Narrative Blog Task

Read Media Factsheet 14 - Telling Stories: The Media's Use of Narrative and answer the following questions:

1) Give an example from film or television that uses Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium.

Shrek (2001) follows Todorov's structure - there is an initial equilibrium where Shrek is left alone in his swamp, disequilibrium when the other fairy tale creatures take over his swamp and a new equilibrium is established at the end where Fiona and Shrek are married at the swamp with all the creatures attending.

2) Complete the activity on page 1 of the Factsheet: find a clip on YouTube of the opening of a new TV drama series (season 1, episode 1). Embed the clip in your blog and write an analysis of the narrative markers that help establish setting, character and plot.

Better Call Saul - S1 E1 "Uno"

Temporal marker: The scene is set during the day which is obvious through the light coming in through the bathroom window. 

Geographical marker: The American flag in the court room clearly shows that the scene is set in the United States.

Historical marker: There is a typewriter being used in the court room instead of an electronic device, suggesting this scene is set in the 90s.

Character marker: The protagonist is clearly identified as a lawyer by his role in the court case, his costume and his mannerisms as he defends his clients.

Generic marker: It is clear to the audience that they are watching a legal drama due to the setting and characters but also the serious tone communicated by the audio and actors' body language and expressions.

3) Provide three different examples from film or television of characters that fit Propp's hero character role.

- The Bride (Kill Bill)

- Sidney Prescott (Scream)

- Miles Morales (Into The Spider-Verse)

4) Give an example of a binary opposition.

Good vs Evil

5) What example is provided in the Factsheet for the way narratives can emphasise dominant ideologies and values?

- When the policeman captures the criminal in a crime drama– the ideology of the value of law and order is emphasised.

- When the girl wins the heart of the guy in a romantic comedy the values of heterosexual relationships and monogamy are reinforced.

- In conventional texts crime doesn’t usually pay and the guy most often gets the girl.

6) Why do enigma and action codes (Barthes) offer gratifications for audiences?
Enigma codes: the problems and complications that are introduced in the text will create enigma and therefore the audience will be curious to how the plot turns out/how the problems will be solved.

Action codes: the climax of the text provides and emotional high spot for the audiences that leaves them with the problem being resolved and is a reward for the audience as the emotional journey is over.

7) Write a one-sentence summary of the four different types of TV narrative:

Episodic narrative (the series) -  Narrative arcs can be resolved by the end of the episode and there is no expectation for the audience to have watched previous episodes chronologically

Overarching narrative (the serial) - Narrative arc is resolved through the course of the series, can also use summaries and cliff-hangers to keep audience interested

Mixed narrative - There are individual narrative arcs that are episodes and larger narrative arcs that are resolved through the course of the series, a mix of episodes and overarching narrative 

Multi-strand overlapping narrative (soap narrative) - Continuous narrative, telling different stories at the same time, with no final resolution to the text overall.

8) How does the Factsheet suggest adverts use narrative? 

In advertising the idea of the problem and resolution is crucial. Often adverts set up a problem (bad breath) and then immediately offer the solution (buy their toothpaste) to create a swift resolution (fresh breath). 

A/A* extension task

Use our brilliant Media Magazine archive to read Narratology: Todorov, Propp and Freytag from MM70 (page 24). This applies some of our narrative theories (and one new one) to Star Wars, Avengers and more. Which of these theories do you find most useful when applying to media texts? Why?

While Todorov's framework is technically applicable to every media, it personally feels too broad to be a useful narrative theory to further any analysis. Contrastingly, Propp's character types have become increasingly outdated. In my opinion Freytag's theory of 5 sections within a story are the most applicable to modern media and the most accessible.