1. Narrative theory
Accordingto Bordwell and Thompsonnarrative isdefinedas “achain of eventsin a cause and
effectrelationshipoccurringin time”. Narrative is “away of organisingspatial and temporal events
into a cause-effectchainof eventswitha beginning,a middle and an end that embodiesa
judgementabout the nature of events” accordingto Branigan.
Branigan arguesthat narrative is “away of organisingspatial and temporal data intoa cause-effect
chain of eventswith a begging,middle and an end that embodiesa judgementabout the nature of
events”.
VladimirPropp (1926) studiedfairytalesand saysinall typesof mediathere are 8 characters…
The villain.
The hero – seekssomething.
The donor – providesandobjectwithsome magical property.
The helper– whoaidsthe hero.
The princess – Rewardfor the heroand objectof the villain’sschemes.
Her father – who rewardsthe hero.
The dispatcher – whosendsthe heroon hisway.
The false hero– Alsolaysclaimto the princessbutisunsuitable andcausescomplications.
Tzvetan Todorov (1969)
1. Equilibrium--------------------------------
2. Disruption |
3. Recognitionof the disruption |
4. Attempttorepairthe damage |
5. Newequilibrium -----------------------------/
Roland Barthes (1960s) - Narrative canbe brokendowninto5 codesinorder to make more sense of
it…
Action code – Eventstakingplace throughaction
Referential code – Referstothe informationandexplanation thatcanbe inferredbyprior
knowledge
Semantic code – Referstothe characters and characterisation
Enigma code – Narrative device,puzzle,questor riddle tobe solved.Workstodelaythe
story’sendingpleasurably
Symboliccode – Refersto the connotationsof signs e.g.colours
Claude Levie-Strauss(1972) came up with binary opposites,aconflictbetweentwo opposite
qualitiesorterms(e.g.goodvsbad,domesticvs.savage andrich vs.poor)
Allan Cameron:Modular narratives (2008) – There are 4 differenttypesof narrativesastheyhave
got more complex since the 1990s…
Anachronic – Modifiedflashbacks/flashforwards,nocleardominance betweennarrative
threads
Forking-Path– Alternativeversionsof the storywithoutcomes thatmightresultfromslight
changes
Episodic– Collectionof storiesjoinedbyacommontheme
