the specific meaning, but about the understanding of it's binary
opposite. Where he then produced the theory of binary opposites. It was
identified that within every narrative, especially horror/action films there are
binary opposites between two characters or forces. For example good vs evil,
poor vs rich, old vs young etc. This can be seen within the horror film 'Scream'
where ghost face the serial killer who is the bad would be a binary opposite in
regards to his victims which is the good.

13. BARTHES THEORY
Roland Barthes suggested that any narrative implements five different codes that are constructed within the text, where
the audience unravels and finds may potential meanings for the different codes. The five codes consist of:
• Action (proairetic) - this code contains elements of action that is an indication to something else that is going to
happen within the text which also adds suspense as the audience will be guessing what will happen next.
• Enigma (Hermenuetic Code – This code represents the mystery within the text that refers to the elements within the
narrative that have not been fully explained, which causes tension amongst the readers as they are wondering what
is going to happen, with it's purpose to keep the audience interested, creating enigma until the reveal at the end.
• Symbolic - (connotation)
• Semantic - (denotation)
• Cultural – This code refers to a narrative device within the text that would be recognisible to the audience as it is part
of a certain culture.