2. What is Narrative ?
Narrative is a spoken or written account of connected events; a
story. a spoken or written account of connected events; Narrative is
the media term for story telling. is the way the different elements in
a story are organized to make a meaningful story a story.
• TV Programme’s
• Novels or Short Stories
• Films
• Advertisements
• News in papers or onTV & Radio
• ViaThe internet
• Gossip
4. Vladimir Propp (1928)
• Vladimir Propp was a theorist from Russia.
• Propp analyzed over 100 Russian fairytales in 1920’s
• Films like StarWars they fit Propp’s Model precisely, but a significant number of more recent films do not.
• He proposed that it was possible to classify the characters and their actions into clearly defined roles and functions.
• Props Character Roles :
• The Hero (seeks something)
• The villain ( opposes the hero )
• The Donor ( Helps the hero by providing a magic object )
• The Dispatcher ( sends the hero on his way )
• The False Hero ( Falsely assuming the role of hero )
• The Helper ( Gives support to the hero )
• The Princess (The reward for the hero )
5. Todorov’s NarrativeTheory
literacy theorist
• Todorov’s narrative theory basically states that most story’s or plot
lines follow the same pattern.
• There are 5 steps.
• Equilibrium
• A Disruption
• Realization
• Restored Order
• Equilibrium Again
6. Roland Barthes
French Semiologist
• He suggested that narrative works with five different codes which activate the
reader to make sense of it.
• Barthes Codes
• Action- A narrative device by which a resolution is produced through action,
e.g. a shoot out
• Enigma- A narrative device that teases the audience by presenting a puzzle or
riddle to be solved.Works to delay the story’s ending pleasurably.
• Symbolic – Connotation
• Semic – Denotation
• Cultural – Is a narrative device which the audience can recognize as being part
of a culture e.g. a “ Made man” in a gangster film is part of the mafia culture
