Narrative theories slideshare
- 1. Narrative Theories LOOK INTO THE NARRATIVE THEORIES AND HOW THEY LINK TO THE CREATION OF YOUR MAGAZINE
- 2. Theorists After researching into different Theorists, I can see that there are many who use the theory to explain narrative structure. Narrative is the way in which a story is told in both fictional and non-fictional media texts. Vladimir Propp Roland Barthes Tzvetan Todorov Claude Levi-Strauss
- 3. Vladimir Propp Propp was a Russian critic and literary theorist, he analysed over 100 Russian fairy tales in the 1920’s. Propp proposed that it was possible to classify the characters and their actions into clearly defined roles and functions. His character roles include: The hero (seeks something) The villain (opposes the hero) The donor (helps the hero by providing a magic object) The dispatcher (sends the hero on his way) The false hero (falsely assuming the role of the hero) The helper (gives support to the hero) The princess (the reward for the hero, but also needs protection from the villain) The father
- 4. Tzvetan Todorov Todorov was a Bulgarian literary theorist, who suggested that most narratives start with a state of equilibrium in which life is “normal” and protagonists happy. The state of normality is disrupted by an outside force, which has to be fought against in order to return to a state of equilibrium. Todorov suggested that conventional narratives are structured in five stages: A state of equilibrium at the outset A disruption of the equilibrium by some action A recognition that there has been a disruption An attempt to repair the disruption A reinstatement of the equilibrium Equilibrium – Disequilibrium – New Equilibrium
- 5. Roland Barthes Barthes was a French Semiologist that suggested that narrative works with five different codes which activate the reader to make sense of it. He also used the terms denotation and connotation to analyse images. His codes included: Action – a narrative device by which a resolution is produced through action, e.g. a shoot-out Enigma – a narrative device that teases the audience by presenting a puzzle or riddle to be solved. This works in delaying the stories ending pleasurably. Symbolic – connotation Semic – denotation Cultural – a narrative device which the audience can recognise as being part of a culture e.g. a “made man” in a gangster film is part of the mafia culture.
- 6. Claude Levi-Strauss Levi-Strauss was a Social Anthropologist who studied myths of tribal cultures. He also examined stories unconsciously reflect the values, beliefs and myths of a culture. These are expressed in the form of binary oppositions. Binary oppositions are a conflict between two qualities or terms.