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1. Narrative Theory A2 Media Studies BenAnderson
Narrative isdefinedas“achain of eventsina cause-effectrelationshipoccurringintime”(Bordwell
& Thompson).
Narrative isa way of organisingspatial andtemporal eventsintoacause-effectchainof events with
a beginningamiddle and endthatembodiesajudgementaboutthe nature of events(Branigan)
Edward Branigan (1992)
He issayingeverythinghasabeginningmiddleandendhoweveritdoesn’talwaysfollow thispattern
but there isalwaysanorder.
VladimirPropp(1928)
Proppwas a Russiantheoristwhosuggeststhatthere are a limitednumber of charactertypesthat
share a function.
Whenan audience readsamediatextit deploys itsknowledge of thesecharacterstypesinorderto
decode the meaningof the text.
1. The Villain
2. The hero or character whoseekssomething
3. The donor whoprovidesanobjectwithsome magicproperty
4. The helperwhoaidsthe hero
5. The princessrewardforthe heroand the objectof the villainsschemes(canbe male)
6. Her fartherwhorewardsthe hero
7. The dispatcherwhosendsthe heroon hisway
8. The false hero,the character whoalsolaysclaimsto the princessbutis unsuitableand
causescomplications
Can yourelate anyof the character typesto the characters inyourAS media?
Tzvetan Todorov (1969)

2. Narrative Theory A2 Media Studies BenAnderson
RolandBarthes (1960’s)
RolandBarthes'narrative theoryclaimsthata narrative can be brokendownintofive codesorsets
of rulestohelpthe readermake sense of it.
Basicallysayingthatfrommostthingswe watch we can pick outthese 5 codes(A-R-S-E-S)
A – Actioncode;whichreferstothe eventstakingplace throughactione.g.a fightora chase
R – Referentialcode;whichreferstothe informationandexplanation
S – SemanticCode;whichreferstothe charactersand characterisation
E – Enigmacode; whichisa narrative device thatteasesthe audience bypresentingapuzzle or
riddle tobe solved.
S – Symboliccode;whichreferstothe connotationsof signs
ClaudeLevi-Strauss(1972) - Binary Oppositions
A conflictbetweentwoqualitiesorterms.
For example infairytales:
The Good The Bad
Christian(kingsqueensetc) pagan (witches)
domestic savage
weakprincesses strong wrongdoers
safe castles dark wildernessforests
pretty ugly
innocent devious
AllanCameron - ModularNarratives(2008)
Since the early1990s there has beena trendtowardsnarrative complexitywithin popularcinema.
 Anachronic; Modifiedflashbacks/flash-forwards, Nocleardominance betweennarrative
threads
 Forking-Path;Alternative versionsof the story,Outcomesthatmightresultfromslight
changes
 Episodic;Collectionof storiesjoinedbyacommontheme
 SplitScreen; Spatial ratherthantemporal lines

3. Narrative Theory A2 Media Studies BenAnderson
PostmodernNarratives
 Irony,playfulness, andblackhumour
 Intertextuality
 Pastiche
 Metanarratives
 Extreme self-reflexivity/self-awareness
 Temporal distortion
 Hyperreality
Frederic Jamesonargues that postmoderntexts are characterisedby pastiche.
 A pastiche isan imitationof anothergenre or text.
 Jamesonarguesthat"Pastiche is...the imitationof apeculiarorunique,idiosyncraticstyle,
the wearingof a linguisticmask,speechinadeadlanguage.”
 LindaHutcheondisagreeswiththisview arguingthatpostmoderntextsuse pastiche ina
knowingwayacknowledgingthe constructednature of representation.
 Doesthe clichednature of the videoact as a critique of the valuesitpromotes?
Narrative Analysis
 Narrative analysisinvolvesconsideringhow arange of elements(includingmise-en-scene,
editing,camerawork,sound,aswell asevents) create meaningforthe audience.
 Narrative analysisfocusesonhow the meaningsmade bythe audience are constructed?
 How useful isthisapproach?
Taylor Swift
Todorov
Equilibrium–the geekygirl isinlove withthe boynextdoorwhoonlyseesheras a friend.
Disequilibrium –the boy’sgirlfriendcheatsonhim?
Resolution –the geekygirl istransformedintoabeautiful girl andgetstogetherwiththe boy.
Propp – character types
Hero – character whoseekssomething–TaylorSwift
Villain–characterwho the heromust overcome –the girlfriend
Princess – the boy – he is the rewardfor the hero.
Levi-strauss– binary oppositions
The videoinvolvesanumberof pairsof oppositesreflecting(andresolving) the narrativeconflicts.
There are differentsetsof oppositionsbetweenthe jock/the geek,andthe cheerleader/the geek.
These oppositionsidentifythe central ideological messagesof the video.

4. Narrative Theory A2 Media Studies BenAnderson
Barthes – NarrativeCodes
Action– Viewersare expectedtoconnectdifferentpiecesof narrative (e.g.The boyisshownarguing
on hisphone – viewerassumesitiswithhisgirlfriend).
Enigma– Will the jockand the geekgettogether?
Semanic– glasses,book,notepads,redcar,uniforms,white dress/reddress
Symbolic–conflictsbetweenmale/female,popular/unpopular,differenttypesof femininity
Referential –the videodrawsonstereotypes/clichesof teenmovies –jock,cheerleader,geek,girl
nextdoor,prom,etc.