NARRATIVE

What is Narrative?

Narrative is a way of organising various spatial and worldly data into a cause and effect chain of events with a beginning, middle and end.

Narrative contains judgements about the nature of various events as well as demonstrates how it is possible to know, and hence to narrate the events.

How does narrative do this?

StructuresRoles

Codes

NARRATIVEStructure

Narrative StructureOne example of a common narrative structure is Todorov’s 5 stages of narrative, which are:

1. A state of equilibrium2. A disruption of that order3. The recognition that the order has been

disrupted4. An attempt to repair the damage5. A state of new equilibrium

Applying Todorov to The Dark knight

Bruce Wayne/Batman offers a new politician a fundraiser/dinner party to help raise money for his cause as he believes in him and his policies.

1. A state of equilibrium

The Joker meets the mob and offers to kill batman for them for a price. He begins to kill ordinary people each day unless Batman reveals his identity to the world and makes it easier for him to kill him. Joker also creates a mission to turn the white Knight, Harvey Dent bad. He plans to kill his true love, Rachel to try to turn the one good man in power bad. He wants to express and prove any good can be turned bad.

2.A disruption of that order

Bruce Wayne plans to reveal his identity as acknowledges the chaos the joker is corsing, but Harvey Dent instead names himself as Batman to protect the true identity of Batman and put himself in danger to allow Batman/Wayne to continue to hunt the Joker and stop him killing.

Batman asks a reluctant Lucius Fox to use a city-wide tracking prototype device to find the Joker. Joker successfully kills Rachel and Dent filled with anger goes on a quest to kill who the Joker has framed as the killers.

4. An attempt to repair the damage

Batman catches the joker, but a corrupted Harvey Dent, tricked by the Joker kills the people he thinks were responsible for Rachel’s death. Batman kills Dent accidently in a struggle to to stop him and tells the police officer Gordon to frame himself/ Batman for Dents murders. He does this to keep Dents image as a symbol of hope for the public who need an idol of good in dark times.

5. A state of new equilibrium

Task

Choose a text you know well and answer the following question by applying Todorov

“All texts follow similar narrative structures” How true is this of your chosen text?

Remember not all texts may fit perfectly, especially more experimental ones

Wikipedia and IMDB usually have plot synopsis to remind you

Upload images from scenes of your text for each section of Todorov, if atall possible

NARRATIVERoles

Propp character rolesVladimir Propp developed a character theory for studying media texts and productions, which indicates that there were 7 broad and reoccuring character types in the 100 tales he analysed.

-The Villain-The Donor/giver of knowledge-The Helper-The Princess (sought after person)-The Dispatcher-The Hero (or victim)-The False Hero

The HeroIn every story there is a major character with whom the reader will normally associate most strongly and who is the key person around which the story is told.Although this person is often a hero in some sense, they may also take another form, such as a victim or a seeker after some treasure or knowledge. Or maybe they are all of these.

The HelperThe Hero is supported in his or her quest by a Helper, often a wise old man or magician, who appears at critical moments to provide support. The Helper may also be found in a support role, such as Sherlock Holmes' Dr. Watson. The contrast between the two is the helper has limitations the hero can surpass.

The VillainThe sharpest contrast against the hero is the villain, who struggles directly against the hero. This is the clear bad-guy. The Villain typically is morally bad, highlighting the goodness of the Hero.The Villain may seek to prevent the Hero from achieving the goal or may quest after the same artefact. The Villain may also be a tempter.

The False HeroA variant on the villain and a potential complication within the plot is the False Hero, who appears to act heroically at times and may even be initially mistaken for the real Hero.The False Hero will try to steal the Hero's thunder, grabbing the credit and perhaps trying to marry the princess instead.

The DonorThe Donor is a person who gives the Hero something special, such as a magical weapon or some particular wisdom. They may typically be Gods, Oracles or Wise Persons, although they may also be as simple as gatekeepers.This role may be combined with that of a Helper. The Donor may also be capricious and not easily swayed and may not give up their gift without setting the Hero another task, from a simple riddle to a whole other quest.

The DispatcherAn early role in the story is that of the Dispatcher who sends the Hero on the mission. This may be a family member such as a mother or father. It can also be the Princess's Father, who gives the Hero a set of quests to be completed before he gains the hand of the Princess.The Dispatcher may also be combined with another role, for example the False Hero who then trails along behind (perhaps disguised as a Helper).

The PrincessThe Princess may take two forms. First, she may be the object which is deliberately sought by the Hero, perhaps finding where the Villain has taken her. Secondly, she may be the reward, such that after completing some other mission, he gains her affections or hand in marriage.

The Princess may be seen very little in the story, perhaps appearing only at the end, or may be an integral character, for example where she accompanies the Hero on his mission, where he may win her heart by the courage and determination of his actions.

The Princess may be wooed by many, in particular by the False Hero. When we see the Princess being won by the False Hero we may rail and rant in frustration as we see her falling unwittingly into her clutches.

Applying Propp’s character roles to Star Wars

The villain

The hero

The donorThe helper

The helper

The princess

The false hero

The dispatcher

Task

Choose a text you know well and answer the following question by applying Propp

“Broadly speaking all texts contain Propp’s traditional character roles” How true is this of your chosen text?

Remember not all texts may fit perfectly, especially more experimental ones

Wikipedia and IMDB usually have character lists to remind you

Upload images of each character to link to the role you believe they fit.

NARRATIVEcodes

Levi Strauss

Strauss believed we only fully understand a term if we understand the opposite. We gain a words meaning not by the word itself but actually by its opposite. We can only fully understand the bravery and selflessness of a hero if we truly know the evil and treachery of a villain. To decode a word we must compare it to its opposite.

The theory suggests by including binary opposition in a media text it helps us decode a narrative easily and it helps create understanding and empathy for the narratives included themes and characters.

Therefore binary opposition is a narrative code which helps project a texts gratifications.

What themes in this text demonstrate an example of binary opposition?