Outline of narrative theories studied

1. NARRATIVE
THEORIES
B Y J I M M Y S O D I Y A

2. • Definition:
– The way in which a story is told in both fictional and non-fictional media texts.
• Theorists:
– Tzvetan Todorov
– Vladimir Propp
– Roland Barthes
– Levi Strauss

3. TODOROV’S THEORY
In 1969 Todorov produced a theory which he believed could
be applied to any film. He believed that all films followed the
same narrative pattern. They all went through stages called
the equilibrium, disequilibrium, acknowledgement, solving
and again equilibrium.
There are five stages the narrative can progress through:
1. A state of equilibrium (All is as it should be.)
2. A disruption of that order by an event.
3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.
4. An attempt to repair the damage of the
disruption.
5. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium

4. VLADIMIR PROPP
Vladimir Propp was a literary critic and a scholar who founded
the idea that a certain type of character was to be used in every
narrative structure. His theory has influenced many film makers
to writing and producing successful narratives. Propp also
suggested that every narrative has 8 different character types,
theses character types are:
• The Villain
• The Donor
• The Hero
• False Hero
• The Dispatcher
• The Helper
• The Princess or Prize, and often her Father

5. ROLAND BARTHES
Roland Barthes is a French semiologist and he
suggested that narrative works with five different
codes which activate the reader to make sense of
it.
Barthes' codes consist of:
- ACTION
- ENIGMA
- SYMBOLIC (CONNOTATION)
- SEMIC (DENOTATION)
- CULTURAL

6. LEVI STRAUSS
Levis Strauss was a French anthropologist
and ethnologist and he came up with the
'binary opposition theory'. This stated that
all narratives could be reduced down to
binary opposites, for instance good vs evil
or strong vs weak