narrative theory

flashback - Memento

multi-narrative - Zodiac

dual-narrative - Marco Polo

chronological or linear structure - Gladiator

fragmented narrative metafiction - Mr robot


What is narrative?

• a story and how it's told
• plot
• story structure
•  linking devices for people, places and things, putting them in order
• beginning
• middle 
• end
• cause and effect
• purpose and meaning
• presenting idea to an audience 
• a way of mediating, structuring and shaping fiction and reality

why is narrative important?

• It gives structure and order to a story
• social cohesion
• a sense of self.
• teaches morality and reins values

Story and narrative

• story - sequence of events, also known as the plot
• narrative - the way the events are put together to be presented

Narrative structure

• liner 
• non-liner

basic structure - exposition,, development, complication.

climax - open or closed.

Point of view - who will the audience identify with.

narrater -reliable or unreliable 

Narrative can take the viewer to any place/time at any point

Vladimir ProppCharacter theory and narrative structure

Propp suggested that every narrative has eight different character types, these character types are: 

• The villain — fights the hero in some way.
• The dispatcher — character who makes the villain’s evil known and sends the hero off.
• The helper — helps the hero in the quest.
• The princess or prize — the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain and resulting in a “happily ever after” moment.
• Her father — gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, and marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father cannot be clearly distinguished.
• The donor — prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
• The hero or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
• False hero — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.

The villain - The Villain is the character who struggles against the hero. Typically, with some sort of scarring. The villain will usually wear dark and mysterious colours, and not very attractive. This is to juxtapose between the hero and the villain; to highlight their differences.

The Dispatcher - This character who invites the hero to eliminate the evil.The “dispatcher” collects the hero(s) in order to send them off to fight the evil presence.

The Helper - The character who helps the hero fight against evil.he helps the hero by providing a physical presence in order to destroy the villain.

 The Princess - The character who needs to be rescued from the evil villain. The Princess she is taken by the villain and must be rescued by the hero.

The Donor - The character who offers some sort of help to the hero by providing an object(s) that will help the hero in his/her quest.

The Hero - The most common character typeThe character who eliminates the villain and weds the princess.

Vladimir Propp Character theory and narrative structure

Who was Vladimir Propp? - Vladimir Propp was a literary critic and a scholar who founded the idea that a certain type of character was to be used in every narrative structure.