Todorov's 5 Stages
Tzvetan Todorov
5 Stages
Todorov identified that traditional stories follow a formula of beginning , middle and end.
He breaks the chronological narrative into 5 stages:
1.
The story begins with equilibrium - everything is balanced and as normal.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Something disrupts the equilibrium, this could be an event, action, character etc.
The characters aim to restore normality and return to the equelibrium. This could involve an adventure or quest of some kind.
The story reaches a climax, this is the high point of the narrative, where all previous plot points converge.
The narrative concludes with a resolution and the characters return to the equilibrium.
Strauss' Binary Oppositions
Levi Strauss
Binary Oppositions
Strauss proposed the idea of binary opposites. A binary opposite is basically what is says on the tin - a word and its exact opposite. In a narrative these oppositions can appear as good vs evil, young vs. old, men vs. women etc.
Although seen thought most narratives, binary opposites can perpetuate negative stereotypes. For example, with men vs. women, the man would typically be portrayed as a strong and valiant knight going to rescue a frail damsel (the woman).
In more modern narratives, multiple binary oppositions can be present alongside each other.
Propp's Character Types
Vladimir Propp
7 character types
Propp proposed the idea of "spheres of action" and that characters serve 1 of 7 specific roles within a narrative. one character can be involved in several spheres, or one sphere can apply to multiple characters
1.
Villain: This character causes misfortune for the other characters in some form. At some point, the hero will fight or struggle with the villain in an attempt to restore good.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Hero: there are 2 types of hero - the seeker and the victim. The seeker is someone selfless that's going to sacrifice their own equilibrium in order to save a character/object from the villain (ie. knight saves princess form dragon). The victim is a character that suffers directly from the actions of the villain at the start of the narrative (ie. dragon burns down knight's village, knight seeks revenge).
6.
7.
The False Hero: This character initially appears innocent and good, but further in the narrative reveals that they're actually evil.
The Dispatcher: This is the character that sends the hero on their quest to restore equilibrium.
The Donor: This character prepares the hero/aids the hero on their journey, typically by providing them with something (weapon, advice, information)
The Helper: This character offers to help and follows the hero on their quest, often as a side kick
The Princess: This is usually who the hero is searching for on their quest. At the end of the narrative the princess usually marries the hero, or at least thanks them in some capacity.
Story Types
Christopher Booker
7 basic story types
Booker identified 7 basic types of story that can be applied to most narratives in modern media.
1.
Overcoming the Monster: The hero must fight and overcome a malicious force, whether that's a monster, a corrupt leader or something more abstract. (eg. Godzilla)
2.
Rags to Riches: A young, insignificant character of low status and wealth goes through some series of events that results in an improvement of their situation. Once given the things he once lacked, the character shows a growth in maturity. the character's peers look down upon them and display cynical and narrow views.(eg. Aladdin)
3.
The Quest: The hero will embark on some kind of journey in order to gain a distant prize, such as freedom, aid, a place to live etc. Hero is often accompanied by companions. (eg. Wizard of Oz)
4.
Voyage and Return: Main characters travel to an unfamiliar and strange world, unlike their own, before returning home with newfound knowledge and outlook. (eg. Alice in Wonderland) Although the journey is typically to a physical place, it could also be seen as a rise in social ranks or a change of identity (eg. Freaky Friday)
5.
Tragedy: The protagonist, feeling unfulfilled, moves outside the bounds of good and normality in an attempt to satisfy a "dark need". Unfortunately nothing goes as they expected, as they find themselves spiraling deeper into evil. This structure is almost an inverted version of "overcome the monster" but from the monster's perspective. The 'villain' in these stories is typically a morally good character standing in the way of the protagonist's nefarious actions. These narratives almost always end in the protagonist's death or destruction. (eg. Macbeth, Lolita)
6.
Comedy: Comedy plots centre around some kind of misunderstanding or confusing situations that lead to humorous scenarios. in these stories the misunderstanding is often resolved resulting in a happy ending. (eg. Mrs Doubtfire)
7.
Rebirth: In these stories the main protagonist undergoes a massive change in personality/outlook caused by an event or realisation. (eg. A Christmas Carrol)
Barthes' Codes
Roland Barthes
5 Codes
Roland Barthes argued that signifiers, the objective/connotation, have codes that make a narrative concise, allowing parts of a story to fall together.
Hermeneutic Codes: This is when a writer intentionally leaves details or information out in order to get the audience to ask questions. Think Chekov's gun, leave something unexplained for a more satisfying payoff later.
Proairetic Codes: These are plot points that are a result of prior actions in the narrative that lead to further action. e.g.. villain destroys city, hero finds family/loved ones dead as a result of destruction, hero swears vengeance and fights villain.
Symbolic Codes: These are thematic devices that convey meaning through symbols and design rather than dialogue. this can be something as simple as the good guy wearing white and the bad guy wearing black, symbolising a battle between light and dark, good and evil.
Cultural Codes: This is when a text references ideas or other texts outside of itself, like how in Big Bang Theory they're always referencing star trek or start wars.
Semantic Codes: This is when something gives the audience more insight into the characters though its generally left unspoken. For example, Bruce Wayne wears fancy suits to symbolise his wealth.
