This document discusses various narrative and genre theories. It outlines key concepts from theorists such as Vladimir Propp's model of character archetypes in narratives, Tzvetan Todorov's model of narrative structure including equilibrium, disruption, recognition, attempt, and new equilibrium, and Roland Barthes' codes for analyzing narratives. It also discusses genre theory, noting that genres are dynamic and change over time through hybridization, as argued by theorists like David Buckingham and Rick Altman. Genres can be recognized through repeated generic codes and conventions according to Tom Ryall.

1. Lucy Pratt 13u 08/11/18
Narrative Theory and Genre Theory
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Narrative Theory
 Narrative isdefinedas“achain of eventsina cause-effectrelationshipoccurringintime”
(Bordwell &Thompson).
 Narrative is‘a wayof organisingspatial andtemporal eventsintoacause-effectchainof
eventswithabeginning,a middle,andendthatembodiesajudgementaboutthe nature of
events’(Brannigan). Forexample- Beginningthenmiddlethenend- Inside NumberNine:
SilentNight
 Edward Branigan (1992)-
Braniganarguesthat narrative is ‘a way of organisingspatial andtemporal dataintoa cause-
effectchainof eventswithabeginning,amiddleandendthatembodiesajudgementabout
the nature of events.’
Branigan’skeypointisthat the narrative will embodyajudgement –ideologyandnarrative.
 Vladimir Propp (1928)-
1. The villain
2. The hero, or character whoseekssomething
3. The donor, whoprovidesanobjectwithsome magicproperty.
4. The helper,whoaidsthe hero.
5. The princess,rewardfor the hero,and objectof the villain’sschemes(canbe male)
6. Her father,who rewardsthe hero.
7. The dispatcher, whosendsthe heroon his way.
8. The false hero,the character whoalso laysclaimto the princessbutisunsuitable
and causescomplications.
Example- Season8-9WalkingDead
 Villain-Negan
 Hero- Maggie
 Donor- Gregory
 Helper- Jesus(Character)
 Princess- Hershel Jr
 Father- Hershel
 Dispatcher-
 False Hero- Anne
 Tzvetan Todorov (1969)-
Example- Season7-9WalkingDead
1. Equilibrium- Alexandriaat
peace but FindsJesus
2. Disruption- Negan’s
introduction
3. Recognition- all wantingto
fightback
4. Attempt- overthrowsNegan
5. New- Rickdoesn’tkill Negan

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 Roland Barthes (1960s)-
The 5 codes:
1. Action code whichrefersto the eventstakingplace throughactione.g.afightor a
chase- e.g.- WalkingDead,WalkerHoardsor the fight betweenNeganandRick
2. Referential code whichreferstothe informationandexplanation
3. Semantic code whichreferstothe charactersand characterisation- costume,
4. Enigma code whichisa narrative device thatteasesthe audience bypresentinga
puzzle orriddle tobe solved.Workstodelaythe story’sendingpleasurably.
5. Symboliccode whichreferstothe connotationsof signs
 Claude Levi-Strauss (1972)-
 He saysthat there isalwaysbinaryopposites
 Social Anthropologist.
 Studiedmythsof tribal cultures.
 Examinedhowstoriesunconsciouslyreflectthe values,beliefsandmythsof a
culture.
 These are usuallyexpressedinthe formof binaryoppositions.
 His researchhasbeenadaptedbytheoriststoreveal underlyingthemesand
symbolicoppositions intexts.
 Binaryopposites- e.g.Supernatural- SamWinchesterandLucifer(Mainlydifferent
but withstorysimilarities)
 Allan Cameron: Modular Narratives (2008)
1. Anachronic:
Modifiedflashbacks/flashforwards
No cleardominance betweennarrativethreads
Lots of storieshappeningatdifferenttimes- linked
Example- CW’sArrow- Showsthe pastandpresentat the same time.
2. Forking-Path
Alternativeversionsof the story
Outcomesthatmightresultfromslightchanges
Same thinghappensbuteachtime it isrepeateditslightlychanges
Example- MyShort filmIam planningtomake
3. Episodic
Collectionof storiesjoinedbyacommontheme
Onlylinkbetween storieswouldbe the theme
Example- Real-lifeghoststoryprogrammesorcrime programmes
4. SplitScreen
Spatial ratherthan temporal lines
Showsdifferentoutcomes

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Narrative Theory and Genre Theory
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 Postmodern Narratives
Some theoristssuggestthatpostmodernnarrativesare differentfrompreviousnarrative
structures.
Characteristicsof postmodernnarrativesinclude:
 Irony,playfulness, and blackhumour
 Intertextuality
 Pastiche
 Metanarratives
 Extremeself-reflexivity/self-awareness
 Temporaldistortion
 Hyperreality
 Narrative analysisinvolvesconsideringhow arange of elements(includingmise-en-scene,
editing,camerawork,sound,aswell asevents) create meaningforthe audience.
 Narrative analysisfocusesonhow the meaningsmade bythe audience are constructed
Genre Theory
 Buckingham 1993-
 Traditionally,genres(particularlyliterarygenres) tendedtobe regardedasfixed
forms,butcontemporarytheoryemphasisesthatboththeirformsandfunctionsare
dynamic.
 DavidBuckinghamarguesthat 'genre is not...simply"given"bythe culture:rather,it
isin a constantprocessof negotiationandchange'
 Changesingenre reflectschangesinsocietyandourvalues.
 For Example,A horrorfilmwouldbe made differentnow thanbefore asbefore they
were basedonfantasycharacters ‘MonsterSquad’howevernow theyare basedon
more realisticsubjects‘Psycho’
 Rick Altman 1999
 FilmTheoristAltmanarguesthat“there isnosuch thingas “pure” genre anymore.
Genre isprogressive,inthatitwill alwayschange.”
 He saysthat genre issurvivingdue to“hybridisation –or genres“borrowing”
conventionsfromone anotherandthusbeingmuchmore difficulttocategorise.”
 Example- Filmscanbe comedic,action/adventure andSci-Fi suchasMarvel Films.
 Tom Ryall 1978
 Ryall arguesthat genresare recognizable throughthe repeateduse of genericcodes
and conventions,ashow we asthe audience know ahorror filmisa horror film.
 He suggeststhatthe typesof conventionsfoundingenresmightbe groupedwithin
the followingcategories:
 Iconographies:(symbolicformsassociatedwiththe genre) e.g.- Blood,someone
disbelieving- Horrorgenre
 Narrative:(structure,open/closed)
 Representations:(characters/stereotypes)e.g.- evil lookingpersonisnotthe villain
 Ideologies (beliefsandideasof the ‘ideal’concept,themes)-e.g.- Ghostsare real