Level 2 Media Unit 1C: Narrative

Linear narratives: Todorov’s Narrative Structure

Narratives in the media can be either linear or non linear. A linear narrative quite literally follows a line, with a clear beginning, middle and end. Increasingly though narratives are non linear, where the story moves around in time and space, using techniques such as flashback, flashforward, a range of concurrent narratives and narrators (characters who tell the story).

Many Hollywood films and TV dramas still follow a basic linear structure. The theory we use to analyse these was originated by a media writer called Todorov.

Todorov (1973)’s model of narrative structure may be used across a variety of forms (fictional / non-fictional) and a range of media (print, TV, film, games etc..)

Todorov’s model, which is also known as the equilibrium / disequilibrium model, is as follows:

All stories are similar in structure, in that they share a movement across a series of three phases which relate to a “problem” or a disruption:

OR:

Equilibrium Dis-equilibrium New equilibrium

Genre example

Establishing problem

Elaboration / development

Complication

Action climax Resolution

Romance (Jane the Virgin)

Petra and her hotel owner husband Rafael want to sort things out in their relationship. He feels ‘trapped’.

Rafael’s sister agrees on him being trapped in the relationship.

The wife Petra over hears them talking about divorce. Petra gets frustrated and worried and walks away from their conversation

Petra the wife does not confront her husband in front of everyone. She acts normally around everyone. Petra brings up trying for a baby which hasn’t been working for the both of them.This makes it very difficult for Rafael to walk away from the relationship. Rafael kisses

Rafael struggles to bring the subject of divorce into the conversation. Jane concentrates on her current partner Michael, and gives away her baby to Rafael and Petra

1.Establishing a narrative “problem”

2.Elaboration of problem

(development 3.complication

4.Action climax cclimax)

5.Resolution

Jane. Who he has seen before around his area. Jane admits to Michael that she wants to give away the baby to Rafael and Petra. Rafael is concerned as he feels as he’s trapped in the relationship. Petra also uses his sample behind his back.

Horror(American Horror Story)(Linear)

Two men are in the woods, they shoot a crocodile to sell. They come across a strange lady who finds it very offensive that they killed a crocodile to use for material, two me are then attacked by crocodiles who came back alive.

Later in the episode. We find a group of witches, who cause problems, one of the girls caused damage to an agitated man’s arm this led to a meeting with all the witches.

Detectives came to question the witches due to the incident between the bus situations. This makes it harder for Fiona as she is holding another lady hostage, who she is using to get information and answers from.

Fiona gets mad due to the questioning session. As one of the witches confess the truth this causes a problem, Fiona then offers the detectives water which makes them confess all the evidence they have on all the witches.They all come together and put body parts of their victims to make their friend come back alive

Threatened by the head witch Fiona. This led to resolving their problem with the detectives and police. This made the witches not get caught being involved with the bus incident.

Action(Luke Cage)

A un reliable police officer who is dealing with a felony meets up with Cottonmouth who is wanted by the police, who turns on the officer for no reason. This leads on to Cottonmouth continuously shooting the officer in the chest, he

Police officer Scarfe is then found in the local barbershop by Luke Cage and Claire. He has a bullet stuck in his leg. Luke Cage and Claire successfully

Detective Scarfe struggles to give information to Luke Cage and Claire. This causes complication as his work partner Misty feels he is missing as he hasn’t

Cottonmouth has other police working for him and insists one of his team members to find Luke Cage and Scarfe. He insists on wanting him dead. Cottonmouth’s team members find the van

Luke Cage protects Detective Scarfe and Claire by getting hurt. Luke Cage gets arrested due to his criminal ways.

luckily gets cover behind his car.

remove the bullet for a chance in getting information on Cottonmouth

showed up to work. Luke Cage and Claire moves Scarfe into an ambulance. To go to the hospital, due to Scarfe’s safety.

Luke Cage is driving, the men all gather and shoot the wrong van. Misty finds out she is in the same car as one of Cottonmouths workers who was acting as one of the police members. Cottonmouth’s men get close to Luke Cage, Scarfe and the nurse Claire.

Sci Fi (Sense 8)

Mumbai wants to talk to her husband about the police questioning her, she is admitting that she didn’t say everything she wanted to about her husbands father. His father also didn’t want them to get married.

Mumbai’s husband comes clean and admits that he already knew that his father was against his wishes to marry Mumbai

Mumbai goes to the temple as her mother in law wishes her to do, she comes across her religious neighbours, who then come very aggressive and demanding to enter temple and to become one of ‘us’ as one of the religious individuals

Mumbai gets frustrated and her senses switch to her friend Will. He helps her and the religious group leave her alone. Mumbai tries to sort out her own problems with her group of friends who suffer with enhanced senses.

They all get together and discover that they all have enhanced senses. They can go into each other’s spaces when they think hard. They feel each other’s feelings. Mumbai finds someone she truly loves in the group. The relationship is finally not forced.

The type of narrative problem and its resolution will depend on the genre of the film. So in a crime story, the narrative problem is the solving of a crime. There are twists or elaborations of characters as suspects. Eventually the problem will be resolved with the arrest or death of the lawbreaker.

Looking at the opening or climax of a film can establish what narrative problems are being established and resolved. Applying Todorov’s model to a whole film can often reveal a basic structure behind what appears to be a complicated story.