Introducing Narrative Ideas

What is narrative and why is it important?

The way in which a story, or sequence of events, is put together within a text. All media texts have some sort of narrative, from a single photographic image to a sports report to a feature film.

Narrative may be reduced to one simple equation which is:
                              
                                   equilibrium-disequilibrium- new equilibrium

When you sit down to watch a film the narrative structure helps define the story. It needs to be structured to help the viewer understand the message contained within, giving the film meaning throughout. However you need to keep in mind that the narrative structure only applies in the way in which the story is told, not the actual story itself, meaning the narrative structure is the chronological stages or steps that progress from one to the other throughout the story.

Todorov

The conventional narrative structure pointed out by Tzvetan Todorov as a rule is broken down into 3 stages, equilibrium (a beginning), disequilibrium (disruption to the equilibrium- middle) and new equilibrium (resolution). What I mean by equilibrium: it's simply a state of balance, normality in which the characters find themselves at the beginning. These 3 acts are broken down into five stages:
Stage 1: A state of equilibrium is defined.
Stage 2: Disruption to the equilibrium by some action or crisis.
Stage 3: The characters recognition that there has been a disruption, setting goals to resolve problem.
Stage 4: The characters attempt to repair the disruption, obstacles need to be overcome to restore order.
Stage 5: Reinstatement to equilibrium. Situation is resolved, a conclusion is announced.

With the three acts the narrative becomes more comprehensive. However it's essential to remember films need to be seamless as the chain of events unfold, with all the questions raised answered and all the loose ends tied up unless you want to break the conventions, induce a cliff hangar, intentionally create doubt in the minds of the audience and leave them questioning.

Even though these stages are presented here a a linear structure there is no golden rule that it has to be this way, especially if you wish to create a non-linear structure.Should one wish to, a director can always muddle up the chronological order and have the new equilibrium at the beginning ahead of the original equilibrium. Still a film should have clear goals with believable characters if it is to maintain a sense of credibility and to help keep the audience captivated.

An example of a film that follows and has the 3 acts is the 2004 Mean Girls.

Equilibrium- New student Cady, a 16 year old home schooled girl from the bushes of Africa, has moved to America with her research zoo-eulogist parents. Where she is about to enter the more dangerous environment of high school, on her first day she is very isolated, however on her second day becomes friends with fellow outcasts Janice and Damien. While skipping class she is introduced to the reining queen-Be's of the school 'The Plastics' consisting of Karen Smith, Gretchen Weiners and the ultimate mean girl of the school Regina George. At lunch as Cady makes her way to join her new friends for lunch she is approached by a typical teenage womaniser before he is shamefully dismissed by Regina and she invites Cady to sit with her, after a little conversation Cady is joined to eat with the plastics at lunch everyday for the rest of the week. Janice and Damien take this as a choice to destroy and separate the plastics from the inside.

Disequilibrium- Just as the plan takes hold Cady develops a heavy crush for Regina's ex-boyfriend Senior Aaron Samuels. After struggling at first playing childish pranks on Regina such as giving her foot cream instead of face cream Cady, Janis and Damien decide that its time to play dirty. Giving Regina caltine bars which she believes will help her lose weight, however they are actually nutrition bars that Cady's mum gave to the children in Africa to help them gain weight. After a bit of a makeover Cady becomes a full on plastic and dismissing her true friends, gaining the loyalty of the other plastics, supposedly becoming Regina's best friend but still trying to win Aaron's heart. When Cady has succedded in taking Aaron away from Regina, making her lose her once desirable slim frame and the loyalty of the other plastics, Regina seeks revenge by taking the plastics beloved 'Burn Book' which contains photos and burning comments on all the girls in their year. Regina shows the book to the school principle blaming Cady, Gretchen and Karen and dismissing herself in the book. When all the girls in the year find pages of the book knowing what has been said about them has been seen by others break out in a violent rage. Teachers try to make the girls see sense by having the girls all apologise in front of each other of mean things they have said about each other in the past. It is here were Janice reveals to everyone how she hired Cady to pretend to be friends with the plastics when really she was trying to seek revenge on her behalf. Regina walks out in a rage before being hit by a school bus while confronting Cady, with the entire school believing Cady actually pushed her and now is the most hated girl in school.

New equilibrium- Cady tries to make everything right. Starting by joining the Mathletes in order to earn extra credit after purposely failing math in order to try and get closer to Aaron. After winning the state finals Cady goes to the Spring Fling were she is named Spring Fling Queen, it is here were she makes a public apology in front of the entire school and breaks the crown and shares it among her peers. She is forgiven by everyone, ungrounded by her parents and finally gets the kiss she has deeply desired from Aaron. It is then revealed that the plastics have broken up with Karen using her 'special skill' to do the morning weather announcements, Gretchen found a new queen-be to follow and was allowed to be more herself and Regina became a champion at sport. As for Cady she finally blended among her peers with 'girl world finally being at peace.' Although there is a threat of the junior plastics.

Propp

Valdimir Propp states there are seven 'spheres of action' which characters can be characterised to. These spheres are categorised as the Hero, Villain, Donor, Helper, Princess (though this can be changed to prince), Dispatcher and False Hero. Not all spheres of action are needed to be addressed for a film as it is also well to note characters can portray more than one sphere and vice versa; spheres can be composed of several characters.

Valdimir Propp's seven spheres of action:

Hero- Individual whose quest it is to restore the equilibrium.
Villain- Individual whose task it is to disrupt the equilibrium.
Donor- Individual who gives the Hero something; advice, an object, information.
Helper- Individual who aids the Hero with their task.
Princess (Prince)- Individual who needs help or saving.
Dispatcher- Individual who sends the hero on their quest.
False Hero- Individual who sets out to undermine the Hero's quest by pretending to aid them. Often unmasked at the end of the narrative.

With the characters set with their role in the film it allows audience to have clear idea about where each character stands in the story. As without these spheres of action been made then narratives can be mis-read and characters be set in the wrong role in the film re-dfying the action made within the film.



Overall I have to conclude that Todorovv and Propp have been experimented with to help create a new generation of film. When films were first created Todrovv and Propp were used in a certain way and followed to detail. Were as now they can be remixed to create a new experince of film, that still creates a narrative that can be easily followed by audiences it can create a narrative that is silightly different but will bring the audience a different experience when watching the film by giving them something they would not expect. Propp is very relevant as if the characters did not have a certain role/roles within the film than it may be confusing for audiences to tell who it is they should be supporting while they are watching the film. Propp has changed over time, as modern day narratives have progressed further than what Propp identified in regards to character types, with the roles being switched or even mixed with one another.