Claude Levi-Strauss was a media theorist who studied hundreds of myths and concluded that humans make sense of the world by seeing binary opposites such as good vs evil, weak vs strong, and man vs nature. His theory was that narrative structures are based around these conflicts between binary opposites, which are at the climax of the story. Levi-Strauss' theory suggests binaries like a generic middle class family contrasted with the protagonist selling herself for income in one film.

1. M E D I A T H E O R I S T
CLAUDE LEVI STRAUSS

2. WHAT WAS HIS THEORY?
Strauss studied hundreds of myths and from that he
concluded that we as humans, as people make
sense of the world, people and events by seeing and
using binary opposites. Later he discovered that
narratives are used based on binary opposites.
Example of binary opposition:
good vs evil
weak vs strong
fast vs slow
man vs nature
Binary opposition: the words ‘binary opposition’ simply symbolise actions
for society’s ideas, in language and thought, two theoretical opposites
are strictly defined and set off against each other.

3. WATCH HIS THEORY

4. THEORY SUMMARY
Levi Strauss’ theory is based is that the conflict in a
narrative structure is based on around the binary
opposites and that the binary oppositions are centre
climax of the structure.
In terms of my film, there isn’t so much of Levi Strauss’
theory included. However; there is a slight binary
opposition of the generic middle class family as the
audience are made to think the main protagonist
sells herself for income which is the binary opposition
for this class.