This document discusses narrative theory and Vladimir Propp's analysis of characters and their functions in Russian fairytales from the 1920s. Propp proposed that characters could be classified into clearly defined roles like the hero, villain, donor, dispatcher, and others. Propp's model fits stories like Star Wars well but not more recent nonlinear narratives. The document also links roles like the hero, villain, donor, and dispatcher to a film noir film about a recently graduated police officer working to bring down a local gang leader.

1. INVESTIGATING NARRATIVE
THEORIES
AS Media Studies

2. NARRATIVE
 Narrative is the way in which the story is told;
whether it is fiction or non-fiction in media texts.

3. VLADIMIR PROPP
 Was a critic and literacy theorist.
 Analysed over 100 Russian fairytales in the 1920’s.
 Proposed that it was possible to classify the
characters and their actions into clearly defined
roles and functions.
 Films such as Star Wars fit Propp’s model precisely
whereas more recent films such as pulp fiction do
not.
 The model is useful, however, as it highlights the
similarities between some quite different stories.

4. PROPP’S CHARACTER ROLES
 The Hero
 The Villain
 The Donor
 The Dispatcher
 The False Hero
 The Helper
 The Princess
 Her Father

5. LINK TO OUR FILM NOIRE FILM
 The Hero- The recently graduated police officer.
 The Villain- Leader of local gang, Tommy D.
 The Doner- Provided with his first gun as his
weapon.

6. LINK TO OUR FILM NOIRE FILM
 The Dispatcher- Head of police who sent him to
bring down Tommy D.
 The False Hero- The new officers assistant, whom
assumed the role of the hero when he was down, in
hospital.
 The Helper- The team from the department who
helped the Hero when he was outnumbered by the
gang.