Narrative Theories

Narrative theories

Difference between story and narrative:

“Story is the irreducible substance of a story (A meets B, something happens, order returns), while narrative is the way the story is related (Once upon a time there was a princess…)”

(Key Concepts in communication – Fiske et al (1983))

Vladimir Propp – Film As Fairy tale

Russian critic in the 1920’s, was interested in the narrative of folk tales and noticed that they were similar in many ways. They were about the same basic struggles and had the same characters. He said that the characters provide the structure for the text and are needed to make the story.

Characters that perform a function

·         The Hero

      ·         Villain
      ·         Donor
      ·         Dispatcher
      ·         False Hero
      ·         Helper
      ·         Princess
      ·         Her Father

Roland Barthes: Narrative Theory

French theorist believed in negotiating meanings and argued that viewers produce ‘new meanings’. These meanings are influenced by their cultural context, (sometimes altered from what was intended).

Suggested that the threads that you pull on to try and unravel a meaning are called narrative codes, and also came up with the idea of enigma codes. These are hooks of element of mystery in a narrative that need to be resolved. The audience recognise the hooks, even if they don’t know the resolution.

Action Codes

·         Audience will recognise an action code in a media text as it is used to indicate the next logical step

      ·         E.g. someone packing a bag frantically, means that they will be leaving wherever they are
      ·         E.g. someone starting up a car engine, means they are trying to get away

Mystery Codes

·         To explain the narrative by controlling what and how much information is given to the audience.

Semic Codes

·         This code is all about signs and meanings in a text and tells us about its narrative and characters. E.g. horror film = dark place

Cultural Codes

·         Used in order for the narrative to make sense to a culturally and socially aware audience. It makes references from the real world that audiences will recognise

Code of Opposites

·         This code refers to a narrative that relies on binary opposites e.g. black and white, hot or cold, male or female etc