Narrative Theories

Narrative Theories 

Vladimir Propp

Vladimir Propp was a Russian critic and a literary theorist that enjoyed what he did. Focusing on the fairy tale side of literature. He analysed over 100 fairy tales int he early 1920's, and was renowned for his research. Vladimir founded the idea that a certain type of character and be found, and used in mostly everything. To this day, his theories have inspired many from writers to film makers.

The theory goes as follows, Propp suggested that every media (fairy tales) have a set of specific characters. There characters hold a specific role and trate that make them who they are. here is the list of the characters:

• The villain- The villain, usually, fight the hero in the story and wishes to win. Usually considered evil. 
• The dispatcher- Usually standing as a tyrant, the dispatcher is makes the evil known and sends the hero off. Can be considered evil and/ or good. 
• The (magical) helper- usually the helper is the person that supports and helps the hero throughout the media text it is being presented through.
• The princess/ prize- the hero usually, is aiming toward achieving and when them. Usually, fighting throughout the story to win them. By doing so, they have defeated the villain and the story usually end in a happy ever after. 
• Her father- usually as the quest giver, the role is summed up in the following. The identify the false hero (villain), gives the hero the task and then marries them at the end. 
• The donor- stands as sort of the person who gives the hero what it is necessary to succeed in his journey. 
• The hero or victim/seeker hero- usually reacts to the donor and proceeds to marry the princess. 
• False hero- takes the credit for the heroes action and attempts to marry the princess.

Example 

Fairy Liquid Advert 2015 

This theory can be applied to the fairly liquid advert in 2015. The way in which i look t this and view it, I determine that the advert displays all the trates and characters that reside in the list above. Not all characters are obvious and some are not involved. The role of the villain, is seen in the calendar. The wait is something that the child has to overcome for the advert to have a resolve. 

The role of the hero, is seen in the child, the reason being is the child is on a journey overcoming the wait and story to get what he wants at the end. The prize in this story is the fairy liquid bottle in the advert, the child, wants the bottle so bad that he faces the journey and keeps going until he receives his prize. The Father is the advert stand to represent the helper as he is assisting the hero is his journey to get the fairy liquid bottle. 

Tzvetan Todorov

Tzvetan was renounced for being a franco-bulgaria philospher, He lived in France since the early 1960's and wrote several books about different theories and there application. He published a total 21 books spanning his life so far. His theories and historical interests have focused on issues such as issues like the Americans and the Nazis and Stalinist. 

Equilibrium
The first part of the story will display a happy start usually consisting of a peaceful surrounding idealistic beginning of the story. Usually showing everyone enjoying life until the villain arrives to ruin this.

Disruption
The next part in the situation is the disruption where the problem occurs. The problem seems to effect the happiness and the peaceful living that the characters are currently in. This applies to a range of different medias as the disruption can come in a rand of different shapes or forms.

Realisation
At this point, everyone in the media realises that the problem and chaos insures and causes a  lot of havoc and up roar. The realisation can have a different effect on the overall plot of the media/ story.

Restoration
At this stage, the restoration/ restored order is the point in which the tide changes and restoration is restored and the calm begins again. Usually taking place after the final battle or conflict which resolves all issues.  

Example 
A example of this would be Batman the dark night, at the beginning the batman demonstrates the equilibrium by going about his daily life. He continues to what he does daily until  the disruption is involved which is presented by joker. The disruption effects the city causing up roars and confusion as to what and how is he doing it.

This is when the realisation comes into play as the characters have the realisation of what has happened and what will be indeed to do with it. This is present when the explosion happens and batman loses his love. This is when the realisation is ending as batman defeats joker and the new restoration beginning.

Levi Strauss

Levi was a french anthropologist who lived in the early 1900's. His theory talk about the way in which we react to certain words depending on the context. The theory talks about binary opposites. Usually the binary opposites depends on the context in which the word is used. For example, the word evil, is a direct opposite of the word hero but that is only present int he situation it is placed. So in some context the word evil will not have the opposing word good. 

