Narrative

Narrative is the way a story is organised. Elements of narrative is:

• Time 
• Closure 
• Enigma                               

In classical Hollywood narrative, they are normally linear which means the plot starts from the beginning to the next, which is straight froward. Very few sub-plots with a tendency to having closure. 

Tzvetan Todorov's theory of narrative: 

• Equilibrium - This is the peace where nothing bad is happening
• Disruption - This is the enigma which messes up the peace
• Resolution - This is the closure which solves the enigma
• New Equilibrium - This is the change and the learning of events

Todorov's theory can be applied to the movie Scream, which came out in 1996. Scream offered a self-referential approach to horror by featuring a cast of characters aware of the conventions of the horror film genre and able to use them to survive. The film focuses on teenager as she comes under attack from a mysterious character dubbed Ghostface while dealing with the anniversary of her mother's murder. 

Equilibrium - Casey Becker is at home relaxing with no care in the world. She is about to watch a movie. Then she gets a phone call.




Disruption or disequilibrium which is the killer. As there is a shift in the phone conversation which becomes frightening. Casey is aware of this and becomes scared. She is chased and then brutally killed. This straight away makes it obvious to the audience that her killing was random. 


Resolution is that Sidney remains alive throughout the whole film.The new equilibrium of the film is that although Sidney survives, she'll never be the same again. She does find her father and moves on. 





Roland Barthes theory on narrative states that texts are all complex bundles of meaning, which can be unravelled to create a whole range of different meanings. For example:

• Open - with numerous 'threads to pull' (everything may not be resolved)
• Closed - with only one obvious thread to gasp
• Texts that can be read in multiple ways are called polysemic texts (in accordance with audience theory) 

An example of this would be the movie Scarface. The remake of the 1932 film with the same name. It tells the story of Cuban refugee who arrives in Miami in the 1980's with nothing, but makes it  as powerful drug kingpin.
This film has polysemic text, that's why it has multiple interpretations. Some audiences view the film as a glorification of violence in this era. Another interpretation would suggest its an uplifting film of an individual who goes from rags to riches. Lastly audiences can have an interpretation of this film being only focused on the greed and consumption of the 1980's.  

Barthes referred to this concept as narrative codes. The most important codes is the enigma code. This is constructed to attract the attention of the audience in which they want the mystery to be solved. 


Vladimir Propp analysed folk stories, in which he identified 8 key character roles.

1. The Hero (Protagonist)
2. The Villain (Antagonist)
3. The Donor (Provider)
4. The Helper (Assistant) 
5. The Father (Wise Advise)
6. The Dispatcher (Sends On Mission)
7. The Princess 
8. The False Hero

Propp argued that the characters could fill more than one role. 

Syd Field studied from Hollywood films that the narrative is a three act structure, in which he calls the ideal Paradigm. 

1) The set up - The first twenty to thirty minutes the hero must have a goal (enigma) before they experience a plot point (disruption).
2) The confrontation - Half way through the film, the hero's struggle will be shown. They will have to figure a way to solve their problem. 
3) The climax - The final quarter of the film the hero can finally solve their problem (new equilibrium) 



Claude Levi-Strauss argues his point of binary oppositions, that they start the basis of narratives. Gender stereotypes can organise binary oppositions, as well as dominant and submissive. 

Dominant 

• Male
• White
• Middle class
• Middle aged
• Heterosexual 
• Able-bodied 

Subordinate 

• Female
• Ethic minorities
• Working class
• Young & old 
• Homosexual
• Disabled