This document discusses narrative theory and its application to different genres. It describes several narrative theorists including Vladimir Propp, Tzvetan Todorov, and Roland Barthes. Todorov's theory that narratives typically involve an initial state of equilibrium being disrupted by an outside force fits well with the horror genre, where a protagonist's normal life is threatened by an antagonist or monster. Barthes' concept of "enigma," where the audience must solve a puzzle, also applies to horror narratives that present mysteries for characters and viewers to resolve. The document analyzes how these narrative theories are relevant to understanding the horror genre.

1. Narrative Investigation
What is narrative?
A narrative is a spoken or written account of events,
experiences, etc. whether true or fictitious.

2. What narrative theorists can you find?
Vladimir Propp – Proposed that it was possible to classify the characters and their actions into clearly defined
roles and functions.
- The Hero (seeks something)
- The Villain (opposes the hero)
- The Donor (helps the hero by providing useful objects)
- The Dispatcher (sends the hero on their way)
- The Helper (gives support to the hero)
- The Girl (reward for the hero, also needs protection from villain)
Tzvetan Todorov – Suggests most narratives start with a state of equilibrium in which life is normal and the
protagonist is happy. The state of normality is then disrupted by an outside force, which has to be fought against
in order to return to the state of equilibrium.
Roland Barthes – Suggested that narrative works with five different codes which activate the reader to make
sense of it.
- Action: A narrative device by which as resolution is produced through action e.g a shoot-out.
- Enigma: A narrative device that teases the audience by presenting a puzzle or riddle to be solved. Works to
delay the story’s ending pleasurably.
- Symbolic: Connotation.
- Semic: Denotation.
- Cultural: A narrative device which the audience can recognise as being part of a culture.
Claude Levi Strauss – Examined how stories unconsciously reflect the values, beliefs and myths of a culture. His
research as lead the reveal underlying themes and symbolic oppositions.

3. What narrative theories link to the
horror genre?
I think Todorov’s theory links quite clearly to the horror genre. The protagonist
always starts fairly happy in life, but after the recognition of a problem, which leads
to the introduction of the antagonist otherwise known as the killer, often masked,
or monster-like, the tension rises as they are faced with a life or death situation in
which they must fight evil if they want to survive. However, often in the horror
genre, the state of equilibrium is never returned (even if the audience is tricked into
believing all is back to normal), twists such as ‘the killer isn't really dead’ are
favourites within this genre, an example of this would be A Nightmare on Elm
Street.
I also believe that Roland Barthes’ theory does adhere to the horror genre in some
ways, specifically within the sub-category of Enigma, in which the protagonist is
faced with a puzzle or riddle that has to be solved in order for the film to conclude.
An example of this would be Saw, in which to survive, the victim must over come a
series of horrific ‘games’. In addition to this, the police try desperately to figure out
who the masked killer is, and stop him.