This document outlines several theories of narrative including definitions, key theorists, and concepts. It defines narrative as a chain of causally linked events with a beginning, middle, and end. Theorists discussed include Propp, who identified common character archetypes; Barthes, who broke narratives into five codes; Levi-Strauss, who examined how myths reflect cultural values; and Allan Cameron, who categorized modular narrative structures like episodic and forking-path narratives. Postmodern narratives are described as playful, intertextual, and self-reflexive. Overall, the document provides an overview of narrative theory, major thinkers, and analytical approaches.

1. Narrative Theory
Definitions of Narrative:
 Narrative isdefinedas“achain of eventsina cause-effectrelationshipoccurringovertime”
(Bordwell &Thompson).
Edward Branigan (1992)
 Narrative is‘a wayof organisingspatial andtemporal eventsinto acause-effectchainof
eventswithabeginning,amiddle,andendthatembodiesajudgementaboutthe nature of
events’(Branigan).
 Narrative theoryanalysesthe wayinwhichmediatextscommunicate meaningabout
events
 Narrative theorycanbe applied toarange of differentmediaincludingfilm, TV,photographs
and magazines
 Narrative analysisof internetbasedmediaismore problematic,thoughmaystill be relevant.
For example,youcouldconsiderhow someone’sFacebookprofilecreatesanarrative about
theirlife
Vladimir Propp (1928)
 Proppwas a Russiantheoristwhosuggeststhatthere are a limitednumberof character
typesthat share a function
 Whenan audience readsamediatextitdeploysitsknowledge of thesecharactertypesin
orderto decode the meaningof the text
 The villain
 The Hero, or character who seekssomething
 The donor, whoprovidesanobjectwithsome magicproperty
 The Helper,whoaids the hero
 The Princess,rewardfor the heroand objectof the villain’sschemes
 Her Father,who rewardsthe hero
 The Dispatcher, whosendsthe heroon hisway
 The False hero,the character whoalso laysclaimto the princessbutisunsuitable
and causescompilations

2. (1969)
Roland Barthes (1960’s)
 Roland Barthes’ narrative theory claims that a narrative can be
brokendownintofive codesorsetsof rulestohelpthe readermake sense
of it
 He emphasises the active role of readers in creative meaning, and
their ‘culturally formed expectations’
 The 5 codes:
 Action code which refers to the events taking place through action
e.g. a fight or chase
 Referential code which refers to the information and explanation
 Semantic code which refers to the characters and characterisation
 Enigma code which isa narrative device thatteasesthe audience by
presentingapuzzle orriddle tobe solved.Workstodelaythe story’s
ending pleasurably
Symboliccode whichreferstothe connotationsof signs

3. Claude Levi-Strauss (1972)
 Social Anthropologist
 Studied myths of tribal cultures
 Examined how stories unconsciously reflect the values, beliefs and myths of a culture
 These are usually expressed in the form of Binary oppositions
 His research has been adapted by theorists to reveal underlying themes and symbolic
oppositions in texts
Allan Cameron – Modular Narratives (2008)
Ana-chronic:
 Modified flashbacks/flash-forwards
 No clear dominance between narrative threads
Forking-Path
 Alternative versions of the story
 Outcomes that might result from slight changes
Episodic
 Collection of stories joined by a common theme
Split screen
 Spatial rather than temporal lines
Postmodern Narratives
 Some theorists suggest that postmodern narratives are different from previous narrative
structures
 Characteristics of postmodern narratives include:
 Irony, playfulness and black humour
 Intertextuality
 Pastiche
 Metanarratives (Narrative within a narrative)
 Extreme self-reflexivity/ self-awareness
 Temporal distortion
 Hyper reality

4. Narrative analysis involves considering how a range of elements (Including mise-en-scene,editing,
camerawork, sound as well as events) create meaning for the audience. It focuses on how the
meanings made by the audience are constructed.
Theorist Example
Propp Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
Girlfriend was the villain,Boy was the Princess and
the girl was the Hero
Todorov
Barthes
Levi-Strauss