Assignment 8-Narrative theoryPart A: Todorv

Part B: Levi-StraussPart C: Barthes

Part D: Propp

Ingrid De Souza

Part A- Todorv

Todorv suggested there’s 5 stages of narrative.1. Equilibrium – which is basically normality.2. Disequilibrium – conflict by an action or event.3. Recognition of disequilibrium – main struggle.4. Attempt to restoration the harm5. New equilibrium.

Equilibrium Disequilibrium Recognition of disequilibrium

Attempt to restoration the harm

New equilibrium

In this scene, Landon is enjoying his time with his friends as he usually does.

Landon gets in trouble with the police due to his actions.

Landon unexpectedly falls in love with Jamie, and finds out she has cancer.

Landon decides to propose to Jamie since he knows she wants to get married before she dies.

After Jamie’s death, Landon’s life change completely and he learnt new norms and values towards life.

Part B: Levi-Strauss

Levi-Straus believed in binary opposites. For example: Good & Bad, Light & Dark, Day & Night and etc.

Film Opposite 1 Opposite 2 ExplanationGood – Rob Pattinson Evil – Christoph Waltz Both male, however one

represents evil and the other represents good.

Innocence – Jennifer Lawrence Violation – Max Thieriot Both characters are opposite sex, however, one is innocent and the other one is violent (evil).

Hero – Andrew Garfield Villain – Rhys Ifans As a usual action movie, there’s good vs bad, and there’s also hero vs the villain.

Part C: Barthes

For Barthes there is 5 important codes, which are:• Enigma code• Action code• Semantic code• Symbolic code• Cultural code

Enigma code

By enigma code, Barthes means, that instead of giving the audience answers, the film just leaves them questioning making the audience paying more attention to the film.

For example, in this image from ‘The Lucky One’, it doesn’t show what the character is looking at on the laptop screen, making the audience paying more attention to the film.

Action code

The action code is when the character’s action or behaviour leads to a consequence to what the audience expects to happen, or what normally happens in a film.

In these screen grabs, Rose realises she was wrong and she wants to be with Jack and they kiss, just like the audience would expect them too.

Semantic codeThe semantic code is the meaning of the objects, characters, locations. Sometimes we learn this with experience from a young age, for example we know the hero will be a handsome guy, and the villain would be a unattractive guy.

As you can see the hero’s from a young age, are charming and very handsome, where as the villains are scary and unattractive.

Symbolic codeA symbolic code means the real meaning behind what’s happening in the scene with the characters by the way their actions are taken place.

These screenshots are from the movie ‘Fish Tank’. In this scene Mia is dancing, however the real meaning behind her dance is freedom. Dancing is one of her way to feel free.

Cultural code

Cultural code is used to enhance our reading and understanding of the text, and the places where the film is set enhances our understanding even more stronger. Or even the costumes the characters use, can enhance the audience’s knowledge.

The screenshots are from the film ‘Pride and Prejudice’, this film is based on 1813 novel. The setting and the costumes that the characters use, demonstrates the type of building and clothes that were seen during that time period.

Part D: Propp

Propp after studying folklore, fairy tales and legends he noticed that there are many similarities in them which is the similar character types and same problems. Propp made two theories, the first one is called ‘7 Spheres of Action’. The 7 Spheres of Action are:• Hero• Villain• Dispatcher• Donor• Helper• Heroine• False hero

HeroThe hero is always on the search or on the rescue. It was tradition for the hero to be a male, however now there’s also female playing a hero.

Angelina Jolie plays the hero in the film ‘Salt’.

Villain

The villain is always against the hero, and always takes away something or someone away from the hero. The villain also causes disruption to the hero.

As the picture shows, the villain isn’t as attractive as the hero.

Dispatcher

Dispatcher is always the one helping the hero finding it’s way or giving them advice in order to continue with their search.

In the Snow White and the Huntsman, the 7 dwarfs are the dispatcher since they help Snow White and the Huntsman to continue with their journey.

Helper

The helper is always the one who sticks beside the hero, however, the helper can be found in the middle of the movie or they were there since the beginning.

In ‘I am Number 4’, number 6 is always helping number 6 escape from the Mogadorian from the beginning, but meets him towards the end.

Donor

The donor is always helping the hero by giving him/her a gift, advice or a skill towards their journey, to help them.

A traditional donor would be the fairy godmother in Cinderella, that people would know from a very young age.

Heroine

The heroine is often referred to princess traditionally, however now-a-day male are also seen as a heroine. The heroine are usually more of a passive and vulnerable character, which is often in love or involved with the hero in a certain way.

The heroine in ‘The amazing Spider Man’ is Gwen, who falls in love with Peter. However they don’t end up together.

False hero

The false hero is usually the one who tempts the hero from stop searching or carrying on with their journey.

Scar from Lion King, tricked his nephew Simba into thinking that he killed his own dad, so that he can become king.