Narrative is the overall structure involved in communication, which can be broken down into: ‘story’ and ‘plot’.
Enigma codes: create puzzles and questions within the narrative which is what memento does throughout. these codes are used to create an active audience.
elision or elipsis: this means, in terms of time, to cut things out. for example if someone is burning a book the audience does not want to see the whole thing being burnt, it would take too long.
Use Foreshadowing, flash forwards and flash backs in essays.
Dramatic irony: when we know something the character does not.
Parallel or simultaneous narratives: two narratives running at the same time eg, in memento the black and white parts and the parts in colour.
Mix of light and shade: heavy stuff eg gore and murder vs jokes or moments of love
non-sequitars: a storyline that went nowhere, eg the women in the toilet in hotel room. These create mystery/enigma that lead nowhere. These are useful as they add more interesting and entertaining parts to the plot.
Vladimir Propp (Character Types and Function):
Each has a function that contributes to the narrative.
- Hero
- Helper
- Princess
- Villain
- Victim
- Dispatcher
- Father
- False Hero
Tztevan Todorov (Tripartite narrative structure):
- Equilibrium (beginning)
- Disruption (middle)
- New equilibrium (end)
movie notes:
black and white
flash forward in the beginning and the sound of gunshot
memory condition-writes notes
flashbacks of his wife tell story