Levi-Strauss proposed that narratives rely on a chain of opposites to convey meaning to audiences through contrast. Originally, binary oppositions in films were simple, such as good versus evil, but modern narratives employ more complex opposites that are revealed gradually, like vampires versus werewolves in Twilight. However, critics argue binary opposition theory is incomplete, as many concepts have a medium between extremes, such as middle-class between rich and poor or bisexual between gay and straight.

1. Binary opposition
Jade Thompson

2. Levi-Strauss’ theory of binary
opposition
• Strauss was a French anthropologist who was born in
1908. He proposed the idea that all narratives must
be show by a chain of opposites.
• He believed that the way which the audience would
understand is not the meaning itself but seeing a
contrast between two opposites.

3. History of binary opposites
• When binary opposites were first used they were
very basic and easily spotted in film, reason being
it was usually good VS bad in traditional fighting
films.
• However, in the most recent year they have
become more complex. An example of this would
be the twilight films have a complicated plot
which slowly revealing vampires VS werewolves,
and this binary opposite can be difficult to spot in
the first film.

4. Common binary oppositions
Good Bad
Dark Light
Male Female
Loud Silence
However, critics of this theory have said that
even though everything has opposites, most
thing have medium as well. For example for rich
and poor there is middle-class and for gay and
straight there is also bisexual.