Thursday 16 October 2014

Propps character types

Vladimir Propp suggest that there are several "spheres of action" or narrative functions.

Each narrative function serves a purpose to the plot, each is as followed:

The villain: this character creates a narrative complication or the disruption to the equilibrium.

The donor: This character type give the hero something in order aid in the reinvestment of the equilibrium.

The helper: this character aids the hero in the task of reinstatement of the equilibrium.

The princess or damsel in distress: this is usually the most threatened character, and is often in need of rescue by the villain, they are often given as a reward by the rewarder (The king).
 
The dispatcher: this is the character that sends the hero on there mission.

The hero: this is the main protagonist of the story, quested with the task of restoring an equilibrium by defeating the villain,
Propp also suggested there are two types of hero
Victim hero: who is the main centre of the villains attention
and the seeker hero who aid the hero only to become a victim of the villains actions

false hero: this is a character that is suggested to be good throughout the narrative but towards the climax betrays the hero

the last character type is the rewarder: this character presents the hero with some kind of reward for completing the quest and reinstating the equilibrium.      

Narrative

Narrative is the way a story is told to the audience, and how a meaning is constructed for them.

There are two part of a narrative The story and the plot.

The story: this is the chronological order of all the events presented and inferred by the media text.

The plot: this is the way in which events are put together and presented to the audience.


Todorov Suggested that there are 5 main points of a narrative these are as followed
 
Equilibrium: this is considered perfect situation, where everything is as it should be.
 
A disruption of the equilibrium: something comes along and changes the perfect situation, usually for the worst.    
 
 
Recognition of the disruption: the character realises there is a problem an attempts to make a fix of it
 
An attempt to repair the disruption: this is the characters attempt at repairing the problem that disrupts the equilibrium
 
New equilibrium: this is the reinstatement of the equilibrium or as close to as the character can get.