Narrative investigation

Narrative investigation

• 1.
  Narrative Narrative refers tothe different types of story structure that genres employ as well as the actual story-telling devices and narrative moments which they are associated with. There are narrative structures such as LINEAR narrative.This means that there will be a clear beginning, middle and end. ARISTOTLE identified the basic linear line structure. He observed that the middle section may involve some crisis resolved by the end of the story. There are also CIRCULAR narrative structure where the beginning is the same as the end of the film. This has been done in the play ‘Blood Brothers’ and the film ‘The Hangover’. Freytag adapted Aristotle's basic triangle the idea of the plot complicating. Climax The rising and falling action can vary Rising Action Falling Action during film trailers, typically with the a slow building rising action with an abrupt ending which usually uses a series of Exposition End short takes and fast pace editing.
• 2.
  Narrative Theorists Todorov’s narrativetheory states that a narrative will follow this structure: -EQUILIBRIUM (how the place and characters begin at the beginning of the story) -DISEQUILIBRIUM (a disruption to the equilibrium) -RECOGNITION of the disruption -RESOLUTION (plan to resolve the disequilibrium) -RESTORATION OF EQUILLIBRIUM (the story returns back to the beginning). Vladimir Propp went through hundreds of fairy/folk tales and identified: -8 character roles (villain, hero, donor, helper, princess, her father, dispatcher, false hero) -31 functions which moves the story along e.g. punishment of villain or ban of an action.
• 3.
  Todorov’s theory canbe applied to horror films such as Sweeny Todd. 1.Benjamin Barker returns to London after 15 years arrest in Australia under the new identity of Sweeny Todd, hoping to regain a new normal life. (Equilibrium) 2.However when in Fleet Street he learns (by Mrs Lovett) that his wife poisoned herself after Judge Turpin (who falsely charged Benjamin) raped her. He also learns that the judge is the legal guardian of his daughter. (Disequilibrium) 3.Todd decides to reopen his barber shop but can not help but feel angry towards Judge Turpin and lets his anger get the better of him when he murders a man who blackmails him and misses an opportunity to murder Judge Turpin. (Recognition) 4.Todd then turns his revenge on the entire world and vents his murderous rage on his customers whilst waiting until he can kill Judge Turpin. Mrs Lovett then comes up the idea to use the dead bodies in her pies in order to make more money and improve her business, thus they both benefit from the situation. (Repair/solution) 5.At the end of the story Todd kills what seems to be a beggar women and Turpin. However the beggar women turned out to be his wife, that Miss Lovett lied about her dying so Todd throws Miss Lovett into the furnace. Whilst cradling his dead wife Todd lets a boy named Toby kill him so Todd can be at peace with his wife. (Restoration)
• 4.
  Roland Barthes The HermeneuticCode: any element within the story that is not fully explained and becomes a mystery to the reader. The real truth is often avoided. The Semantic Code: the connotation within the story that gives additional meaning over the basic meaning of the word therefore we are able to paint images with our minds. The Cultural Code: anything that cannot be challenged and is assumed to be the foundation of truth. This usually involves either science or religion however magical truths are often found in fantasy films. The Proairetic Code: builds tension within the film by implying that some other piece of action is about to happen which makes the audience keep guessing. This is usually done within horror films. The Symbolic Code: organizes semantic meanings into broader and deeper sets of meanings.