I thought I would look at media narrative theories

1. MEDIA NARRATIVE
THEORIES
Shania Steele

2. ARISTOTLE
Over 2000 years ago, Aristotle observed that all narratives had a
beginning, a middle and an end.
A narrative should be created within a unity of time place and action.
It should all take place in the same location, in real time and with all
action moving towards a logical and moral conclusion.

3. TODOROV
All narratives begins with equilibrium (initial situation) where everything is
balanced.
This is followed by some form of disruption.
A resolution is at the end of the narrative and a new equilibrium is often
established.
Five Stages
The State of equilibrium
Event disturbs the equilibrium
Main protagonist notices that the equilibrium has been disrupted.
Protagonist tries to change the situation to restore equilibrium.
Equilibrium is restored but with some changes meaning it is a new equilibrium
which has been established.
Equilibrium- Disequilibrium- New Equilibrium

4. PROPP
He studied fairytales and found that all narratives have a similar
structure.
He noticed that narratives are shaped and directed by certain types of
characters and specific kinds of action.
He believed that there are 31 possible stagers or functions in any
narrative. Not all of them occurred in a single story but they always
appear in the same sequence.

5. LEVI-STRAUSS
He investigated how stories unconsciously reflect the values, beliefs
and myths of a culture. We make sense of the world, people and
events by seeing and using binary opposites everywhere. All
narratives are organised around the conflict between such binary
opposites.
Examples of Binary opposites:
Good vs Evil
Black vs White
Boy vs Girl

6. BARTHES
Narratives work with five different codes which activate the reader.
The codes are as follows:
Action- Narrative device by which a resolution is produced through
action.
Enigma- Narrative device which teased the audience by presenting a
puzzle or riddle to be solved. It works to delay the story’s ending
pleasurably.
Symbolic- (connotation)
Semic- (denotation)
Cultural- Narrative device which the audience can recognise as being
part of a culture