Character Theory

1. Vladimir Propp

2. Biography
Vladimir Propp was born on April the 17th, 1895 in St.
Petersburg to a German family. He attended St. Petersburg
University where he studied Russian and
German philology. After graduating from St. Petersburg he
choose to start his career by
teaching Russian and German at a secondary school. He
then became a college teacher of German. He then wrote
and published a book which he named Morphology of the
Folktale , the book was published in Russian 1928. The
book revolutionised a breakthrough in both
folkloristic and morphology while simultaneously
influencing people like Claude Lévi-Strauss and Roland
Barthes. The book was unnoticed in the West until it was
translated in 1958. His character types are used in Media
education and can be applied to almost any story, be it in
literature, theatre, film, television series, games, etc.

3. The Character Theory
(Movie Order)
The character theory states that every successful movie somewhat follows
this order:
ABSENTATION INTERDICTION VIOLATION of INTERDICTION RECONNAISSANCE
DELIVERY TRICKERY COMPLICITY VILLAINY or LACK MEDIATION
BEGINNING COUNTER-ACTION DEPARTURE FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR
HERO'S REACTION RECEIPT OF A MAGICAL AGENT GUIDANCE STRUGGLE
BRANDING VICTORY RETURN PURSUIT RESCUE UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL
UNFOUNDED CLAIMS DIFFICULT TASK SOLUTION RECOGNITION EXPOSURE
TRANSFIGURATION PUNISHMENT WEDDING

4. The Character Theory
(Character List)
The character theory states that every successful movie somewhat follows this
character list:
• The villain: struggles against the hero.
• The dispatcher: character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
• The (magical) helper: helps the hero in their quest.
• The princess or prize and her father: the hero deserves her throughout the
story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of
the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess,
thereby beating the villain.
• The donor: prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
• The hero or victim/seeker hero: reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
• The false hero: takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.

5. Music Video Analysis
You can also apply these rules to a female music video, one being for example
Katy Perry – Last Friday Night:
• The video has a princess who is Katy
• A hero who’s the geeky boy
• The false hero who is the popular guy
• The helper who gives Katy the makeover
• The dispatcher who encourages Katy to party
• The donor who gives Katy the makeover etc