narrative theory

1. Narrative theory
Narrative isdefinedasachainof eventsina cause and effectrelationshipoccurringintime.
Bordwell andtompson
Narrative isa way of organisingspatial andtemporal eventsintoacause effectchainof eventswith
beginningamiddle andendthatthatembodiesajudgmentaboutthe nature of events.
Baingan’s keypointisthatthe narrative will embodyajudgement.
Proppwas a Russiantheoristwhosuggeststhatthere are a limitednumberof charactertypesthat
share a function.
The villain
The hero
The donor
The helper
The princess
Her father
The dispatcher
The false hero
TzvetanTodorov1969
1. Equilibrium
2. Disruptionof the equilibrium
3. Recognitionof the disruption
4. An attempttorepairthe damage
5. Newequilibrium
RolandBarthes1960s
His narrative theoryclaimsthata narrative can be brokendowninto5 codesandthat most things
that we watch can be brokenintothe 5 codes.
Actioncode whichreferstothe eventstakingplace throughoutaction.
Referential code whichreferstothe informationandexplanation.
Semanticcode whichreferstothe characters andcharacterisation
Enigmacode whichis a narrative device thatteasesthe audience bypresentingapuzzle orriddle to
be solved.
Symboliccode whichreferstothe connotationsof signs
Claude Levi-Strauss1972
Binaryoppositesare conflictsbetweentwoqualitiesorterms.
AllenCameron1990s

2. Anachronic- modifiedflashbacks/flash-forwardsnocleardominance betweennarrativethreads.
Forkingpath- alternative versionsof the story outcomesthatmightresultinslightchanges
Episodic- collectionof storiesjoinedbyacommon theme
Splitscreen- spatial ratherthantemporal lines.