Danielle Conneely

Narrative Structure

A narrative is a spoken or a document which has events connected to e.g. make a story, its
a number of events which are in order that is set out to make a story.

Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes was born on the 12 November 1915 26
March 1980 he was a French philosopher. Barthes ideas
explored many range of fields and he influenced the
development of theories such as structuralism, social theory,
and design theory.
Barthes purpose was that he believed there was more than one
way to describe the meaning of a text. He suggested that texts
can be opened in many different ways and can be closed which
shows there was only one obvious way. Barthes had a strong
belief that narrative structures could be broken down into 5
different codes which you could use to evaluate the ways of realism.

The 5 codes:

Hermeneutic/Enigma Code

This was the code that refers to a mystery that goes on in the text there are many clues
dropped but no clear answers are given. They then add enigmas within the narrative as it
makes the audience want to know more about whats going on. By giving unanswered
enigmas it starts to annoy and frustrate the audience as they want to find out the mystery
within the narrative. This code is used often as it keeps the audience interested in the movie
and guessing whats going to happen till the end of the movie when the clues are solved.

Proairetic/Action Code

This code contains many elements of action in the text. The proairetic elements add
suspense to the text and it gains reaction from the audience. This is used by the build-up of
tension and gives off an impression that something is going to happen next. It makes the
audience very eager to find out whats going to go on.

Semantic Code

This code refers to parts of the text that suggests to other meanings there many elements in
the semantic code which are called Semes. The seme has a function in the text which has
an extra layer of meaning in addition to the actual meaning. It can also portray an element of
content throughout the film it creates a detail meaning with words allowing pictures to be
created by the author and by the audience as they imagine whats going to happen before
its shown.

Symbolic Code

This code adds symbolism into the text it shows opposites to show contrast and to create a
larger meaning which makes tension and drama. It then creates a character development as
a symbol can represent the character in ways to show the audience what they are like. With
symbolic code it goes into depth of the meaning which helps the author create more
developed ideas to then make conflict and oppositions such as contrast.

Danielle Conneely

Culture Code

This code is aimed towards many different opinions and ideas of the cultural morality and
ideological knowledge. It helps create interest to the audience and they could relate to it as it
could attract a target audience as it could be based on an opinion or an idea about their
cultural knowledge. It can also relate to external knowledge such as scientific and historical
as well as cultural knowledge.

How does this relate to our production?

The hermeneutic code relates to our films as throughout there are actions which make the
audience want to know what will happen next. This is as our film doesnt reveal the identity
of the intruder and the reason why the intruder wants to kidnap the younger sister. It keeps
the audience guessing making it a mystery for them.

Izetan Todorov
Todorov was a Bulgarian structuralism linguist that
published influential work on the narrative structure from
1960s. He suggested that the stories began with
equilibrium or a status quo where they are opposing forces
in balance. This would then be interrupted by an event then
making a chain of many events this then would have
problems solved so that in the end the order is fixed and
where the ending is successful.

Equilibrium

This is the 1st part of the narrative where there will be a

happy start where most of the characters are content with each other and everything is going
smoothly. The atmosphere is neutral and the moods are happy and peaceful. This is when
no problems occur and its everyday routine.

Disruption

This is the 2nd part of the narrative where a problem will occur and it disrupts the happiness
and the atmosphere drops. The level of happiness is troubled and it can happen by a
problem occurring between the characters or with the surroundings they are in. this is when
anxiety starts to build up throughout the narrative.

Realisation/Recognition

This is the part of the plot when everyone realises the problem and it turns into chaos. It can
also by portray as an individual can realise that the equilibrium has dropped and will try and
fix it after many attempts to increase the equilibrium and to solve the problem.

Restore Order

This part of the plot is when the characters attempt to repair the damage and to restore the
problems. This is very similar to realisation/ recognition but its now when instead of an
individual, a group now realise to and start to help bring the equilibrium up again to how it as
in the beginning of the narrative.

Final Equilibrium

This is the final part of the plot where the problem is solved and normal life is started again.
It where the equilibrium has been fixed and the peace and happy atmosphere returns to the
narrative with no other bad atmosphere occurring.

Danielle Conneely
How does Todorovs narrative fit in our production?
Equilibrium: Rosie is laying in her bed asleep whilst her sister goes out. This shows how the
scene is peaceful, quiet and relaxed, a natural atmosphere is shown.
Disruption/Disequilibrium: Rosie is woken to the sounds of an intruder in her house and the
noises of a creepy music box playing. She begins to panic and reaches for a torch, see then
hears the noises coming up the stairs so she climbs into her wardrobe and hides. While
Rosie is in the wardrobe the intruder enters her room coming closer and closer the audience
dont see this intruder but they see Rosie in the wardrobe and then the music box slams.
This shows how at the end of the opening sequence the atmosphere has turned negative
and Rosie is at high risk of being kidnapped.

Vladimir Propp
In the 1920 Vladimir propp was a Russian critic while cinemas
were producing films he was interested in the narrative of folk
tales. He then noticed that they were similar in many areas, he
found out that there was a theory about characters and actions as the narrative develops.
Propp then developed a character theory for studying texts and production which he
identifies 8 broad characters in the 100 tales he analysed. The typical characters were:
The hero- this was a character that seeks something
The villain- They opposed and the block the heros quest
The donor- They provide an object with magical properties
The dispatcher- They send the hero on a quest with a message
The false hero- They disrupt the heros success by making false claims
The helper- They help aid the hero
The princess- Act as a reward for the hero and the object in the villains plots
The father of the princess- Who rewards the hero for his brave effort.
Propp then realised that in some scenes you can identify struggles these normally occur
between the hero and the villain. Examples of this can be that the hero can be branded and
the villain is overcome. In some of the 100 tales he analysed he recognised that the state of
the order becomes dysfunctional as some of the typical characters arent not in the storyline.
In the scene where the equilibrium occurs at the end of the film, propp realised the hero
becomes shown to the other characters, the villain is unmasked, the villain could be
punished or have to face consequences for what they did and the hero attains the reward
they are granted it then follows the same ending of the hero and the princess living happily
ever after.

Danielle Conneely