Todorov - he proposes that all texts have a narrative structure. He states that there are 5 stages for each narrative structure and he analysed old Russian folk tales in order to demonstrate his theory. He argues that we have the following:
Equilibrium - normality at the beginning.
Disruption - event occurs to disrupt normality
Acknowledgement - when the main protagonist understands that he/she needs to do something in order to restore normality/equilibrium
Attempt to restore - the act of rectifying the disruption to restore equilibrium
New Equilibrium - The restoration of normality however due to the act or journey undertaken by the protagonist, this is a new normal as the old version no longer exists.
The narrative structures do not have to come in a specific order and can often start at the point of disruption or acknowledgement and then work in a non linear fashion towards the new equilibrium.
Vladamir Propp - Russian folklorist in the early 20th century.
he said that there are only ever 7 different character types that exist in literature
Hero
Donor
Helper
Villain
Princess
False Hero
Dispatcher
He added that it is not a necessity for all 7 types to appear in the plot but after analysing a range of different folk tales and literature observed that these 7 character types were the mainstays of all fiction and therefore media texts.
Enrique Iglesias - Hero
It starts at the point of disruption because the princess and the hero have run off together. Acknowledgement occurs when Enrique realises he needs to fight the villain to win the princess. He cannot escape the villain and restore equilibrium without fighting him first to win her and the money. Attempt to restore when they meet up in the desert and fight. Winner takes money however they are not aware that princess has called for the police but they do not get there in time and the hero dies therefore subverting stereotypes. New equilibrium is when the villain is arrested, the hero dies and the princess rides off in the sunset with her money.
Band of Horses - Dilly
Heroes and Villains.
Equilibrium - riding on the bikes along the country road
Disruption - When they realise they are in the wrong place and are not liked and react in th wrong way, causing trouble.
Acknowledgement - go into cafe and start shooting people so people call police on them. They realise they are in trouble so they try and ride away to escape prison
Attempt to restore - police catch them and do not let them leave when they are criminals
New Equilibrium - they ride off into the sunset on the country road however new normal is that they are now murderers.
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