Narrative Theory

Narrative refers to the manner in which a storyline for a film, TV series or book is constructed in relation to specific structures e.g. linear and non-linear; these will determine how the story will unfold or the way content is arranged.

Open Narrative: If a story has an ‘open narrative’, it means that there is no indication of an eventual conclusion i.e. the ‘problems’ depicted within the story, or the fate of the primary character, are left unresolved thus leaving an indication of additional content coming soon after. This is quite common in television programmes and film/novel series and can be considered a great way to build up tension and suspense in relation to the way the story is progressing. Sometimes, an impression is created of the story ‘going on forever’. A good example of an ‘open narrative’ can be found in almost any television programme e.g. a soap opera such as Coronation Street or EastEnders or a dramatic television series like Falling Skies or Revolution, both of which belong to the science-fiction genre and feature a post-apocalyptic setting.

‘Revolution’ was an American post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi television series that revolved around the aftermath of a global electrical-power blackout that left all forms of electricity on Earth permanently disabled. With government and public order collapsed, militias took over the U.S. and a small band of survivors were

depicted trying to survive in a ‘world without power’. There were only two seasons; Revolution was cancelled in 2014 due to low viewership and financial losses. As a result, there was no real conclusion, however there was still a conclusion of sorts; the final episode of Season Two that was titled ‘Declaration of Independence’ featured a scene where power was restored to a clown sign and a large group of people walked towards it. However, if the series wasn’t cancelled, there is a good chance that there will have been more episodes.

In open narratives, there also tends to be a significant number of characters e.g. more than one protagonist. In Revolution, there were multiple characters who shifted in and out of prominence i.e. throughout the course of the story some characters (who weren’t the protagonists) were shown to be highly influential at times, even more important than the protagonists themselves. Also, time was mainly chronological i.e. events took place in order of occurrence, however there were some flashbacks to represent the lives of the characters before the ‘blackout’. There were many cliffhangers present throughout the series, most notably between some of the episodes and at the Season One Finale. On these occasions, characters were shown to be in difficult situations or confronted by a revelation just as the episode ended without any indication whatsoever as to how the characters will overcome these. Again, this helps to build up tension and suspense, thus enhancing the experience for the viewer.

Closed Narrative: In a ‘closed narrative’, there is a coherent storyline with a beginning and an end; the audience would always be aware that the film they are watching, book they are reading etc. will reach a conclusion. In this type of narrative, the audience tends to identify specific narrative roles e.g. the hero and the villain. Also, the character always resolves the ‘problem’ shown within the story. This kind of narrative can be found in films and novels that do not feature any additional content e.g. sequels. It can

also be considered more enjoyable for the viewer because they are not necessarily required to wait for new content every few months, year etc. as is the case for a television series. Also, viewers will be able to watch a film with a closed narrative over and over, even though they are already aware of what will happen e.g. the fate of the main character or the villain, or the fate of any supporting characters in the story. Good examples of films with closed narratives are the 2009 disaster film ‘2012’ and the 2004 film ‘The Day After Tomorrow’, both of which do not end on a cliffhanger thus leaving no indication of a sequel.

Single Strand Narrative: this means that there is one sole storyline/plot. If a film, book or video game has this kind of narrative, it is very likely that it will feature a single protagonist, along with supporting characters, in only one storyline. In a single strand narrative, there is always strong focus on the main protagonist as he embarks on a certain adventure or struggles to overcome something. Most of the time, there is an antagonist present; the antagonist commonly gets in the way of the protagonist whose objective might be to stop the antagonist. A good example of a film with a Single Strand Narrative is the 2014 Sci-Fi dystopian film ‘The Maze Runner’ which provides constant focus on the struggles of the protagonist and hints at his own backstory. There aren’t any apparent antagonists; the Maze Runner is the first film in a trilogy and also an adaptation of a well-known novel series written by James Dashner. The Maze Runner revolves around a group of teenage boys who find themselves trapped in the middle of a giant labyrinth with no memory whatsoever regarding how they wound up there or what their previous lives were. Because the film has a single strand narrative, the audience is invited to focus solely on the main character and a single plot rather than multiple characters and plots at the same time.

Multi-Strand Narrative: this means that there are many different storylines within a single film, book etc. Instead of a single protagonist and minor characters present in the story, there is focus on multiple groups of characters, who may be involved in different situations altogether. This results in contrasting effect within the film; therefore the audience is likely to pay more attention to the link between the different storylines rather than be concerned about the fate of the characters in the multiple groups represented. Films and books which have this kind of narrative could be considered less entertaining than those which feature a single-strand narrative. The main reason for this is because the viewer might struggle to relate to the characters if there are multiple storylines; in essence, there might be too much to interact with. A good example of a media product which features a multi-strand narrative is the 2009 horror novel ‘Blood Hunters’ which was written by Steve Voake. The book revolves around a series of unexplained attacks which occur across a city in England, following a strange occurrence during the exploration of a naturally formed underwater shaft (that no one has ever reached the bottom of) elsewhere in the world. The team of scientists investigating this sinkhole discover something which could wipe out mankind. There is a strong sense of mystery within the book, specifically in regards to the nature of the ‘creatures’ which are attacking people in England. There are multiple storylines in the book, with multiple characters (all from different backgrounds) experiencing a confrontation of some kind with the creatures. Specific characters include a detective, a scientist who is suspected of murdering one of his colleagues, and an individual who has been abused and neglected during his childhood. All of this characters are linked as they are all involved

in the exact same situation, and the presence of multiple characters and plots does well to establish juxtaposition.

