The document discusses three narrative theories and how they apply to a film's narrative. It summarizes Vladimir Propp's theory that narratives follow 31 possible plot stages and 7 character roles. It states that the film's narrative incorporates the preparatory function where the father is the villain who persuades the daughter. For Tzvetan Todorov's theory, it notes the film starts in equilibrium but problems cause disequilibrium, though it does not return to a new equilibrium. For Claude Levi-Strauss's theory of binary oppositions, it analyzes the film's portrayal of the conflict between good and evil in the father's mind and strength versus weakness in how the father and daughter deal with grief.

1. DMS Entertainment - Narrative Theory
Narrative Theory 1: Propp
Vladimir Propp was a Soviet formalistscholar who’d studied and analysed the components of Russian
folk tale/story tale plots, identifying their simplest narrative elements which he then used to form
his “Narrative Theory” from.
Propp came to the conclusion that all fairy tales had a one type single theme running through the
narrative which was the theme of quest or adventure. Furthermore through his observations Propp
also suggested that narratives are shaped and directed by certain characters and certain actions.
This is what Props theory entailed:
There are 31 possible stages or functions in any narrative ( a function is a plot motif or event
within the story)
These 31 possible stages or functions may not all be present within a narrative but those
that are follow a specific order as to which they are revealed
There are 7 roles as to which could be portrayed by any character within the story
(http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.111.1320&rep=rep1&type=pdf)
How the theory applies to our film’s narrative
I believe part of Propps’ theory can be applied to our film. Even though I film may not be a fairy tale
or seem to have a narrative of that nature it has some elements and aspects of a fairy tale or old folk
tales where a mother is absent and a father and his daughter are left in grief as to which the father
becomes villainous and the daughter then becomes his victim. I would say that out of the 31 possible
functions the preparatory sections is most relevant to our product excluding functions 5, 6 and 7. I
believe this function section is incorporated within our narrative as he father can be seen as the
villain whom uses persuasion to cause his daughter also the victim to carry out a task that she at first
is against but after clever persuasion she unwittingly helps her father the villain.
Narrative Theory 2 – Tzvetan Todorov
Tzvetan Todorov a Franco-Bulgarian philosopher, who also acknowledged underlying structures to
narratives that, occurred. He stated and argued that all narratives begin in “equilibrium” with all
characters, settings and other elements being in balance. The harmony is then disrupted by a
problem which causes “disequilibrium” which is followed by more events before the narrative
returns to a “new equilibrium” that restores the order of peace and harmony to all within the
narrative.
How the theory applies to our film’s narrative

2. At the start of our narrative all is deemed to be fine the father seems to be completely emotionally
stable and the daughter seems as a normal teenage girl. The narrative portrays the average
expectations of people whom seem to have their lives together; this is our “equilibrium”. However
problems within the narrative start to leak as it’s gradually revealed that the father and daughter are
grieving the loss of the fathers wife and daughters mother, suggesting that all is not what it seems
with this narrative. I would say that is the beginning of our “disequilibrium” which is completed by
the father’s acts towards his daughter. Up to that part of the narrative, I would say Todorov’s theory
can be applied however our narrative does not reach a “new equilibrium” and all elements remain
unbalanced.
Narrative Theory 3 – Claude Levi-Strauss
Claude Levi-Strauss a French Anthropologist, had studied myths and tribal cultures where
he’d studied how stories had an underlying theme of reflecting the values, beliefs and myths
of cultures which were usually expressed in the form of “Binary Oppositions”. Binary
Oppositions is a conflict between two qualities or terms, for example:
Good Evil
Strong Weak
Dark Light
Helpless Dangerous
Smarts Stupidity
Happy Sad
Black White
Urban Rural
Boy Girl
Humanity Technology
Ignorance Wisdom
East West
How the theory applies to our film’s narrative
Our narrative has an underlying binary opposition of “Good” verses “Evil” within the human mind.
The conflict is mainly portrayed through the character of the father and how he allows the evil side
of being get the best of him and surface. Another conflict within our narrative is between “strength”
and “weakness”, the father is shown as weak as he is unable to fight off the overwhelming feeling of
grief, whereas the daughter is shown as “strong” as she is able to deal with grief without doing
anything regrettable.
Sources:
http://brianair.wordpress.com/film-theory/narrative-theories/

3. http://www.slideshare.net/aelialicinia/approaches-to-narrative-theory,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Propp,