Narrative

1. Narrative AS Level Media Studies

2. **Key Term** Narrative • The way in which the story is told in both fictional and non-fictional texts. • Narrative is a very powerful force that not only helps us make sense of the world, but also influences our behaviour. • For media producers narrative is an important tool for organising seemingly random and incoherent events into a coherent and logical form. • Narrative can be used as a potent means of influencing the responses of an audience to a particular event. • This is determined by the way in which the information is presented.

3. Example • When we are being told about a conflict, in a western or gangster movie, the narrative often unfolds in such a way as to make us take sides, in support of one party or the other. • In ‘Butch Cassidy…’ we are firmly positioned on the side of Butch and Sundance. • Narrative can be used to position the audience.

4. Denotation What can you see in the picture/on the page? Connotation What does the image suggest or imply? Theories Media theorists try to help us understand how we find meaning in a text. Roland Barthes Spinster.....the colour red....a skinny girl

9. Roland Barthes Enigma code • What is going to happen? • The narrative will establish enigmas or mysteries as it goes along. • Essentially, the narrative functions to establish and then solve these mysteries. • Within a film there is usually a central enigma that is resolved at the end. • Audiences take pleasure in anticipating what might happen. • Eg. Memento

10. Roland Barthes Action Codes • Events within a story that we know will be significant in the narrative. • The metallic sound of a gun being cocked signifies that a shooting will take place. • A shorthand way to signify a scene of violence. • An action signifies another action and so the narrative progresses.

11. Tvzetan Todorov • A Bulgarian theorist • He reduced the concept of narrative to a simple recurring formula. • Equilibrium – disequilibrium – new equilibrium

12. Todorov • A narrative starts with a state of equilibrium or harmony. • Eg. A peaceful community getting on with and enjoying life. • Into this stability comes a force of disequilibrium or disruption. • Eg. An evil outsider intent on destroying the sense of well being. • By some mechanism such as the intervention of another outside agency, the force of evil is overcome and order/harmony are restored in the form of a new equilibrium.

13. Todorov • Choose a fictional or non-fictional text of your choice. • Write about how it follows Todorov’s model of narrative.

14. Levi Strauss • Binary opposition • Narrative tension is based on opposition or conflict. • Man vs Woman • White vs Black • Young vs Old • Hero vs Villain • West vs East • Good vs Bad

15. Function of character • Character is an important aspect of narrative, particularly in fictional texts. • In soap operas certain character types consistently reoccur to the point where they become stereotypes. • Grumpy old people…anger ridden teenagers. • Grouping people into different categories like this is called character typology.

16. Vladimir Propp • Russian structuralist who studied fairy tales. • He established a number of character types and functions associated with them. • He suggested the functions were limited to 31. • It is possible to use Propp’s theory to fit the character types in a range of texts, especially feature films.

17. Characters and Functions • The hero • The villain • The donor (offers gift with magical properties) • The dispatcher (sends hero on a mission) • The helper (aids hero) • The princess (hero’s reward)

18. Activities • Identify these characters in a fairy tale of your choice. • Identify these characters in a Bond film (or any action film). • Apply the functions to a soap opera of your choice. • Do the functions work in more modern films, such as ‘Lord of the Rings’?

19. Eastenders Kat and Alfie’s wedding Villain – Andy Hunter Hero – Alfie, stops Kat from marrying a cruel man. Kat tells Alfie she wants it to snow on her wedding day (dispatcher) Ian aids Alfie in the preparations (helper) Alfie uses a snow machine to make it snow (doner) Hero gets princess – Alfie gets Kat (princess). The A Team Hero – A Team (Hannibal) Villain – the government/companies/groups Donor – Hannibal – plan comes together Helpers – Face, BA, Murdoch Dispatchers – those who employ them to fight their battles Princess – Face gets the girl they are helping at the end. Propp

20. Homework • Propp’s analysis may be applied to film with an amazing degree of accuracy, providing it is applied to straightforward narratives. • It is impossible to analyse films with more complicated narratives. • Discuss the above, with reference to at least three films of your choice.

21. Key questions to ask... • How is the narrative organised and structured? • How is the audience positioned in relation to the narrative? • How are characters delineated? What is their narrative function how are heroes and villains created? • What techniques of identification and alienation are employed? • What is the role of features like sound, music, iconography, genre, mise-en-scene, editing etc within the narrative? • What are the major themes of the narrative? What values/ideologies does it embody?