Narrative theories

Tzvetan Todorov –Equilibrium

All stories start in a state of equilibrium, which is then disrupted, setting in a
motion a chain of events. The resolution of the story is the creation of a
new/different equilibrium.
Equilibrium>Disruption>Resolution/Re-Equilibrium
Vladimir Propp

Propp was essential interested in the narrative of folk tales. He identified a theory
about folk tales were similar in many areas. They were about the same basic
struggles and they appeared to have ‘Stock Characters’. He identified a theory
about characters and actions as narrative functions; they provide a structure for
the text

The hero – a character that seeks something

The Villain – who opposes or actively blocks the hero’s quest

The Donor - Who provides an object with magical properties

The Dispatcher - who sends the hero on his/her quest via a message

The False hero – who disrupts the hero’s success by making false claims

The helper - who aids the hero

The princess – acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villain’s plots

Her father – who acts to reward the hero for his effort

Christopher Vogler

Chris Vogler is a story analyst for Disney, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, and
many more Hollywood production companies. He explored the construction of
narrative from a character driven perspective. His theory is called The Hero’s
Journey.

1. Ordinary world
2. Call to Adventure
3. Refusal of Class
4. Mentor
5. First Threshold
6. Test, Allies, enemies
7. Approach to the inmost cave
8. Ordeal
9. Rewards (seizing the sword)
10. The road back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with the Elixir
Vogler also claimed that there were eight Archetypes within Hollywood narratives

• Hero
• Mentor
• Heraid
• Shape Shifter
• Allies
• Shadow
• Trickster
• Threshold Guardians

Levi Strauss-Binary Oppositions

Meanings, including narrative, depend on binary oppositions – he explores these

in terms of underlying typical themes rather than events. Conflict helps to drive
the narrative.

• Man Vs Woman
• WhiteVs Black
• YoungVs Old
• Hero Vs Villain
• West Vs East
• Good Vs Bad

Roland Barthes’ Enigma Codes

Enigma/hermeneutic code - anything that sets up a question in the

narrative
Semic Code - the way in which the character, actions, events,
settings take place on meaning; mise-en-scene, semiotic analysis,
psychoanalytical theory
Symbolic code - Signifying binary oppositions or psychological
symbols
Action code - Codes of behaviour in the diegetic world that are
universally understood, from our de-coding of other narratives.
Cultural/Referential Code - Codes that are defined by the world outside
the narrative diegesis, with are understood through our interaction with the wider
world

Robert McKee

Robert McKee has a simple 5 part structure for narratives:

1. Inciting incident
2. Progressive Complications
3. Crisis
4. Climax
5. Resolution