Narrative theory 'Wake me up by Avicii'

1. Elishia Selby MediaStudies
Narrative theory-Wake me up by Avicii
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcrbM1l_BoI
Within the music video Wake me up by Avicii, we can clearly see evidence of Propp,
Todorov, Bathes and Levi-Strauss’ theories with regards to narrative in music videos.
Vladimir Propp (1929) found that within a narrative music video there are a number of
character types used to decode the meanings of it. Within ‘Wake me up’ the audience can
notice a hero who is played by the older sister and the princess being her younger sister
(also shown through her dress-code of a long white dress) as she is helped by the older
sister to find where they both belong. The villains are presented in this video to be the
people in the town they are living in due to their disgusted looks and difference in dress-
code and work. The helper could arguably be the first women with the tattoo that the older
sister comes across on her journey to find where they both belong due to her leading her to
the other people alike.
Tzventan Todorov (1969) found that there are 5 repetitive chained events which occurred
in all narrative videos; equilibrium, disruption of the equilibrium, recognition of the
disruption, an attempt to repair the damage, new equilibrium. This again is shown within
this music video where the two sisters are shown walking around the old fashioned town,
wearing more modern clothing e.g. the black hat and jacket, green necklaces, whereas the
others are in more worn, lighter coloured clothing. The people of that town stare
disgustedly at them, shown through the close ups of their faces, therefore showing that
there is clearly a problem with them being there. The younger sister is the one who points
out that there is something wrong through her dialogue ‘The others, they don’t like us…
why?’ which isn’t answered by her older sister. However the older sister attempts to repair
the damage by leaving her sister and going to find out where they actually belong, which is a
modernised town where the people all have the same tattoo mark. The music video ends by
the older sister returning to the younger and taking her to the place where they belong
leaving behind the old town; which is Todorov’s ‘new equilibrium’ stage.
Roland Bathes (1960s) recognised 5 codes that occurred in most narratives; action,
referential, semantic, enigma and symbolic. Within this music video a symbolic code used is
the specific tattoo shape marked on the bodies of a specific type of people. This has been
used to represent that they are different to those who don’t have this as a ‘symbol of
recognition’. You could also argue that the enigma code is the initial question created at the
beginning of the video of ‘why are the people staring horrifically at them?’ The semantic
code is shown through the different types of people; the two sisters being friendly but not
belonging, the old fashioned town villagers who are portrayed as miserable and
judgemental, and the modernised town residents who seem to be happy and up to date
with technology.

2. Elishia Selby MediaStudies
Finally Claude Levi-Strauss (1972) found that stories/narratives unconsciously reflect the
values/beliefs of a culture which is usually expressed in the form of binary oppositions; this
is evidently shown within Wake me up. One obvious opposition is the chosen set for the two
towns; one being old fashioned/basic, with dull/lighter colours, ‘closed’ signs (buildings
being closed and empty), basic living conditions, only natural lighting and a sandier more
negative atmosphere, whereas the other town is shown to have a more positive
atmosphere through the vibrant colours, bright lights, modern technology (cars, lights, DJ
etc.) and happier people which could be argues that it relates to the wealth or rich and poor
of the two towns. The Tattoo symbol also helps to show the difference between two types
of people as well as the use of the elder and youth mostly belonging to different areas
perhaps. The emotions are also contrasted of happy and sadness; modernised town being
the happier place to be, which is where the two sisters belong.
To conclude, Wake me up’s music video by Avicii does contain aspects of Propp, Todorov,
Bathes and Levi-Strauss’ narrative theories in which I could use to consideration when
planning my own music video due to its similar genre; Dance/electronic
Theorist Example- Avicii- Wake me up
Propp - Hero- Older sister
- Princess/prince- Younger sister
- Villain- Other people in their town
- Helper- First women with the tattoo
Todorov - Sisters walking around their own town
- Disruption is people are watching them because they are different and hated
- But younger sister points it out
- Goes out searching for a new place
- Finds where they belong and goes to that place
Barthes - Symbolic code- Tattoo shape is representation of the differences
- Why are people staring at them initially
Levi-Strauss - Binary oppositions the two towns
- Richer (modern)/Poor (elder fashioned)
- Flashing lights/basic lighting
- Cars/horses or by foot
- Young and old
- Both sisters have green necklace
- Poor rustic dull coloured bedroom- chipped bed, old sheets, dirty wall, old lamp
- Electricity/tall buildings
- Bright clothing/dull light coloured clothing
- Happiness and sadness
- Dust & sand/Road and concrete