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Todorov’s five part structure theorises that every narrative follows a particular structure. This structure consists of:

Equilibrium: The natural state of the world

Disruption to the equilibrium: Something changes that affects the characters

Recognition of disruption: The characters recognise that not all is well

Attempt to regain equilibrium: The characters and narrative strive to regain equilibrium

Equilibrium with change: The natural state is restored by a character/situation may be different

The above is the most common format of a narrative. However, although all narratives follow Todorov’s theory, the order of the parts may differ. A Narrative may begin with the disruption and then bring the audience into the equilibrium. This is often done to grab an audience’s attention straight away to avoid boredom and to ensure an audience can immediately recognise the narrative’s genre and purpose.