Example 
A example of this would be in the fairy liquid advert in the 1960s. The theory stands as a ways of viewing the binary opposites in adverts and other media. So, when reviewing the advert we automatically assume the characters are mother and daughter. 
The opposites to this would be that the mother could be evil and or not related in anyway shape or form. If she was holding a knife or anything else, we would assume that the girl isn't related to her. 

 Roland Barthes.

Roland Barthes suggests that there is 5 codes that apply to a range of media in a different ways. he described the media texts as closed or either open. Here are the 5 codes:- 

• Heremeneutic/ Enigma code- refers to a mystery hidden within the text clues can be dropped but are never completely exposed. Usually existing in the enigmas to make the audience want to find out  ore about what has happened or what will happen. 
• Proairetic/Action code-  this code contains action confiding with the text or other sequential elements of other text. 
• Semantic code- usually this code refers to the parts of the text that are additional including different meanings. Different codes are called Semes. This codes aims to layer different meanings. 
• Symbolic code- This code itself focuses on symbolism and making reference to different symbolic imagery. Usually used to create a further meaning and more imagery for the audience viewing it.  
• Referential code-  the code usually relates to anything that anything that stands as a external body of knowledge or science. 

Example 

When relating to the fairy liquid advert or better fairy liquid as a company have built upon there own codes and developed them and build on them. They have taken previous codes and refer to them now building up and adding more to them. Not only does the theory apply to the Fairy liquid advert, it apply to a lot other advert that use subliminal messages through product 

Fairy liquid Advert Analysis

Fairy Liquid Semiotics 

1960 advert  

Fairy liquid adverts have changed over time, becoming more racially diverse and gender equal. Back in the 1960's, fairy liquid adverts were direct and concise about what they were trying to sell. focusing on establishing the social norm of the mother washing up. The mother washing up shows the nature of the advert straight away, directing you to what the advert is going to be about. Throughout the advert, it is black and white. This is a representation for the time-period that the advert was released in. The signifier in the picture to the side is the women washing up. what is signified by this is the social acceptance of the ideology of only the women being the house keeper. 

The advert itself doesn’t build upon bringing in any guys to use the product. The women using the product, symbolic signs that this is what it would like in that era. A connotation appears between the two, as you directly think that the girl and women are mother and daughter. The reason that the male is not in the advert, is due to the ideology of as we assume the male is at work. Another connotation would be, the girl present is gardening. This is a representative that girls usually stay at home and work away at the house. You can see that the genres of the adverts are to inform and to advertise the product. 

1992 advert

As time progressed and the new millennium grown close, the effect of new development and editing software. The video was shot in colour and the cuts are smoother than the previous advert. The ideologies of this episode is that the male figure in the family is out working. The denotations of this clip is to do with the daughter speaking to the mother an calling her mother as well.  

The denotation is that the girl is also owning a shop which is a different thing that would be expected. Even after so many years, the stereotype still exists with the female staying at home washing up. It is expanded on in this advert as she is also taking care of a child. In the previous video, there is no direct denotation that they are related but in this there is.  In this advert, the genre is personified through the feeling it gives your hands. The genre of the advert is aimed to the female population and is sold through sensations int he hands and the way the mother was saying 'i treated myself'. This is shows that the use of the fairy liquid is more of a life choice then a washing up liquid. 

2015 advert 

After the previous advert it comes to the 2015 one. The advert itself is a lot different to the previous breaking away from the previous stereotypes coinciding with the previous adverts. The change in time period is present, as you can see from the characters alone. The characters are different interns of the gender. They use male actors to play the roles of the house husband and child. 

We see a denotation that they are related through the bond between the man and the son. This is through the speech saying father. A possible connotation would be that the mother is not in the picture and that it is just the father. This advert steams away from the normality of the previous adverts that talk about the mother being in the kitchen. Approaching this from a non-sexist view, the male figure shows how women and men are on the same level as each other. So, having the female out of the shot shows that the man could have been a single parent or a stay at home dad. In this advert, the advert shows the usage side of building on what has been said int he advert throughout the years. The adverts talks about how much it can be used overall again and again. 

Genre

Genre

What distinguishes in adverts? 

Usually a advert, is provided to sell a item or product to the consumer. Adverts are considered short and in other ways promotional videos selling what they want you to buy.  

What kind of images? 

