Todorov theorized that narratives follow a five-part structure: equilibrium, a disruption to equilibrium, recognition of the disruption, an attempt to regain equilibrium, and a new equilibrium with potential changes. While all narratives contain these elements, their order may vary as some stories begin with the disruption to immediately engage audiences and set the genre or purpose.

3. Todorov’s five part structure theorises that every narrative follows a particular
structure. This structure consists of:
Equilibrium: The natural state of the world
Disruption to the equilibrium: Something changes that affects the characters
Recognition of disruption: The characters recognise that not all is well
Attempt to regain equilibrium: The characters and narrative strive to regain equilibrium
Equilibrium with change: The natural state is restored by a character/situation may be
different

4. The above is the most common format of a
narrative. However, although all narratives
follow Todorov’s theory, the order of the
parts may differ. A Narrative may begin with
the disruption and then bring the audience
into the equilibrium. This is often done to
grab an audience’s attention straight away
to avoid boredom and to ensure an
audience can immediately recognise the
narrative’s genre and purpose.