Narrative

1) Give an example from film or television that uses Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium. 
In Class, April's equilibrium is not sharing a heart with an alien, her disequilibrium is sharing a heart with an alien and her new equilibrium is whatever conclusion she comes to after her final battle with the alien.

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.


There are typical and iconic settings shown through the opening of this programme. They flash across screen and connote to the typical American High School experience on television (apart from the croquet bat, which is an icon from the original movie). However, there was a creative decision to shine a black light on them to reveal violent marks and secret messages that reflect the show's darker twist on the Teen Drama genre.


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

Shrek from Shrek
Scott Pilgrim from Scott Pilgrim vs the world
Spider man from Spider man

4) Give an example of a binary opposition.

Black and white

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

Lord of the Rings

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

When a mystery gets solved, there is a problem solved for the viewer, this is satisfying. 
Action codes can change the direction of a narrative, meaning there are more enigma codes to solve.

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

• Episodic narrative (the series): Wherein a show has a new narrative, separate from the previous or next one, each episode.
• Overarching narrative (the serial): Where there is a plot spamming a whole series that should be solved by the end of it.
• Mixed narrative: A mixture of the two above, i.e. Merlin
• Multi-strand overlapping narrative (soap narrative): There are multiple overarching plots for clumps of episodes.

8) How does the Factsheet suggest adverts use narrative?  

"In advertising the idea of the problem and resolution is crucial.
Often adverts set up a problem (bad breath) and then immediately
offer the solution (buy their toothpaste) to create a swift resolution

(fresh breath)"

Typically the product is the new equilibrium.