The imagery in adverts would be used to, help you associate with the advert when those items are seen. For example, if you see a sunset for a washing up liquid advert, the association will make you recognise outside of the adverts context. The imagery of adverts, are usually positive, expressing how a certain product can make you life like this or effect it int some sort of way.  Statistics, Slogans, eye catching images. 

What characters do we tend to see? 

The characters themselves relate to the product that they are trying to sell. The product could be to sell a item of clothing to girls, so, the advert is more likely to have women expressing interest to the clothing. Celebrity endorsement 

What sort of expectations? 

The viewers usually expect adverts to have specific meaning and or expression that come with the products. Most, finding adverts annoying and not in there interest but some find advert amusing and buy what they sell. Aimed towards you.

Can you identity the different kinds of adverts? 

Gaming adverts 

Hair product adverts 

Protein shake

demonstration adverts, promotion adverts 

last session

4 narrative theorists

Roland Baches

a story/ media text has various different meanings. 5 meanings 

Levi Strauss 

binary oppositions 

Narrative based upon the stories narrative that can be through beliefs and good and evil. 

fairy liquid- cleaning loads of plates- other brands 

how we catergories things- day and night- good and evil 

  

vladimir plop

literary critic and challenged it 

vilian 

dispatcher 

Tristain todorof 

4 steps to a story 

equilibrium 

disruption 

realisation 

restoration 

new equilibrium  

Media effects

Mean world syndrome

Mean world syndrome is the way in which the media make things to be worse than they are. Usually referring to news, it talks about how the media make the news and the world to be worse than it is in terms of things like violence. There have been quite a few people saying that the different things that happen across the world shouldn’t be blown up. There was a shooting in a school in Germany, and the media blew it up. They got unnecessary videos of the murderer before the crime to make the news progress on and keep going.

It creates a paranoia and can induce fear into the modern-day society. This syndrome can be related to the columbine massacre. The recreation and the dramatisations being shown on a range of different media platforms. These different types are all seen and can influence the way the public feel about the issues in America. The reactions of what happened, this can influence another form of the same issue. This identifies the issue as the incident happened so long ago but it is still bought up till this day. The incident was made into a film with Michael Moore called bowling for columbine. 

Moral panic
Moral panic, is the rise of a subject or new story in the media that causes the media to act upon it and blow it out of the water. Moral panic, is the way that the media extenuate the news making it seem a lot worse then it actually is. The theory goes around and creates a dramatic reaction from the audience making them believe what is being said but also makes the audience blow it out of the water. As well as this, the theory states that as soon as there is a new story the previous story is faded into nothing and the new story is blown out of proportion. 

Reception theory

Reception Theory 

The theory suggests that there are 3 different categories people fall under when reviewing social media. The categories are, Dominant, this theory is when the audience completely agree with what is being said on screen. Oppositionist, is when the audience member or party has a negative response disagreeing with what is being said. Negotiated, is when the audience member or party has response which is positive and negative response and they agree and disagree with what is being said.

The theory itself can be related to films. The response can be show through the different point of views in terms of the way we watch and enjoy different films. The theory can relate to how we enjoy films and whether they like or dislike the movie.

Relation to media

-          The news- the news itself can have different views upon it as we all interpret things different and make our own conclusion based upon facts that the news portrays

-          Facebook- Facebook shares a wide range of information relating it to a wide range of different subject matter. It is the way that we respond to it that can infer what we believe to be correct and false.

Pros

The theory can be used in a wide range of different media steaming from news to twitter, the theory can help to support with what we agree with to disagree with.  With modern day technology, the theory can come into play with how many people look at it on the internet and how many shares it on the internet, through the different social media.

Criticisms

The theory can be one sided if the wrong information was given to the different social media and the new in general. Can be displayed negatively if most information is given negatively showing only the one side of people’s views.


Look to Bowling for columbine for example.

Bowling for Columbine

Bowling for columbine

Opening clip- Dominant 

The opening scene is displaying all the major catastrophes that have happened in past years that effect the united states of America in some way shape of form. The opening clip is perceived with a dominant response as it focuses on displaying the history behind past events.  The way I which he uses historical events that could shine the united states in bad light influence the audience to agree with him.

