Narrative is the media term for storytelling. Narrative is the way the different elements in a story are organised to make a meaningful story. Some of these elements can be facts as in a documentary, or characters and action as in a drama.
Narrative, or telling stories, is our way of making sense of the world about us and trying to put some meaning into that world.
Because we live in a world that is organised by time – hours of the day, days of the month, the years, so story telling starts off as being linear. We tell a story as a line of events. Then she did this, then he did that, then they got married.
All cultures in all countries tell stories; theorists recognise that story telling is an important part of being human.
When we look at narrative we see that stories throughout the media share certain characteristics. This often links them to genre.
Different media tell stories in a variety of different ways.
The key areas concerned with narrative are:
Narrative, or telling stories, is our way of making sense of the world about us and trying to put some meaning into that world.
Because we live in a world that is organised by time – hours of the day, days of the month, the years, so story telling starts off as being linear. We tell a story as a line of events. Then she did this, then he did that, then they got married.
All cultures in all countries tell stories; theorists recognise that story telling is an important part of being human.
When we look at narrative we see that stories throughout the media share certain characteristics. This often links them to genre.
Different media tell stories in a variety of different ways.
The key areas concerned with narrative are:
Narrative structure is the way the story or plot unfolds. Is the story an open or closed structure. A closed structure means the story ends satisfactorily as in most films – this is known as closure, with the girl getting the boy or the hero saving the planet.
An open ending means there is no final conclusion to the story – a television soap has no final ending, it just has minor endings (a character gets killed). The audience may be are asked to decide how an open story ends.
Some texts have an interactive structure where the audience is asked to be involved in deciding the outcome of a programme. Reality television series such as Big Brother and X Factor rely on the audience’s vote to continue the series.
An open ending means there is no final conclusion to the story – a television soap has no final ending, it just has minor endings (a character gets killed). The audience may be are asked to decide how an open story ends.
Some texts have an interactive structure where the audience is asked to be involved in deciding the outcome of a programme. Reality television series such as Big Brother and X Factor rely on the audience’s vote to continue the series.
A multi-strand structure means there are several narratives running at the same time. This is very common in television and radio soaps and ongoing drama series, such as Holby City, and The Bill.
Other narrative structures include point of view (POV). The narrative can take the POV of the first person as in Bridget Jones Diary where Bridget narrates the story, or the third person where a narrator uses ‘voice over’ to tell the story.
In documentaries a particular point of view may be put forward by an on-screen presenter e.g. Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock. An unseen presenter can progress the narrative with commentary written to explain the story behind the pictures.
A popular narrative device is the enigma. The plot constructs a puzzle that the audience is asked to solve while the characters act out the story. An enigma may end with a surprising twist as in The Usual Suspects (1995) where the hero is redefined.
Narrative is informed by character, action, and location.
Characters have functions such as heroes or villains, or someone who assists the hero or villain as a helper or messenger.
The location of a film or television programme is an important ingredient in how the story unfolds. A horror film about Dracula must have a castle.
A hospital soap must be set in a hospital which becomes a tool that helps in the story telling. Albert Square itself becomes a vital element in the stories in Eastenders and helps them unfold in a realistic way.
Narrative is delivered to the audience by expectation, suspense, tension and closure. The audience is led to expect certain things to happen which leads to tension and excitement. We are shown the arch villain preparing to attack the hero in Spiderman - the excitement is about how Spiderman will overcome the threat.
Expectation, suspense and tension are created by the use of Media Language such as editing and shot selection, sound and music, framing and mis-en-scène.
Directors and producers use many techniques to get a story to an audience in an involving, interesting, exciting and entertaining way.
Other narrative structures include point of view (POV). The narrative can take the POV of the first person as in Bridget Jones Diary where Bridget narrates the story, or the third person where a narrator uses ‘voice over’ to tell the story.
In documentaries a particular point of view may be put forward by an on-screen presenter e.g. Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock. An unseen presenter can progress the narrative with commentary written to explain the story behind the pictures.
A popular narrative device is the enigma. The plot constructs a puzzle that the audience is asked to solve while the characters act out the story. An enigma may end with a surprising twist as in The Usual Suspects (1995) where the hero is redefined.
Narrative is informed by character, action, and location.
Characters have functions such as heroes or villains, or someone who assists the hero or villain as a helper or messenger.
The location of a film or television programme is an important ingredient in how the story unfolds. A horror film about Dracula must have a castle.
