This document summarizes several influential narrative and film theorists, including Tzvetan Todorov, Claude Levi-Strauss, and Vladimir Propp. It discusses Todorov's theory of narrative equilibrium and how it applies to films like The Descent and The Hangover. It outlines Levi-Strauss' concept of narrative conflict created through binary oppositions. And it explains Propp's identification of common character functions and roles in fairy tales that also appear in films like The Matrix.

1. Aassignment7: Narrative
& Film Theory
Research!
By Gledis Dedaj

2. Film Narrative Definition?
• What is Film Narrative?
• Narrative is best described as the art of storytelling.
• But when applied to Film it involves a number of conventions such
as:
• Genre
• Character
• Form
• Time
• Film Narrative is the way in which a story is pieced together for the viewing of an
audience.
• The different narratives for film employ a different message and theme.

3. Tzvetan Todorov-General
information!
• He was a French philosopher.
• He was a Bulgarian literary theorist.
• He came up with the idea of equilibrium.
• Claimed all stories had a basic structure based on
equilibrium.

4. Tzvetan Todorov (narrative
film theorist: narrative
• structure)
Tzvetan Todorov put together the theory of the 'Classic Hollywood
narrative'.
• Todorov believed that a narrative came in three stages:
Equilibrium: Disequilibrium: New
•Everything begins •This occurs when Equilibrium:
with this. something disrupts the •This occurs when the
equilibrium . equilibrium is finally
•At this point any
•The equilibrium is restored.
potentially opposing
forces are balanced . disrupted by an event, •This comes at the end,
setting off a chain of events. when all problems are
resolved.
•His Theory is the more formal way of looking at the beginning,
middle and end of a film.
•It takes into account Aristotle's theory - All drama is conflict thus
there is a disequilibrium at the heart of every narrative.

5. Films Supporting Tzvetan
Todorov’s theory!
• Todorov suggested that conventional narratives are structured in five different
stages:
2. A state of equilibrium and stability – at the start.
3. A disruption of the equilibrium by an event or action.
4. A recognition that there has been a disruption.
5. An attempt to repair the disruption.
6. The equilibrium is finally reinstated.
• His theory concentrates on the response generated by "fantastic" events that
occur in films.
• His theory is used in films such as:
•The descent •The Hangover •The Burbs

6. The Decent- Tzvetan Todorov’s
theory!
Stage : 1 – State of Stage : 2 - Disequilibrium Stage : 3 – New Equilibrium
Equilibrium One of the characters kills
A year after an accident a Their friend leads them to a some of the demons and
group of women go to a cabin different, never before seen cave. manages to escape the cave.
for a Cave exploring adventure. They become trapped and However this is just the
attempt to discover a route out character’s dream, she wakes
the cave. up still in the cave

7. The Hangover- Tzvetan Todorov’s
theory!
Stage : 1 – State of Stage : 2 – Disequilibrium Stage : 3 – New
Equilibrium Equilibrium
They wake up after a heavy
Group of friends go to night of partying and cant The manage to find
Vegas together for a remember a thing. They soon their friend and get him
bachelor party for their realise that the friend that was to his wedding on time
friend who is getting meant to be getting married is without anyone
married in a couple of missing and they don’t know knowing what
days. where he is. happened.

8. The Burbs- Tzvetan Todorov’s
theory!
Stage : 1 – State of Stage : 2 – Disequilibrium Stage : 3 – New
Equilibrium Equilibrium
The character and his friends
The main character become suspicious of the new It turns out their
lives in a happy quiet neighbours and become neighbour is not dead but
neighbourhood in the convinced that they killed was away in hospital,
suburbs. someone on their street so they however the main character
start to snoop around and get manages to prove that the
caught. new neighbours are
murderers and they get
arrested.

9. Claude Levi-Strauss (narrative
film theorist: narrative conflict)
• General Information:
• He was a social Anthropologist.
• He studied myths of tribal cultures.
• Studied how stories automatically reflect the values, belief
and myth of the culture.
• He states that in any narrative there is a constant creation
of conflict/opposition that pushes the narrative forward.

10. Claude Levi-Strauss’ approach to
Narrative
• Strauss saw that we make sense of the world, people and events by
seeing and using binary opposition everywhere. He observed that all
narratives are organised around the conflict between such binary
opposites.
Examples of Binary Opposites:
•Good Vs. Bad
•Protagonist Vs. Antagonist
•Black Vs. White
•Actions Vs. Inaction
•Peace Vs. War
•Motivator Vs. Observer
•Young Vs. Old
•East Vs. West

11. Films with Binary Oppositions
• Superman: Batman:
• Good Vs. Bad •Protagonist Vs. Antagonist
• Hotel Rwanda:
• War Vs. Peace

12. Vladimir Propp
• General Information:
• He was a Russian critic and literary theorist
• He analysed over 100 Russian fairy- tales in the
1920’s
• He says that it is likely to classify the characters and
their actions into clearly defined roles and function
• He states that all fairytales have common narrative
structures and character functions.

13. Vladimir Propp-Characters
• The Hero
• The Helper
• The Villain
• The False Hero
• The Donor
• The Dispatcher
• The Princess
• The Princess's Father

14. The Matrix
• Neo •The hero
•The princess
• Trinity •The helper
• Morphues •The dispatcher
• Sypher •The donor
•False hero
• Agents
•Villain