Linear Structure: The story will have a beginning, middle and end. Events within the story commonly take place in chronological order; this can be considered a simpler and more enjoyable experience for the audience because the narrative depicted is coherent i.e. the viewers are more likely to understand the course of events that are shown if they are taking place in the correct order. A good example of a film with a linear narrative structure is the 2002 American superhero film ‘Spider Man’ which follows a student who gains spider-like abilities, as well as superhuman strength, upon being bitten by a genetically-altered spider during a school trip. The events that take place within this film are depicted in the order in which they appear.

Non-Linear Structure: The story tends to jump around within its own timeline, therefore the events that take place are not always in chronological order. The action taking place is mostly out of sequence; this means that the audience might find it difficult to connect to the events of the story and identify its characters. When a story has a non-linear structure, there will be things like flash-backs and flash-forwards present as well. Also, the viewers of a film with a non-linear narrative might struggle to interpret the course of the story, as well as the outcome. Therefore, this type of film, book or video game might be less entertaining and more confusing for the viewer. A good example of a film with a non-linear narrative is the 2014 fantasy/thriller film ‘Predestination’ which was adapted from the 1958 fictional short story ‘All You Zombies’ which was written by Robert A. Heinlein. The film stars Ethan Hawke, who portrays a time travelling agent who is given an assignment to prevent a terrorist attack which could kill thousands of innocent people in the year 1975. The plot of predestination is very confusing; having been described as ‘almost impossible to wrap one’s head around the plot’ and that ‘attempting to do so can only lead to madness’. The best possible interpretation regarding the plot is that the time-travelling agent was responsible for his own conception; both of his parents were the exact same person as a result of time-travel, thus resulting in self-fertilization i.e. the baby was also the same person. During his mission to stop the elusive terrorist from killing innocent people, the agent finds out that the terrorist is his own future self and that he is literally trying to assassinate himself. The events that take place in the story are depicted so that they are out of order; for example, the opening scene of the film depicts the main character getting into a horrific accident, and the rest of the film shows most of his past life.

Realist Narrative: a ‘realist narrative’ aims to depict the aspects of real-life e.g. things that are believable such as accidents or fighting so that audiences will believe the things that are happening within the story and be able to connect to it more. A good example of a film that has a realist narrative is the 2015 sport drama film ‘Creed’ which was directed by Ryan Coogler and stars Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, the former of

which portrays a boxing champion and the latter of which plays the now-retired boxer Rocky Balboa. Creed is a spin-off and sequel to the ‘Rocky’ film series. The reason why this film has a realist narrative is because its storyline revolves solely around a specific sport and features the main character aiming to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer like his deceased father. This kind of narrative is very likely to be believable because of the accurate representation of sport in real life, as well as the depiction of someone pursuing their own goals in life. This could ensure that people who view this film are likely to relate to it, primarily because of the strong representation of reality.

Anti-Realist Narrative: an ‘anti-realist’ narrative tends to reflect events which would be deemed as highly unlikely to occur in real-life. The concepts of stories with an anti-realist narrative are clearly ‘made-up’ and could represent things like aliens, talking animals etc. The likely purpose of an anti-realist narrative could be to offer a sense of escapism i.e. distraction and/or relief from the real-world (realities could be quite unpleasant for some people). Anti-realist narratives could also evoke humour; for example, the 2010 Sci-Fi Comedy film ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’, which follows a group of four friends who travel back in time to the year 1986, has an anti-realist narrative because of the level of exaggeration regarding things that are impossible in the real world, most notably time-travel. This film could be an enjoyable experience for the viewer, mainly because it does well to offer a strong sense of escapism and it also combines the genres Sci-Fi and Comedy.

Narrative Components:

Opening: this is where the story begins. The purpose of the opening would most likely be to intrigue the viewer/reader, reveal a setting and introduce the main character.

Conflict: at this point, characters are shown attempting to resolve problems as the action progresses. This usually takes place in the middle of the story.

Climax: this represents a ‘turning point’ in which the fate of the main character (or other characters) is decided. At this point, the process involved for solving the conflicts is usually revealed.

Resolution: this is the end of the story, at which point the theme or message has been conveyed successfully to the audience. The ending might show how the events of the story have had an impact on the character i.e. they could have affected the character positively or negatively.