Narrative theory analyzes how media texts communicate meaning about events through stories. It can be applied to films, television, photographs, and magazines. Vladimir Propp identified character archetypes that commonly appear in stories, including villains, heroes, donors, helpers, princesses, fathers, dispatchers, and false heroes. Tzvetan Todorov suggested most narratives follow a structure of equilibrium, disruption of equilibrium by an outside force, and resolution or return to equilibrium. Roland Barthes identified five codes that help readers make sense of narratives: the action code, referential code, semantic code, enigma code, and symbolic code.

1. Narrative Theory
Narrativetheory analysesthe way in which media texts communicate meaning about
events.
Narrativetheory can be applied to rangeof different Medias includingfilm, TV.
Photographsandmagazines.
Narrativeanalysis of in5ternet based media is more problematic, thoughmay stillbe
relevant.For example, you could consider how someone’s Facebook profile creates a
narrativeabout their life.
VladimirPropp (1928)
RussianTheorist who suggeststhatthereare a limited number of character types that
share a function. When an audience reads a media text it deploys its knowledge of these
character types in order to decode the meaning of the text. Nowadays in film we often
see the charactersmerged.
1. The villain
2. The Hero, or character who seeks something
3. The Donor, who provides an object with some magic property
4. The Helper, who aids the hero
5. The Princess, reward for the hero, and object pf the villain’s schemes (can be
male)
6. Her father, who rewards the hero
7. The Dispatcher, who sends the hero on his way
8. The FalseHero, the character who also lays claim to the princess but is unsuitable
and causes complications.
Shrek:
Villain – LordFarquaad
Hero – Shrek
Donor - ?
Helper – Donkey
Princess – Fiona
Father – The King
Dispatcher – LordFarquaad

2. The FalseHero – Lord Farquaad
Tzvetan Todorov (1969)
Bulgariantheorist thatsuggeststhatmost narrativesstartwith a state of equilibrium in
which life is “normal”and protagonistsare happy. This state of normality is then
disruptedby an outside force, which has to be fought againstin order to returnto a state
of equilibrium. This model can easily be applied to a wide rangeof fairy tale, folk lore,
fiction texts, and films.
Equilibrium > Disequilibrium > Resolution(New Equilibrium)
Roland Barthes (1960s)
RolandBarthes’ narrativetheory claims thata narrativecan be brokendown into five
codes or sets of rulesto help the reader make sense of it.
He emphasises the active role of readersin creating meaning, and their ‘culturallyformed
expectations’.
1. Action Code – Which refers to the events taking place throughaction e.g. a fight
or chase.
2. Referential Code – which refers to the information and explanation.
3. Semantic Code – Which refers to the charactersand characterisation.
4. Enigma Code – Which is a narrativedevice that teases the audience by presenting
the audience a puzzle or riddle to be solved. Works to delay the story’s ending
pleasurably.
5. Symbolic Code – Which refers to the connotation of signs.
Levi-Strauss
Social Anthropologistandstudied myths of tribal cultures.
Examined how stories unconsciously reflect the values andbeliefs.
His theory was called“Binary Opposites”. These are opposites so it could be girlsvs boys,
educated vs uneducated,cats vs dogs.Etc.