Theory: Story and Narrative

Story and Narrative

Todorov

Todorov’s narrative theory basically states that most story’s or plot lines follow the same pattern or path. There are 5 steps in this pattern:

Equilibrium
The first part of the story will display a happy start, where the majority of characters are content and everything is as it should be. So in the Simpsons movie, in the first part, everything is normal and Homer is just doing chores.

A Disruption
The second part of the story will feature a problem or something will disrupt the happiness. In the Simpsons, it begins when Homer saves a pig.

Realisation
This part of the plot is when everyone realises the problem and it is chaos. So, the Simpsons are kicked out of Springfield and forced to move to Alaska.

Restored Order
This part of the plot is when the characters attempt to repair the damage and restore the problem. So, the Simpsons go back and save Springfield.

Equilibrium Again
This is the final part of the plot where the pattern is reduced and normality can resume again. So, the done is blown up and everyone is free.

Barthes

The text is like a tangled ball of threads.
The thread needs to unravelled.
Once unravelled, we encounter an absolute wide range of potential meanings.
We can start by looking at a narrative in one way, from one viewpoint, one set of previous experience, and create one meaning for that text.
You can continue by unravelling the narrative from a different angle and create an entirely different meaning.

Propp

Propp suggested that every narrative has eight different character types, these character types are:
The villain- fights the hero in some way
The dispatcher- character who makes the villain’s evil known and sends the hero off.
The helper- helps the hero in the quest.
The princess or prize- the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because the villain and resulting in a happily ever after’ moment.
Her father- gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, and marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Prop noticed that functionally, the princess and the father cannot be clearly distinguished.
The donor- prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
The hero or victim- reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
False hero- takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.

Levi Strauss

Basically Levi Strauss theory is that the conflict is based around the binary opposites and that the binary opposites are the central climax of a narrative structure.