MIGRAIN: narrative

 Alezey

 NARRATIVE 

1) Give an example from film or television that uses Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium. 

Wallace and Gromit : The curse of the were-rabbit  (2005) - 

equilibrium - village preparing for the giant vegetable competition. Rabbits are eating the vegetables, Wallace and Gromit are happily running their humane pest-control business “anti-pesto” keeping rabbits under control.

disequilibrium - Wallace tries to invent a machine to brainwash the rabbits, but it malfunctions. A giant ‘were-rabbit’ begins stealing vegetables at night, panic spreads in the village. Gromit realises Wallace has become the ‘were-rabbit’, which makes the disruption more personal  and dangerous.

new equilibrium - Gromit defeats the threat and saves Wallace, village is safe for the vegetable competition and balance is restored. The ending leaves life back to “normal” though the characters have been changed by what’s occurred.

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2) Complete the activity on page 1 of the Factsheet: find a clip on YouTube of the opening of a new TV drama series (season 1, episode 1). Embed the clip in your blog and write an analysis of the narrative markers that help establish setting, character and plot.

In A Series of Unfortunate Events trailer, different narrative markers help set up the story. The temporal marker is shown through the old-fashioned costumes and props, hinting that it’s set in the past. The geographical marker comes from the dark, gloomy locations like the burnt mansion and Count Olaf’s creepy house, showing how isolated the setting is. The historical marker links to the gothic, Victorian-style buildings that make the world feel old and mysterious. The character markers show the Baudelaire kids as innocent and clever, while Count Olaf’s make-up and menacing body language show he’s the villain. Finally, the generic markers like eerie music, dark lighting, and quick editing make it clear the show fits into the dark comedy and gothic mystery genre.

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3) Provide three different examples from film or television of characters that fit Propp's hero character role.

1. Percy Jackson  ( Percy Jackson & the Olympians )

Percy takes on the hero role by embarking on a quest to return Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. He faced monsters, gods and betrayal, showing bravery and restoring order to the world of both mortals and demigods.

2. Eleven ( Stranger Things )

Eleven is the hero as she repeatedly uses her powers to battle creatures from the upside down, protect her friends, and close the gate ( where the creatures come out from ). Her courage and sacrifice drive the story forward.

3. Spider-man/ Peter Parker ( Spider-man: Homecoming )

Spider-man fits Propp’s hero role by protecting New York, facing the villain (the Vulture) , and learning to balance responsibility with personal desire. He restores safety and proves himself as a true hero.

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4) Give an example of a binary opposition.

binary opposition - two opposite ideas that create conflict in a story. e.g Batman (hero) vs Joker (villain).

5) What example is provided in the Factsheet for the way narratives can emphasise dominant ideologies and values?

example: when a policeman catches a criminal in a crime drama the ideology of law and order is emphasised.

6) Why do enigma and action codes (Barthes) offer gratifications for audiences?

Enigma and action codes keep the audience interested by creating mystery and tension. Enigma codes constantly generate questions and make us want answers, while action codes build excitement through events, giving viewers satisfaction when things are finally revealed.

7) Write a one-sentence summary of the four different types of TV narrative:

• Episodic narrative (the series) - each episode tells a self-contained story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• Overarching narrative (the serial) - a single main storyline continues and develops across multiple episodes or seasons.
• Mixed narrative - combines ongoing storylines with standalone episode plots.
• Multi-strand overlapping narrative (soap narrative) - follows several different storylines happening at the same time that often connect or overlap.

8) How does the Factsheet suggest adverts use narrative? 

The factsheet suggests that adverts use narrative by following a clear story structure that helps guide how the message is told, allowing producers to shape it around different genres and audience interests to make it more engaging and effective.