A hospital soap must be set in a hospital which becomes a tool that helps in the story telling. Albert Square itself becomes a vital element in the stories in Eastenders and helps them unfold in a realistic way.
Narrative is delivered to the audience by expectation, suspense, tension and closure. The audience is led to expect certain things to happen which leads to tension and excitement. We are shown the arch villain preparing to attack the hero in Spiderman - the excitement is about how Spiderman will overcome the threat.
Expectation, suspense and tension are created by the use of Media Language such as editing and shot selection, sound and music, framing and mis-en-scène.
Directors and producers use many techniques to get a story to an audience in an involving, interesting, exciting and entertaining way.
THEORY 1
There are many theoretical ways of studying narrative. One of the most famous theorists to do with fictional narrative is Tzvetan Todorov.
Todorov’s theory has three main parts:
1. The text begins with a state of equilibrium – everything appears to be normal or calm –see the beginning of Halloween (1978) where the suburban setting is exaggerated in its normalness.
2. There is some kind of disruption or disequilibrium – this is often a threat to the normal situation or it could be just a setback.
3. A new equilibrium is produced to end the narrative. In the best narratives there is some kind of change for the better perhaps in the main character’s behaviour or outlook on life.
This is the bare bones of the theory, which is more complex.
Todorov suggests there are five stages to how the narrative progresses:
1. The equilibrium has to be carefully shown (otherwise the disruption may not be dramatic enough to create a strong plot)
2. There is a disruption
3. There is a recognition that a disruption has happened.
4. There is an attempt to repair the damage done by the disruption.
5. A new equilibrium is achieved.
This is not a linear organisation of the material, it is a circular structure. The narrative is driven by the characters’ attempts to restore the equilibrium, although the end result is not quite the same as the beginning. Todorov argues that a good narrative involves transformation – think Cinderella. The characters or the situations are transformed because of the disruptions.
The disruption often occurs outside the normal framework of the social situation. A town is threatened by an outside force such as guerrillas or insurgents so the threat is unravelled by The Magnificent Seven, but there are many set backs.
There may be a murder which shocks the community or a character knows too much and needs to be ‘taken out’ in order for the state to continue its covert operations – The Bourne Identity. Here the narrative is closed because Matt Damon escapes, but it leaves the way open for another film – as do the Pirates of the Caribbean series. This is a narrative convention that we as an audience accept and actually enjoy – we look forward to the sequel.
In a fantasy film the narrative is often a sophisticated quest as in the Lord of the Rings trilogy with many set backs and threats. Remember it begins with the peaceful, normal world of the Hobbits. It ends three films later with civilisation returned to a peaceful existence the Hobbits have learned about good and evil.
There are many theoretical ways of studying narrative. One of the most famous theorists to do with fictional narrative is Tzvetan Todorov.
Todorov’s theory has three main parts:
1. The text begins with a state of equilibrium – everything appears to be normal or calm –see the beginning of Halloween (1978) where the suburban setting is exaggerated in its normalness.
2. There is some kind of disruption or disequilibrium – this is often a threat to the normal situation or it could be just a setback.
3. A new equilibrium is produced to end the narrative. In the best narratives there is some kind of change for the better perhaps in the main character’s behaviour or outlook on life.
This is the bare bones of the theory, which is more complex.
Todorov suggests there are five stages to how the narrative progresses:
1. The equilibrium has to be carefully shown (otherwise the disruption may not be dramatic enough to create a strong plot)
2. There is a disruption
3. There is a recognition that a disruption has happened.
4. There is an attempt to repair the damage done by the disruption.
5. A new equilibrium is achieved.
This is not a linear organisation of the material, it is a circular structure. The narrative is driven by the characters’ attempts to restore the equilibrium, although the end result is not quite the same as the beginning. Todorov argues that a good narrative involves transformation – think Cinderella. The characters or the situations are transformed because of the disruptions.
The disruption often occurs outside the normal framework of the social situation. A town is threatened by an outside force such as guerrillas or insurgents so the threat is unravelled by The Magnificent Seven, but there are many set backs.
There may be a murder which shocks the community or a character knows too much and needs to be ‘taken out’ in order for the state to continue its covert operations – The Bourne Identity. Here the narrative is closed because Matt Damon escapes, but it leaves the way open for another film – as do the Pirates of the Caribbean series. This is a narrative convention that we as an audience accept and actually enjoy – we look forward to the sequel.
