Narrative Theories

Narrative theories:


Vladimir Propp's narrative theory:


Propp suggested that every narrative has eight different character types, these character types are:

• The villain- fights the hero in some way
• The dispatcher- character who makes the villain's evil known and sends the hero off
• the helper: helps the hero in the quest
• The prize- something the hero deserves throughout the story but is unable to get because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when they get the prize, thereby beating the villain and resulting in a happily ever after moment.
• the donor- prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object
• false hero- takes credit for the hero's actions or competes for the prize

Todorov's theory

Todorov's narrative theory basically states that most story's or plot lines follow the same pattern or path

1. A state of equilibrium (all as it should be )
2. A disruption of that order (by an event)
3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred
4. An attempt to repair the damage (of the disruption)
5. A return or restoration of a new equilibrium

Claude Levi- Strauss

Claude Levi Strauss' theory is that the conflict is based around the binary opposites and that the binary opposites are the central climax of a narrative structure.

Examples of binary opposites:

1. Human vs Alien
2. Good vs Evil
3. Man vs Woman
4. Human vs Alien
5. Protagonist vs Antogonist
6. Civilised vs Savage
7. Ignorance vs wisdom
8. Democracy vs Dictatorship

Three Act Narrative Structure