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1. Narrative Theory
Narrative refers to the manner in which a storyline for a film, TV series or book is
constructed in relation to specific structures e.g. linear and non-linear; these will
determine how the story will unfold or the way content is arranged.
Open Narrative: If a story has an ‘open narrative’, it means that there is no indication of
an eventual conclusion i.e. the ‘problems’ depicted within the story, or the fate of the
primary character, are left unresolved thus leaving an indication of additional content
coming soon after. This is quite common in television programmes and film/novel series
and can be considered a great way to build up tension and suspense in relation to the
way the story is progressing. Sometimes, an impression is created of the story ‘going
on forever’. A good example of an ‘open narrative’ can be found in almost any television
programme e.g. a soap opera such as Coronation Street or EastEnders or a dramatic
television series like Falling Skies or Revolution, both of which belong to the science-
fiction genre and feature a post-
apocalyptic setting.
‘Revolution’ was an American post-
apocalyptic Sci-Fi television series
that revolved around the aftermath of
a global electrical-power blackout that
left all forms of electricity on Earth
permanently disabled. With
government and public order
collapsed, militias took over the U.S.
and a small band of survivors were depicted trying to survive in a ‘world without power’.
There were only two seasons; Revolution was cancelled in 2014 due to low viewership
and financial losses. As a result, there was no real conclusion, however there was still a
conclusion of sorts; the final episode of Season Two that was titled ‘Declaration of
Independence’ featured a scene where power was restored to a clown sign and a large
group of people walked towards it. However, if the series wasn’t cancelled, there is a
good chance that there will have been more episodes.
In open narratives, there also tends to be a significant number of characters e.g. more
than one protagonist. In Revolution, there were multiple characters who shifted in and
out of prominence i.e. throughout the course of the story some characters (who weren’t
the protagonists) were shown to be highly influential at times, even more important than
the protagonists themselves. Also, time was mainly chronological i.e. events took place
in order of occurrence, however there were some flashbacks to represent the lives of
the characters before the ‘blackout’. There were many cliffhangers present throughout
the series, most notably between some of the episodes and at the Season One Finale.
On these occasions, characters were shown to be in difficult situations or confronted by
a revelation just as the episode ended without any indication whatsoever as to how the
characters will overcome these. Again, this helps to build up tension and suspense,
thus enhancing the experience for the viewer.
Closed Narrative: In a ‘closed narrative’, there is a coherent storyline with a beginning
and an end; the audience would always be aware that the film they are watching, book
they are reading etc. will reach a conclusion. In this type of narrative, the audience tends

2. to identify specific narrative roles e.g. the hero and the villain. Also, the character
always resolves the ‘problem’ shown within the story. This kind of narrative can be
found in films and novels that do not feature any additional content e.g. sequels. It can
also be considered more enjoyable for the viewer because they are not necessarily
required to wait for new content every few months, year etc. as is the case for a
television series. Also, viewers will be able to watch a film with a closed narrative over
and over, even though they are already aware of what will happen e.g. the fate of the
main character or the villain, or the fate of any supporting characters in the story. Good
examples of films with closed narratives are the 2009 disaster film ‘2012’ and the 2004
film ‘The Day After Tomorrow’, both of which do not end on a cliffhanger thus leaving no
indication of a sequel.
Single Strand Narrative: this means that there is one sole storyline/plot. If a
film, book or video game has this kind of narrative, it is very likely that it
will feature a single protagonist, along with supporting characters, in only
one storyline. In a single strand narrative, there is always strong focus on
the main protagonist as he embarks on a certain adventure or struggles to
overcome something. Most of the time, there is an antagonist present; the
antagonist commonly gets in the way of the protagonist whose objective
might be to stop the antagonist. A good example of a film with a Single
Strand Narrative is the 2014 Sci-Fi dystopian film ‘The Maze Runner’ which
provides constant focus on the struggles of the protagonist and hints at his
own backstory. There aren’t any apparent antagonists; the Maze Runner is
the first film in a trilogy and also an adaptation of a well-known novel series
written by James Dashner. The Maze Runner revolves around a group of
teenage boys who find themselves trapped in the middle of a giant labyrinth
with no memory whatsoever regarding how they wound up there or what their previous
lives were. Because the film has a single strand narrative, the audience is invited to
focus solely on the main character and a single plot rather than multiple characters and
plots at the same time.
Multi-Strand Narrative: this means that there are many different storylines within a
single film, book etc. Instead of a single protagonist and minor characters present in the
story, there is focus on multiple groups of characters, who may be involved in different
situations altogether. This results in contrasting effect within the
film; therefore the audience is likely to pay more attention to the
link between the different storylines rather than be concerned
about the fate of the characters in the multiple groups represented.
Films and books which have this kind of narrative could be
considered less entertaining than those which feature a single-
strand narrative. The main reason for this is because the viewer
might struggle to relate to the characters if there are multiple
storylines; in essence, there might be too much to interact with. A
good example of a media product which features a multi-strand
narrative is the 2009 horror novel ‘Blood Hunters’ which was
written by Steve Voake. The book revolves around a series of
unexplained attacks which occur across a city in England,
following a strange occurrence during the exploration of a
naturally formed underwater shaft (that no one has ever reached the bottom of)
elsewhere in the world. The team of scientists investigating this sinkhole discover

