TZTEVAN TODOROV
Stories have a beginning, middle and end or as Todorov describes; equilibrium, disruption, new equilibrium
- equilibrium, disruption, new equilibrium
- the conflict that disrupts this initial equilibrium– hero tries to find a solution, main part of the story
- the way / ways in which the disruption looks to find new equilibrium
- the denouement and/or resolution that brings about a new equilibrium
- In his theory, Todorov mentioned that there are 5 stages that a character will go through; those are Equilibrium, Disruption, Recognition Repair the Damage and Equilibrium Again.
- He highlights the importance of character transformation within a story.
Links with Freytag’s Pyramid– exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denouement
Vladimir Propp (Character Types and Function)
Vladimir Propp is a good starting point for thinking about narrative structures, as his work (based around an analysis of fairy tales) suggests that stories use STOCK CHARACTERS to structure stories. That is not to say that all characters are the same, but rather to suggest that all stories draw on familiar characters performing similar functions to provide familiar narrative structures.
CHARACTERS FUNCTION to provide narrative structure:
- Hero
- Helper
- Princess
- Villain
- Victim
- Dispatcher
- Father
- False Hero