Textual Analysis Theories

Verisimilitude​

How real the world of the story appears to the audience – is it believable, for example.​

Diegetic/non-diegetic world​

The world in which the film takes place.​

​Juxtaposition​

Placing one object next to another to create meaning.​

​Narrative theory​

Theories that categorise narratives and find features common to them.

Levi-Strauss and Binary Opposition

-        You can’t have a story/narrative unless you have an idea of a conflict. If you have a conflict, there needs to be opposition – narrative tension is based on opposition or conflict. This can be as simple as two characters fighting, but more often functions at an ideological level.

Examples of binary opposites: good vs evil, black vs white, boy vs girl, peace vs war, humanity vs technology, protagonist to vs antagonist, young vs old, man vs nature, strong vs weak, good-looking vs ugly

Examples of binary opposites in Get out: good vs evil, black vs white, boy vs girl, rich vs poor

Vladimir Propp – (Russian and Soviet Formalist scholar) – 

Propp Theory

- He analysed the plot of many different Russian folktales – he did it because he tried to identify the basic narrative elements.

- Looked at one hundred folk tales and came to conclusion there were all made up of 31 plot elements – he called them functions.

- Despite the large number of characters which appear in folktales, there are only 8 characters.

Vladimir Propp’s Character types:

1. Hero – who goes on a quest and usually ends up with the princess.

2. Villain – who is against the hero.

3. Dispatcher – who sets the hero off on their quest.

4. Donor – helps the hero and sometimes has a magical power/object to help.

5. Princess – is usually the prize for the hero. The hero deserves her throughout the story and must overcome a task/defeat the villain to get her. 

6. Her Father – rewards the hero. Usually, identifies the false hero.

7. The False Hero – Takes credit for the hero’s actions and tries to marry/end up with the princess. 

8. The Helper – Someone who helps the hero on their mission. 

Examples of Character types in Shrek:

Character Type	Character in Film
The Hero	Shrek
The Villain	Lord Farquard
The Dispatcher	Lord Farquard
The Donor	Fairytale Characters
The Princess/Prize	Princess Fiona
Her Father	Father/parent
The False Hero	Prince Charming
The Helper	Donkey

Get Out

 

Hero - Chris

Villan - Rose and her family

Dispatcher - Rose

Donor - Rod

Princess - Chris

TODOROV’S THEORY – TODOROV’S EQUILIBRIUM THEORY

-        Proposed a basic structure for all narratives.

It follows 5 different cycles:

1.     States that films and programmes begin with an equilibrium (Everything is equal, and everything is happy) – a calm period.

2.     A disruption to the equilibrium by an event.

3.     Recognition that something has disrupted the equal balance – realisation that disruption has happened.

4.     Attempt to repair the damage or disruption.

5.     Return to a new equilibrium – new beginning or we go back to where it happened.

 

GENRE/NARRATIVE THEORY – ACTION AND ENIGMA CODES –

Roland Barthes

Action codes:

-        what will happen next…

-        She falls over – will he catch her?

-        She has been caught – what will he do with her?

Enigma codes: poses a question (we want to find out what it is)– psychological thriller.

-        The audience questions why….

-        Why is there a shoe on the floor?

If something has more than one genre is called Genre Hybrid.

 

 

Denotation – what you can see – it’s direct meaning.

Connotation – the meanings or ideas associated with it.

 

 

 

 

Genre and Audiences Pleasures – Genre theory – Rick Altman

Argues that any genre offers audiences a set of pleasures.

-        Emotional pleasures – how does the text make you feel? – Happy, sad, nostalgic, etc.

-        Visceral pleasures – Gut responses such as excitement, fear, laughter.

-        Intellectual pleasures – Does it make the audience think?