This document provides an introduction to genre analysis. It defines key terms like genre and discusses approaches to analyzing genres using narrative structure and character types. The lesson aims to help students understand the components of genre, identify different genres, and become familiar with narrative theory and character archetypes through analysis activities involving film posters, clips, and fairy tales.

1. Lesson 2Lesson 2
Introduction to Genre
© ZigZag Education, 2013
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2. AimsAims
O To understand the components that make up ‘genre’.
O To be confident in identifying a range of different
genres.
O To be familiar with narrative theories and character
types.
O To be an independent enquirer (SEAL/PLTS).
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3. What Does Genre Mean?What Does Genre Mean?
1. Come up with a definition for the term genre.
2. How many different genres can you name?
3. Pick one of the genres you have listed; how do you
recognise it?
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4. NICSNICS
Narrative
Iconography
Characters
Setting
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5. Which genre?Which genre?
Look at the following film posters and textually analyse them in
terms of NICS. You should decide which genre(s) the poster
belongs to.
OScream: http://www.impawards.com/1996/scream.html
OShrek the Third:
http://www.impawards.com/2001/shrek_ver3.html
OThe Expendables 2:
http://www.impawards.com/2012/expendables_two_ver3.html
OExtension task – The Artist:
http://www.impawards.com/intl/france/2011/artist_ver2.html
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6. NarrativeNarrative
Tzvetan Todorov
O Equilibrium – A sense of normality, the calm before the
storm.
O Disruption – The point where the story changes; a
death, an event a situation.
O Restoration – Where normality is restored; they all live
happily every after.
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7. CharactersCharacters
Vladimir Propp’s Character Types
1. The villain
2. The donor (or provider)
3. The helper
4. The princess and her father
5. The dispatcher
6. The hero
7. The false hero
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8. ActivityActivity
O Pick a well-known fairy tale from the list:
O Sleeping Beauty
O Snow White
O Jack and the Beanstalk
O Cinderella
O Apply Todorov’s narrative theory.
Equilibrium – Disruption – Restoration
O Apply Propp’s character types and comment on their
traits. 8

9. Watch the Following Clip…Watch the Following Clip…
O Fill in the worksheet.
O Comment on the narrative structure of the clip –
apply Todorov.
O Comment on the different character types that you
can see – are they stereotypes? – apply Propp.
O Are these conventional of the genre?
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10. Learning LogLearning Log
O Fill out the learning log
O State one thing you have learnt today.
O Write down one thing that you didn’t quite
understand and would like some more
explanation.
O Write down one thing you would like to / need to
find out more about. 10

11. Reviewing the AimsReviewing the Aims
O To understand the components that make up ‘genre’.
O To be confident in identifying a range of different genres.
O To be familiar with narrative theories and character types.
O To be an independent enquirer (SEAL/PLTS).
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