For example, In the bowling for columbine excerpt, Events such as Osama bin Laden training terrorists to kill US citizens. This made America believe that guns are the way forward to live, they were wrong. The US use the guns a form of reaction that allows them to defend themselves from a harm less matter.

Bank scene- Negotiated 

The scene at the bank, shows the audience how easy it is to get a gun in America. The fact that someone can walk into a bank and get one for free is insane. In the scene Michael Moore walks into a bank souly on the purpose that they would be handing out a gun to him after opening an account. In the scene, you can see that the bank itself, the receptionist does say they give out free guns.  

The dominant response to this would be, Michael Moore’s approach. Focusing on showing the outlandish approach to issues that affect America. The fact that a bank is handing out guns is crazy and they have the guns in the bank. As Michael said do you think its dangerous handing out guns at a bank. The section where he is signing the documents, the bank worker is explaining how they can legally deal firearms as they are licenced. Whilst he is signing that documents he pulls up that he can be mentally defective a but he can still get gun for making an account.

The oppositional response to this would be found when doing background research. When researching I discovered that Michael Moore in fact took the gun into the bank and asked them to help him film this scene. The bank do indeed hand out the guns to the people that create accounts with them but the Michael failed to display the background checks that take up to 6 months to make sure they mentally fit to actually have the gun.

Interview with Nichols- Oppositional 

During the interview with Nicholas, it talks about the effects that guns can have on people. The interview covers the views and opinions of Nichols on guns. I take a oppositional response to this scene as I see as what Nicholas is saying as to be right in terms of his views as to his rights. Stating that the guns are to do with his right and that he has his gun to show that he can do what he wants to do.


Nichols agrees that the explosion and live taking is wrong but the decision to have your own gun is your choice which I agree with. Michael in this scene would say is the oppressive force and stands for the accusation of Nichols of having a gun. Michael is saying that having a gun is like the explosion itself, accusing him that he could be like his brother.

Passive and Active Consumption

Passive and Active Audiences 

Passive audience usually fall under a sort of brainwash when it comes to the different types of media. Usually believing everything they read or get shown, the audience don't question it and take it as it is. This is where the difference between passive and active come into play. A active audience member, usually questions the things they see and don' get effected by what they see. Usually, the active audience focuses on trying to confirm something mainly news related.

Relations to media
- News
- Protests

Positives
The positive sides to this theory would be the overall impact of hearing the possibility of two different arguments and understandings of what is going on when there is at least a passive and active audience there. When viewing the media you usually only get one of the two and that usually is passive.

Criticisms
The theory itself is very one sided in that, it strive to present the media to only listen one side of the argument and this can cause up roar in what people read. For example, the presidential election. The different presidential candidates had there own different audiences. From my point of view, i would say that, Donald's audience was a very active audience but passive in-terms of swallowing the message of what Donald will bring to america. Active in a way that they will go to rallies to support there campaigns.

Uses and Gratifications

Uses and gratifications

The way in which we use the media rather than the way in which the media uses us. We use the media for your own use and can look at what we want and do what we want. The use of the internet and other media such as films, are all created for or individual viewing. The media itself can be optional, ranging from television to advertisements. The main use is to understand how people search for the different types of media to satisfy what they want. The theory itself is a audience focused approach to the mass audience communication. It mainly refers with what people do with media rather then what the media does to the audience. 

Relation to social media-

-          Facebook- we use it browse and see what people are doing

-          YouTube- we use it to watch what we want to watch

-          4oD- we can watch shows that interest us

Positives

The theory itself is very audience based in terms of its about what they want nothing else. The audience itself makes their own decisions. Some more of the positives would be, the audience can access a wide range of different social media and other sites without the possible chance of being  forced to view something that they does not want to. At the end of the day, the media is there for us to look at and view what we want. 

Criticism

People have disrupted the theory as the public believe that have no control over the media and what they produce on it. This refers to films and TV shows, the production of the media I usually made for the entire benefit of the producer and director. Another criticism would be that, on certain social media for example YouTube, there is a lot of advertisements that can't be skipped. This is proof that the theory has  some downsides to do with the viewing what you want.