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Narrative theory
- 1. Narrative Theory Talia Smith
- 2. Allan Cameron’s 4 Narrative Structures Forking Path = Narratives juxtapose alternative versions of a story, showing different outcomes. Many outcomes are shown that can even contradict each other. In the film sliding doors, it shows the outcome of the woman catching her train and not catching her train and how different her life could have been because of that event.
- 3. Episodic = collections of stories joined by a common theme, tends to be non chronological. This is an abstract narrative. It’s shown in the Simpsons Halloween special the episodes all followed on by being linked to the theme of halloween.
- 4. Anachronic = Involves flashbacks and flash-forwards involving mini stories within one media text. Scenes can be repeated directly or via a different perspective. In pulp fiction the scenes jump from location to location and it’s so abstract that it jumps from middle to end to beginning etc.
- 5. Split Screen Narrative = Spatial rather than temporal lines, the screen is visually split to show scenes happening all at the same time, the scenes can be interlinked. In mean girls, the girls are all having a phone conversation involving pairs and then all of them as the scene develops and the narrative goes on to show the outcomes.
- 6. Roland Barthe’s Narrative Codes Barthes says texts may be open; unravelled in lots of different ways, or closed; where there is only one obvious thread to pull on. The threads pulled on try unravel meaning and are called ‘narrative codes’. There are 5 catagories:
- 7. Hermeneutic/Enigma Code The code refers to mystery within a text. Clues are given throughout the text but no clear answers are given and these elements of the story are not explained. Enigmas within the narrative make the audience want to know more as enigma’s enhance and extend the narrative. Unanswered enigmas tend to frustrate the audience which makes them hooked into carrying on watching a media text.
- 8. Proairetic/Action Code Proairetic elements add suspense to a text. Action codes move the narrative along by using action to imply further narrative action. An example could be someone pulling out a gun on another, this makes the audience wonder what the outcome will be; shoot or not shoot.
- 9. Semantic Code This refers to parts in a text that suggest additional meanings are hidden within. This is a connotive function as it gives an extra layer of meaning in addition to its literal meaning.
- 10. Symbolic Code Symbolism within text exercises opposites in a text to show contrast and create greater meaning, creating tension, drama and character development.
- 11. Referential Code This code refers to anything referring to an external body such as historical or cultural knowledge. These codes point out an audiences shared knowledge about the world and how it works.
- 12. Binary Opposition Claude Levi Strauss believed that the world was split into a series of binary opposites where one thing can only be defined when its opposed with its relation for example, a hero and a villain. We wouldn’t know what a hero was if there was a villain for it to contrast with.
- 13. Ideology An organised collection of ideas that can be thought of together as a comprehensive vision. Its seen as a way of looking at things, giving belief which helps us explain the world around us.