THEORIES

TORODOV’S NARRATIVE THEORYo Torodov’s narrative theory basically states that most story’s or plot

lines follow the same pattern or path. He suggested that stories begin with an equilibrium or status quo where any potentially opposing forces are in balance – this is disrupted by some event, setting in chain a series of events. Problems are then solved so that order can be restored to the world of the fiction

o Torodov suggested that conventional narratives are structured in 5 stages:

1. A state of equilibrium at the outset2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action3. A recognition that there has been a disruption4. An attempt to repair the disruption5. A reinstatement of the equilibrium

o This type of narrative structure is very familiar and can be applied to many ‘mainstream’ film narratives.

PROPP’S CHARACTER THEORYPropp suggested that every narrative has 7 broad different character types that are:

1. The villain -struggles against the hero2. The donor - prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object3. The (magical) helper - helps the hero in the quest4. The princess - person the hero marries, often sought for during the narrative5. The false hero - perceived as good character in beginning but emerges as evil6. The dispatcher - character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off7. The hero (AKA victim/seeker/paladin/winner) - reacts to the donor, weds the princess

BARTHE’S CODE THEORYo Barthes suggested that there will be one or more of the 5 codes that describe the meaning

of a texto Barthes said that texts may be ‘open’ (unravelled in a lot of different ways) or ‘closed’

(there is only one obvious thread to pull on)

o The 5 codes:1. Hermeneutic/enigma code- refers to mystery within a text. Clues are dropped, but no clear

answers are given. Enigmas within the narrative make the audience want to know more. Unanswered enigmas tend to frustrate the audience.

2. Proairetic/action code – builds tension, referring to any other action or event that indicates something else is going to happen, and which hence gets the reader guessing as to what will happen next.

3. Semantic code - refers to connotation within the story that gives additional meaning over the basic denotative meaning of the word

4. Symbolic code - this is very similar to the Semantic Code, but acts at a wider level, organizing semantic meanings into broader and deeper sets of meaning. This is typically done in the use of antithesis, where new meaning arises out of opposing and conflict ideas.

5. Referential code - refers to anything that is founded on some kind of canonical works that cannot be challenged and is assumed to be a foundation for truth. Typically this involves either science or religion, although other canons such as magical truths may be used in fantasy stories