In a fantasy film the narrative is often a sophisticated quest as in the Lord of the Rings trilogy with many set backs and threats. Remember it begins with the peaceful, normal world of the Hobbits. It ends three films later with civilisation returned to a peaceful existence the Hobbits have learned about good and evil.
THEORY 2
Another important theorist is Vladimir Propp (1895- 1970). He studied folk tales and found fairy tales shared basic narrative elements. He proposed ways of grouping characters and their actions into eight broad character types or ‘spheres of action’. You can see how these work by their title:
1. the VILLAIN – known to scriptwriters as the antagonist because he seeks to stop what the HERO wants to do
2. the HERO – known as the protagonist who has to fulfil his destiny in the story. This may be a quest for fame and fortune, or true love or the search for a lost parent or a quest to put right a former injustice or save the planet.
3. the DONOR is the character who provides a special device so that the hero can fulfil his or her mission. James Bond has gadgets. A donor can give a magical device such as a sword – Excalibur in King Arthur or be a fairy godmother providing the means for the heroine to reach the prince.
4. the HELPER – the hero has to have a side-kick who helps the hero in the quest.
5. the PRINCESS – remember that Propp had studied fairy tales so he uses terms that are familiar in traditional stories. The princess is the reward for the hero and often the desire of the antagonist who seeks to involve her in his schemes to out wit the hero.
6. her FATHER – the person who rewards the hero for his achievements and also can provide a moral safeguard for the hero to be measured against. Think of the importance of the king in Shrek.
7. the DISPATCHER – the character who sees that something needs to be done and sets up the hero’s quest and sends him out into the world to fulfil his task.
8. the FALSE HERO – the character who also lays claim to the princess but is unsuitable and causes complications.
These character types can be shared by one or more characters. The dispatcher may also be the donor who gives the magical ring or sword. M dispatches James Bond and allows him to have the gadgets he needs to achieve the mission.
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER ABOUT NARRATIVE
• In a television or radio programme or a film the narrative can be linear, but often it is circular or even a mixture of the two as in Run Lola Run.
• There are usually a number of disruptions that vary in intensity often depending on genre
• The disruption can transgress normal culture, events, customs and values
• There is always some form of transformation
Another important theorist is Vladimir Propp (1895- 1970). He studied folk tales and found fairy tales shared basic narrative elements. He proposed ways of grouping characters and their actions into eight broad character types or ‘spheres of action’. You can see how these work by their title:
1. the VILLAIN – known to scriptwriters as the antagonist because he seeks to stop what the HERO wants to do
2. the HERO – known as the protagonist who has to fulfil his destiny in the story. This may be a quest for fame and fortune, or true love or the search for a lost parent or a quest to put right a former injustice or save the planet.
3. the DONOR is the character who provides a special device so that the hero can fulfil his or her mission. James Bond has gadgets. A donor can give a magical device such as a sword – Excalibur in King Arthur or be a fairy godmother providing the means for the heroine to reach the prince.
4. the HELPER – the hero has to have a side-kick who helps the hero in the quest.
5. the PRINCESS – remember that Propp had studied fairy tales so he uses terms that are familiar in traditional stories. The princess is the reward for the hero and often the desire of the antagonist who seeks to involve her in his schemes to out wit the hero.
6. her FATHER – the person who rewards the hero for his achievements and also can provide a moral safeguard for the hero to be measured against. Think of the importance of the king in Shrek.
7. the DISPATCHER – the character who sees that something needs to be done and sets up the hero’s quest and sends him out into the world to fulfil his task.
8. the FALSE HERO – the character who also lays claim to the princess but is unsuitable and causes complications.
These character types can be shared by one or more characters. The dispatcher may also be the donor who gives the magical ring or sword. M dispatches James Bond and allows him to have the gadgets he needs to achieve the mission.
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER ABOUT NARRATIVE
• In a television or radio programme or a film the narrative can be linear, but often it is circular or even a mixture of the two as in Run Lola Run.
• There are usually a number of disruptions that vary in intensity often depending on genre
• The disruption can transgress normal culture, events, customs and values
• There is always some form of transformation
If you would like to study more about narrative theories look up the work of Roland Barthes who has written about narrative codes including the enigma code.
Lévi-Strauss studied narrative and meaning in texts in terms of binary oppositions.
Lévi-Strauss studied narrative and meaning in texts in terms of binary oppositions.