Narrative Theories & applying them to films

Claude Levi-Strauss' Oppositions

Levi-Strauss came up with the idea that within films, there are pairs of themes which are known as 'binary opposites'. As implied by the name, these themes are opposite to each other.

An example that often appears in films is good v evil.

Different genres often have common binary opposites of their own. For example, comedy films often have an intelligent character and one who is silly (stupid seems a bit harsh, but I guess you could use that too).

Applying the theory to Psycho

• Good (Marion, Marion's boyfriend Sam, Marion's sister Lila etc) v evil (Norman)
• Male (Norman, Sam, Detective Arbogast) v female (Marion, Lila)
• Insanity (Norman) v sanity (everyone else)
• Freedom (Marion, Sam, Lila etc) v entrapment (Norman)
• Normal (Marion's lifestyle) v abnormal (Norman's lifestyle)
  
  

Tzvetan Todorov's narrative structure

Todorov said that films are structured using the following stages:

1. A state of equilibrium, where everything is normal/as it should be
2. Disruption which affects the equilibrium
3. New equilibrium
   

These stages can be broken down into 5 slightly smaller stages:

1. A state of equilibrium, where everything is normal/as it should be
2. Disruption which affects the equilibrium
3. Recognition of the disruption
4. Attempts to repair the disruption
5. The restoration of a new equilibrium (this equilibrium is never really the same as the first, due to irreversible events that take place during the course of the film)
   

These stages create a circular structure. Todorov also stated that these stages don't necessarily happen in the order shown above.

Applying the theory Scream
Scream starts off by showing the audience the first disruption: Casey and her boyfriend being murdered.
The audience is then shown the initial state of equilibrium: Sidney with her boyfriend and Sidney's dad going away for a business trip.
The initial disruption is then recognised by Casey's parents finding her body and the police are informed. It is also recognised the next day at school when lots of reporters are there.
There is then a second disruption is Sidney being attacked by the killer.
The disruptions can't really be repaired, so instead the characters try to prevent further disruptions by implementing a curfew. This is a thwarted attempt at resolving the situation since the curfew makes no difference really, and more people are murdered.
At the end we find out who the killer is and Sidney shoots him in the head, and this creates a new equilibrium.

Vladimir Propp's character types

Propp explained that there are 8 character types in almost all stories:

1. The hero
2. The villain
3. The donor - provides valuable object or information
4. The helper - the hero's accomplice
5. The princess - the reward for the hero at the end
6. The princess's father - rewards the hero at the end
7. The dispatcher - sends the hero away on his/her mission
8. The false hero

Applying the theory to Rear Window

1. The hero - L.B. Jefferies
2. The villain - Lars Thorwald
3. The donor - there isn't really a donor character. But I suppose Jefferies' window could be the donor since that's what gives him the information about what's happening in other people's houses
4. The helper - Stella
5. The princess - Lisa Fremont
6. The princess's father - There isn't really a father character in Rear Window
7. The dispatcher - there isn't really a dispatcher character, but the dispatcher could be Jefferies' injury, since that's what caused him to start watching his neighbours
8. The false hero - Lieutenant Thomas Doyle
   

Roland Barthes Action and Enigma Codes

Barthes believed that films are made up of two types of narrative codes:

1. Action Codes - these are events that take place during the course of the film, which lead to other events often creating suspense since the audience wonder what will happen next
2. Enigma Codes - these are events which make the audience question why they happened, therefore creating a sort of mystery.

Applying the theory to Fatal Attraction

Action Codes:

• Dan and Alex meet at the party
• Dan's wife goes away for the weekend
• Dan and Alex have an affair
• Dan tries to break-up with Alex
• Alex slits her wrists and issaved by Dan.
• Alex continually phones/tries to contact Dan
• Alex tells Dan that she's pregnant with his child
• Alex does things like vandalising Dan's car and boiling the family's pet rabbit
• Dan's wife finds out about the affair
• Alex takes Ellen out without the parents' permission
• Dan's wife gets into a car accident
• Dan goes to Alex's apartment and attacks her
• Alex comes to Dan's family home and tries to attack his wife
• Dan saves his wife and then she shoots Alex

Enigma codes:

• Did Alex's dad really die of a heart attack like she said he did?
• Does Alex have some serious mental issues? If so, has anyone noticed before or was it just the events in the film that caused her to go a bit mad?
• (Before Dan phones the doctor) Is Alex actually pregnant or did she just say she was to try and get Dan to stay with her?
• How did Alex survive for so long in the bath tub?