Narrative Theory
Circular Narrative
Circular
Narrative
Narrative
Circular
Episodic Narrative
Linear
Narrative
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• This is when a film
begins at the end. This
might sound strange, but
if you think about it
there are many films that
start at the end and use a
series of flashbacks, or
construct the narrative
around a single
flashback and then
return to where the film
began.
• Not all films with
flashbacks and voiceovers are circular. For
example ‘Forrest Gump’
has an interesting
narrative structure
because although events
unfold more or less in
chronological order,
rather than just seeing
Forrest at the beginning
and end of the film, we
keep returning to him
sitting on the bench
telling his story. The
narrative is broken up
into episodes or more
manageable narrative
pieces.
• This is the most simple
and commonly used
narrative structure; it
Narrative Theory
refers to a story that is
told in the order in
which events happen –
from beginning to end.
These are sometimes
referred to as ‘cause and
effect’ narratives as the
consequences of one
event have an effect on
something else and
things move along in
this linear fashion. This
doesn’t mean to say
linear narratives are
boring – Sixth Sense and
Pan’s Labyrinth follow
linear narratives but still
create intrigue and
mystery. Remember –
linear narratives are only
simplistic in reference to
time and place, not in
terms of plot!
Narrative View Points
that only allows us
Restricted Narrative Ato narrative
know what the characters
know.
Omniscient Narrative
2
A narrative which allows us to
Narrative Theory
know more about the characters
and their situations than they
know themselves.
Can you think of two examples for each of the narrative
viewpoints?
Viewpoint
Film
Restricted
Restricted
Omniscient
Omniscient
Key Theorists
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Narrative Theory
Propp
April 1895 — 22 August 1970
After studying Russian fairy
tales Propp believed narrative to
follow a set structure. This
structure included 31 functions
and 8 constant characters:
1.The hero
2.The false hero
3.The princess – the reward for
the hero’s endeavours
4.The father (of the princess)
5.The helper – helps the hero
along the way.
6. The villain
7. The donor – gives the hero
something to help them on their
‘quest’
8. The dispatcher – sends the
hero on their ‘quest’
Propp’s theory can seem hard to apply directly to modern film making
yet there are still accurate examples in modern film narratives.
Try to think of examples and fill in the grid below:
Film
Application of Propp’s
characters
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Narrative Theory
Levi-Strauss
28 November 1908 – 30 October 2009
Claude Levi-Strauss is most noted
for his theory of Binary Oppositions.
Binary oppositions set off
contrasting values which reveal the
structure of the media text. This can
be seen in Levi-Strauss application
to western movies:
Homesteaders
Native
Americans
Christian
Pagan
Domestic
Savage
Weak
Strong
Garden
Wilderness
Inside society
Outside society
These oppositions can also
be visual or conceptual.
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Narrative Theory
Barthes
12 November 1915 – 25 March 1980
Barthes believes there are 5 action codes
that enable an audience to make sense of a
narrative
• hermeneutic (narrative
turning-points)
we know where the story will go
next
• proairetic (basic narrative
actions)
eg detective interviews suspect or
femme fatale seduces hero (see
Propp’s 31 functions)
• cultural (prior social
knowledge)
eg our attitudes to gender or racial
stereotypes
• semic (medium-related codes)
intertextuality
• symbolic (themes)
iconography or a theme such as
‘image versus reality’(Curtis
Hanson)
Todorov
March 1, 1939- present
Narrative follows 3 Act
Structure
1.A state of equilibrium (all is
as it should be)
2. A disruption of that order by
an event
3. A recognition that the
disorder has occurred
4. An attempt to repair the
damage of the disruption
5. A return or restoration of a
NEW equilibrium
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Narrative Theory
Task 2
Task 1
Independent Study
To write an essay applying
one of the above theorists
ideas of narrative structure to
the film seen in class.
‘A critical analysis of a ‘Dead
Man’s Shoes’.
You must create a booklet
introducing the narrative
structures of one of the
theorists mentioned (or not!).
It should be visually pleasing.
It should outline key concepts
which are applied to a case
study.
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Due: 10th
October
Due: 19th
October