Narrative Analysis

Consequences
1. Adjective for man 9. She said to him

2. Man's name

10. The consequence was (a description of 3. Adjective for woman what happened after) 4. Woman's name 11. What the world said 5. Where they met
6. He wore 7. She wore 8. He said to her

The Basics
Narrative refers to the way the story of a film is told, as
well as the story itself.

narrative structure the order in which the action takes

place.

It is also important to consider where the audience is

placed in relation to the narrative and whose eyes we see the story through.

Narrative Structure
There are different ways in which a narrative is structured.

1. Circular 2. Episodic 3. Linear/ non linear

Linear Narrative
This is the most simple and commonly used narrative
structure

In the order in which events happen from beginning to

end. AKA cause and effect narratives as the consequences of one event have an effect on something else and things move along in this linear fashion. intrigue and mystery.

Boring? Sixth Sense follow linear narratives but still create

Remember linear narratives are only simplistic in reference to time and place, not in terms of plot!

Circular Narrative
The is when a film begins at the end.

Start at the end and use a series of flashbacks, or

construct the narrative around a single flashback and then return to where the film began.

Episodic Narrative
Not all films with flashbacks and voice-overs are
circular.

For example Forrest Gump has an interesting

narrative structure because although events unfold more or less in chronological order, rather than just seeing Forrest at the beginning and end of the film, we keep returning to him sitting on the bench telling his story.

The narrative is broken up into episodes or more

manageable narrative pieces.

Narrative Viewpoint
1. Restricted Narrative
A narrative that only allows us to know what the characters know.
2. Omniscient Narrative A narrative which allows us to know more about the characters and their situations than they know themselves

Task
Of the genres below, which have omniscient narratives and which have restrictive (usually) and why?

1. Crime 2. Action

3. Disaster Movie
4. Sci-fi 5. Horror 6. Romance

 R - If the character is puzzled, then the audience is too

and we must work out what is going on

O - Omniscient narratives create suspense rather than

mystery

We are given a God like view

Roland Barthes Codes

The French critic put forward a scheme of five types of
coding for analysing stories:

The Action Code: Suspense is created by

action rather than mystery.

Roland Barthes Codes

The Semic Code:

All signs and meanings which denote character.

E.g, traditional horror films are linked to the supernatural through typical signifiers fear of the light/rapid increase of body hair, monotone voices.

Roland Barthes Codes

The Mystery Code:
Suspense is achieved by puzzling the audience. The loose ends need to
be tied up. The narrative is deliberately mixed up to confuse the audience and force them to try and figure out what is going on.

Roland Barthes Codes

The Cultural Code:
Makes reference to information which is part of the real world.
James Bond drinks a Martini, drives an Aston Martin. Sex and the City shes always using an Apple mac computer.

Roland Barthes Codes

Code of Oppositions
Binary opposites:
Nature v. civilisation Childishness v. maturity Life v. death When looking at opposites, see which side the narrative favours.

Vladimir Propp

Propps 8 main character types

1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
6.

The hero
The false hero The princess the reward for the heros endeavours The father (of the princess) The helper helps the hero along the way. The villain

Obviously you cant take a theory from around 90 years ago about Russian stories and relate it directly to every film made. Having said that, if you take into account social change and the difference in form, it is surprising how accurately some of Propps character types can be applied to many modern film narratives.
What categories would the following well known characters fit into? 1. Gandalf? 2. Lara Croft?

7.
8.

The donor gives the hero something to help them on their quest
The dispatcher sends the hero on their quest

For example
The 8 character types from Propp's theory can be found in Aladdin like so: The villain - Jafar The donor - Jafar The helper - Genie The princess - Jasmine Her father - The Sultan The dispatcher - Jafar The hero - Aladdin The anti-hero - Jafar PDT Charaters Okwe Senay Gelik Sneaky / Juan Juliette Gou Yi Immigration Officer .

Todorov
1. 2. 3.
The equilibrium the state of balance in the narrative, where we get to know the characters and the situation The disruption oppositional characters are introduced and the story moves forward The recognition (of the disruption) where the story develops, different events and characters become involved and more drama occurs. The attempts to repair the disruption where there may be a twist or climatic point The new equilibrium the problem is solved and harmony is resolved, though things may have changed.

Todorov was a Bulgarian theorist who devised a way of looking at different stages of the narrative:

4. 5.

Can you apply this to a film you know well?

We are now going to continue to watch Dirty Pretty Things. Whilst watching it is vital you make notes in your research notebook on the following:

1. Genre HOW do we know it is a thriller? What other

genres are featured and HOW do we know? narrative structure is used?

2. Narrative HOW is the story told? What type of 3. Do any of the theories looked at apply to the
film? If so which? And HOW?