Narrative theory.

Bradwell&Thompson -  A chain of events in a cause and effect relationship occurring in time.


Branigan(1992) - A way of organising spatial and temporal events into cause-effects chain of events with a beginning, middle and an end that embodies a judgment about the nature of events.


Narrative theory analyses the way in which media texts communicate meaning about the events, narrative theory can be applied to range of different media including film, TV, photographs and magazines. Narrative analysis of internet based media is more problematic, though may still be relevant. For example, you could consider how someone's Facebook profile creates a narrative about their life.


Vladimir Propp(1928) - a Russian theorist suggested that there are a limited number of characters that share a function. These are ...
The villain
the hero
the donor, who provides a object with magical property.
the helper , who aids the hero.
the princess
her father, who rewards the hero.
the dispatcher, who sends the hero on his way.
the false hero.




Tzvetan Todorov(1969)
1. Equilibrium
2.Disruptions
3.Recognition of the distribution
4. An attempt to repair the damage
5. New equilibrium


Roland Barthes (1960s)


He recognised these five codes...
1. Action code - which refers to the events taking place thorough some action eg. a fight.#
2. Referential code - which refers to the information and explanation
3. Semantic code - which refers to the characters and characterisation
4. Enigma code - which is a narrative device that teases the audience by presenting a puzzle or riddle to be solved.Works to delay the story ending pleasurably.
5. Symbolic code - which refers to connotations of signs.


Claude Levi-Strauss (1972)
He examined how stories unconsciously reflect the values, belifes and myths of a culture. These are usually expressed in Binary Oppositions.


Allan Cameron( 2008) - Modular narratives.


Anachronic - modified flashbacks/flash-forwards
Forking path - Alternative versions of the story.
Episodic - Collections of stories joined by a common theme
Split screen - Spatial rather than temporal lines


Postmodern Narratives
characteristics of Postmodern Narratives :
Irony, playfulness, black humour
Intertextuality
Pastiche
Metanarratives
Extreme self-reflexivity/ self awareness
Temporal distortion
Hyper reality


Narrative analysis


Narritive analysis involves considering how a range of elements including mise en scene , editing, camerawork, sound as well as events create meaning for an audience.


Theorist :                                          Examples:
Propp


Todorov


Barthes


Levi-strauss