A little bit of narrative theory
- 2. Action Code: (proairetic code)something the audience knows and doesn't need explaining e.g. someone being wheeled out on a stretcher tells us they are going to hospital Enigma Code: (hermeneutic code)something hidden from the audience (creates intrigue as we have to work it out) Semic Code:something that the audience recognize through connotations Symbolic Code:Something that symbolizes a more abstract concept e.g. a darker than usual room of a murder scene could symbolize the depth of darkness and depravity Cultural Code: (referential code)Something that is read with understanding due to cultural awareness (e.g. youth culture use certain words that are understood by that culture)
- 3. 1. The audience pays close attention to the plot – the audience is aware that they are watching a complete story and therefore ‘read’ the text with the ending in mind and try to guess what might happen next. 2. Relatively few central characters. Each major character has a direct effect on the complication or resolution of the conflict. 3. The same audience can be assumed to watch the text from beginning to end. 4. Time often very compressed – i.e. events that could happen over years are compressed into approx 2 hours. 5. The audience is able to spot character types or roles.
- 4. 1. No real sense of ending or resolution. 2. Characters move in and out of prominence and audience perception of characters can change over time. 3. Time usually responds to ‘real time’. Fictional texts may make reference to real life events going on at the same time such as Christmas, Royal Weddings, Elections etc. 4. Each ‘episode’ has to try and address new and experienced audiences. 5. Some narrative strands may reach resolution in the episode, but on running story arcs will stretch across several episodes/series.
- 5. Conventionally, narratives follow a linear pattern – they move forward in a straight line without flashbacks or digression There is a clear beginning, middle and end, with the flow of information being strictly controlled
- 6. A feature of many contemporary films Pulp Fiction? The Usual Suspects? Babel 2006 = 4 parallel narratives, different scenes going on at the same time but in different places with characters speaking in different languages. The camera cuts between the different strands and the audience is engaged in discovering the link between them. Documentaries e.g. Wildlife, helped by voiceover
- 7. Russian theorist, Tzvetan Todorov, suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure. They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.
- 9. Propp was a Russian theorist who studied extensively the role of narrative in Russian traditional folk tales. Propp argued that however different the stories may appear to be, it was still possible to group its characters into eight character roles (or ‘sphere’s of action’ as he called them.) The villain The hero (the protagonist carries the events of the narrative. He/she usually seeks something or is attempting to resolve the conflict in the narrative). The dispatcher (who starts the hero on his way). The helper (assists the hero) The donor (helps the hero by giving them advice, an item or a prop that they need) The false hero (initially assists the hero but tempts the hero away from his quest) The princess (the reward for the hero) Her father (who rewards the hero for his efforts).
- 10. As well as Aristotle deciding that 'all drama is conflict' in the 4th century BC, 20th century theorist Claude Levi-Strauss suggested that all narratives had to be driven forward by conflict that was cause by a series of opposing forces. he called this the theory of BINARY OPPOSITION, and it is used to describe how each main force in a narrative has its equal and opposite. Analysing a narrative means identifying these opposing forces eg. • light/dark - democracy/dictatorship • good/evil - order/chaos • noise/silence - domestic/foreign • youth/age - humanity/technology • right/wrong - wisdom/ignorance • poverty/wealth - peace/war • strength/weakness - civilisation/savagery • inside/outside - beautiful/ugly and understanding how the conflict between them will drive the narrative on until, finally, some sort of balance or resolution is achieved.
- 11. Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of gender using the following: Camera shots, angles, movement and composition Editing Sound Mise en scene PLEASE EMAIL ME THIS WORK IN ADVANCE OF NEXT TUESDAY’S LESSON: e.clarke@lc.leics.sch.uk