Narrative Theories

By Daniel Stean and Jodie Willett

What is Narrative?
Narrative is what the vast majority of videos and music videos
will have. The narrative is the telling of the story through the
video, the narrative will usually have a beginning, a middle and
an end. A narrative is used in most music videos to show a story
or a meaning to the character or to the song itself. There are
three main uses of narrative which are by Vladimir Propp which
states there are main characters, Tzvetan Todorov which sates
there is a balance at the start which is then disturbed. Finally
there is Claude Levi Strauss which is about binary opposites.

Vladimir Propps Theory

Vladimir Propp narrative theory states that there are 8 main characters which are usually
used in fairy tales but are now used in films.

The Villain: The villain will struggles against the hero and will try to derail the hero.

The Dispatcher: The character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off to
the tasks.

The Helper: Helps the hero in their quest.

The Princess and Her Father: The hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable
to marry her because of an unfair evil (father or villain), usually because of the villain.
The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the
villain.

The Donor: The Donor will prepare the hero or give the hero some magical object.

The Hero or Victim (Seeker Hero): Reacts to the donor, weds the princess.

The False Hero: The false hero will take credit for the heros actions or tries to marry
the princess.

Tzvetan Todorovs Theory

Tzvetan Todorov, suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure. The three
part structure will start with equilibrium (balance), where everything is normal,
progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a
resolution, when equilibrium is restored and the disrupted part has been destroyed.

Claude Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss realised that words will describe the conflict in society and that
the words related to each other and were complete opposites (due to the
conflict) Levi Strauss narrative theory was that when conflict is shown in the
world or in music videos, its using the method of binary opposites. From the
images below, it shows many different type of binary opposites which are
used in todays day and age.

Vladimir Propp Theory Applied Drake hold

on were going home
Hero The hero will attempt to save the
princess from the villain and will hear
above the event from the dispatcher. In
the music video he goes to the house
where the princess is being held and
rescues her.

Princess The hero throughout the

video will try and save the princess
from the villain. The hero and
princess and are in a relationship
Doner This person
will help the hero
save the princes
from the villain. The
doner gave the
hero a gun to kill
the villain.

Dispatcher this when the news

will be delivered to the hero
that the princess is in danger. In
this case the a man gives a
telephone to the hero saying
the princess has been taken

Villain-The villain will

struggles against the
hero and will try to
derail the hero. This
villain captures the
princess from the
hero house.

Tzvetan Todorov theory applied

Va va voom by Nicki Minaj is music video which uses Tzvetan Todorovs theory.
The music video starts off at a state
of equilibrium where the girl is seen
laughing and playing around with
her boyfriend in the forest.

The equilibrium has been broken as the girl

has been attacked by a man with a knife in
her house within the forest, this create
panic and worry which means there is no
balance as the moment in the video.

The equilibrium is then restored as the

prince has saved her and has been
successful in his quest, therefore creating
the equilibrium again.

Claude Levi Strauss theory applied

Ariana Grande is shown to be the presence of
goodness in this Good vs Evil theory in the Break
Free music video.

This is the villain which is the evil part of Good

vs Evil

This is another villain which is part of the evil

part of Good vs Evil

This is the goodness of Ariana defeating the evil

and the villain which is shown her overcoming
and becoming the more dominant force of
Good vs Evil