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Narrative is defined as ​​“a chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in time”

NARRATIVE THEORY

Narrative: the way

in which a story is told

in both fictional and

non-fictional media

texts. 

Here we see two screenshots from the music video for All American Rejects- Gives You Hell, in these screen shots we can see binary opposites, the quiet suborbital neighbour and the loud rocker neighbour.

Binary oppositions are sets of opposite values which reveal the structure of media texts. An example would be GOOD and EVIL -

we understand the concept of GOOD as being the opposite of EVIL. Levi -Strauss
was not so interested in looking at the order in which events were arranged in
the plot. He looked instead for deeper arrangements of themes. This theory also ties in with something called dominant ideology. Dominant ideology is the set of common values and beliefs shared by most people in a given society, framing how the majority think about a range of topics. The left hand side of the list below fall into the category of dominant ideology.
Male > Female
White > Black
Happy > Unhappy
Family > Single
Rich > Poor
Clever > Stupid
Ability > Disability

BINARY OPPOSITION- Levi -Strauss

Example:

TODOROV'S THEORY

Tzvetan Todorov's narrative theory suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure where they begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.

 

There are five stages the narrative can progress through:

1. A state of equilibrium (All is 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

VLADIMIR PROPP

ARISTOTLE

Here's an example of Todorovs theory, In Aha's video for Take on Me we see the girl staring in it go from a state of equilibrium after meeting the lead singer inside the comic book, to a scene of disorder when the 'racer thugs' beat up the Mortem Harket as she and him are separated, the equilibrium when he comes to life outside off the comic books.

Aristotle's theory simply states that their must be a beginning, middle and an end, a video example of this is 'Worried About Ray' by the Hoosiers. 

Vladimir Propp’s theory was formed in the early twentieth Century. ​

8 types of characters:

  • the hero, (the older man)

  • the villain, (the ex fiance)

  • the donor, ( the older man, giving the run away bride the clothes and a home)

  • the dispatcher,

  • the false hero,

  • the helper,(the older man)

  • the princess (the run away bride)

  • her father. ​

He did not state these characters were all separate people e.g. the provider could also be the helper. ​

Heres an example of Allan camerons flashback theory: 

Allan Cameron

  • Anachronic – Flashback​​

  • Forking Paths – Contradictory narrative, alternative story ​​

  • Episodic – a series of shorter stories that appear to be disconnected ​​

  • Split Screen – screen split into two or more times to show separate events

Song, Lyrics and Narrative

relationships between song content and narrative content

Illustration

This is when the lyrics echo the narrative.

An exapmle of this is the Hoosiers worried about ray.

Amplification

This is when the narrative matches the lyrics along with adding its own element.

An example of this is hope all american rejects hope it gives you hell.

Disjuncture

The narrative doesn't hold a strong resemblance to the lyrics.

An example of this is aha's take on me.

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