3. something which could wipe out mankind. There is a strong sense of mystery within the
book, specifically in regards to the nature of the ‘creatures’ which are attacking people
in England. There are multiple storylines in the book, with multiple characters (all from
different backgrounds) experiencing a confrontation of some kind with the creatures.
Specific characters include a detective, a scientist who is suspected of murdering one
of his colleagues, and an individual who has been abused and neglected during his
childhood. All of this characters are linked as they are all involved in the exact same
situation, and the presence of multiple characters and plots does well to establish
juxtaposition.
Linear Structure: The story will have a beginning, middle and end. Events within the
story commonly take place in chronological order; this can be considered a simpler and
more enjoyable experience for the audience because the narrative depicted is coherent
i.e. the viewers are more likely to understand the course of events that are shown if they
are taking place in the correct order. A good example of a film with a linear narrative
structure is the 2002 American superhero film ‘Spider Man’ which follows a student who
gains spider-like abilities, as well as superhuman strength, upon being bitten by a
genetically-altered spider during a school trip. The events that take place within this film
are depicted in the order in which they appear.
Non-Linear Structure: The story tends to jump around within its own timeline, therefore
the events that take place are not always in chronological order. The action taking place
is mostly out of sequence; this means that the audience might find it difficult to connect
to the events of the story and identify its characters. When a story has a non-linear
structure, there will be things like flash-
backs and flash-forwards present as well.
Also, the viewers of a film with a non-linear
narrative might struggle to interpret the
course of the story, as well as the
outcome. Therefore, this type of film, book
or video game might be less entertaining
and more confusing for the viewer. A good
example of a film with a non-linear
narrative is the 2014 fantasy/thriller film
‘Predestination’ which was adapted from
the 1958 fictional short story ‘All You
Zombies’ which was written by Robert A.
Heinlein. The film stars Ethan Hawke, who
portrays a time travelling agent who is
given an assignment to prevent a terrorist
attack which could kill thousands of
innocent people in the year 1975. The plot
of predestination is very confusing; having
been described as ‘almost impossible to
wrap one’s head around the plot’ and that
‘attempting to do so can only lead to
madness’. The best possible interpretation regarding the plot is that the time-travelling
agent was responsible for his own conception; both of his parents were the exact same
person as a result of time-travel, thus resulting in self-fertilization i.e. the baby was also
the same person. During his mission to stop the elusive terrorist from killing innocent

4. people, the agent finds out that the terrorist is his own future self and that he is literally
trying to assassinate himself. The events that take place in the story are depicted so that
they are out of order; for example, the opening scene of the film depicts the main
character getting into a horrific accident, and the rest of the film shows most of his past
life.
Realist Narrative: a ‘realist narrative’ aims to depict the aspects of real-life e.g. things
that are believable such as accidents or fighting so that audiences will believe the
things that are happening within the story and be able to connect to it more. A good
example of a film that has a realist narrative is the 2015 sport drama film ‘Creed’ which
was directed by Ryan Coogler and stars Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, the
former of which portrays a boxing champion and the latter of which plays the now-
retired boxer Rocky Balboa. Creed is a spin-off and sequel to the ‘Rocky’ film series.
The reason why this film has a realist narrative is because its storyline revolves solely
around a specific sport and features the main character aiming to pursue his dream of
becoming a professional boxer like his deceased father. This kind of narrative is very
likely to be believable because of the accurate representation of sport in real life, as well
as the depiction of someone pursuing their own goals in life. This could ensure that
people who view this film are likely to relate to it, primarily because of the strong
representation of reality.
Anti-Realist Narrative: an ‘anti-realist’ narrative tends to reflect events which would be
deemed as highly unlikely to occur in real-life. The concepts of stories with an anti-
realist narrative are clearly ‘made-up’ and could represent things like aliens, talking
animals etc. The likely purpose of an anti-realist narrative could be to offer a sense of
escapism i.e. distraction and/or relief from the real-world (realities could be quite
unpleasant for some people). Anti-realist narratives could also evoke humour; for
example, the 2010 Sci-Fi Comedy film ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’, which follows a group of
four friends who travel back in time to the year 1986, has an anti-realist narrative
because of the level of exaggeration regarding things that are impossible in the real
world, most notably time-travel. This film could be an enjoyable experience for the
viewer, mainly because it does well to offer a strong sense of escapism and it also
combines the genres Sci-Fi and Comedy.
Narrative Components:
Opening: this is where the story begins. The purpose of the opening would most likely
be to intrigue the viewer/reader, reveal a setting and introduce the main character.
Conflict: at this point, characters are shown attempting to resolve problems as the
action progresses. This usually takes place in the middle of the story.
Climax: this represents a ‘turning point’ in which the fate of the main character (or other
characters) is decided. At this point, the process involved for solving the conflicts is
usually revealed.
Resolution: this is the end of the story, at which point the theme or message has been
conveyed successfully to the audience. The ending might show how the events of the
story have had an impact on the character i.e. they could have affected the character
positively or negatively.