Assignment 8: Narrative theory

By Monae Minors-Gibbs

Todorov

Suggested there was 5 stages of narrative 1. Equilibrium 2. Disequilibrium3. Recognition of disequilibrium4. Attempt to repair damage5. New equilibrium

• The classic structure of beginning, middle and end

Equilibrium

Normality Pictures

Normal family Spotless house Baby sitter comes

around to look after the children

Weather is bad Children are bored There is nothing to do

inside

Disequilibrium(conflict/disruption)

Disequilibrium Screen grabs

Unexpected character comes

Lets then jump on the sofa

Starting to break some rules

Unknown huge box The mystery is inside the

box The box is the start of

the disruption

Recognition of disequilibrium

Recognition of disequilibrium

Screen grabs

Mess in the house is made Plates are smashed The front room was clean,

now destroyed

Total destruction of the house

The house is collapsing

Try to clean the walls and ruins the mums favourite dress

Attempt to repair the damage

Attempt to repair thedamage

Screen grabs

The cat finds his cleaning machines

Attempts to clean up ‘Thing 1 & Thing 2’

help to clean up too

They clean the mums dress spotless

Neatly put the dress away

Looks untouched

New equilibrium

New equilibrium Screen grabs

The mum dumps the horrible boyfriend

The children are happy he's gone

The mum gains her kids trust

They end up having fun

Jump on the sofa together

Levi-Strauss

Believed that our world is described in binary opposites, realising the differences, contradictions and conflict or opposites.

Day/night

Good/bad

Male/female

Film Opposite 1 Opposite 2 Explanation

Pursuit of Happiness

One character is male, the other is female The male is more caring/more forceful

Superman hero is saves the girl and city

Villain is trying to destroy everything

Villain tries to capture the hero

The mother/girlfriend character

The dad/breadwinner

This character plays the hero

This character play the villain

Scream 4

Hero is good Villain is evil Hero normal

costume Villain dark

costume and mask

I Robot Hero is human Villain is a robotHero helps Villains make things worst

This character is hero

The villain

A picture of the hero This is the villain