This document discusses various narrative theories and concepts that can be applied when analyzing films. It analyzes Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight using Vladimir Propp's theory of character archetypes, which identifies common character roles like the hero, villain, princess, and helper. The document also discusses how The Dark Knight follows a mostly linear narrative structure but employs some non-linear techniques as well. Binary oppositions between characters like Batman and the Joker are also examined.
2. In Film Studies, it is important to tell the difference between
the narrative and story
Story = a sequence of events, known correctly as the plot (What
actually happens e.g.The teacher taught the class about
narrative and then they left
Narrative = the way those events are put together to be
presented to an audience e.g.The teacher dismissed the class,
then there was a series of flashback s of the lesson.
Therefore, when analysing a narrative we analyse the
construction of the story ie the way it has been put together,
not the story itself.You also need to consider what the story is
about in its most basic terms, ie the theme (eg Love, war,
winning).
3. Simply put, narrative is basically the order something is put in and
there is always a reason for this.
For example, directors often use flashbacks, voiceovers or
montages to show previous stories or show a passing of time.
Genre ,Character, Form andTime help us make sense of a
narrative and also about what to expect.
You must consider whether there is one narrative going on. For
example, Pulp Fiction has various stories with different characters
going on.We call this a MULTI-STRAND NARRATIVE
There are a number of different narrative theories which
propose ways in which stories (including films) are commonly
put together
4. Linear narratives are the ‘classic’ and simple
beginning, middle and end stories.
This will follow the rule of situation-
disruption-resolution, in that order.
In other words, the story will flow
chronologically (in time order) through one
story, from beginning to end.
5. List the key narrative events in Dark Knight –
is it linear?
6. Of Christopher Nolan’s
films, few have a truly
linear narrative, except
perhaps ‘The Dark Knight’
In simple terms, Batman
is controlling crime in the
city,The Joker turns up
which disrupts this,
Batman defeatsThe Joker
and returns order to the
city.
7. Non-Linear Narrative is where the narrative
does nor follow a regular beginning-middle-
end pattern.
The storytellers will play with the order of
events.
For example, some films will choose to show
the ending at the beginning (Fight Club,
Forrest Gump, Inception etc.)
8. UnlikeThe Dark Knight,
Batman Begins tends to
follow a non-linear
narrative (at least for the
first half)
The action jumps between
time periods, from Bruce
was a boy, to when he was
an young adult, to a
mature adult, to back to a
boy, back to a mature
adult, to a young adult, etc.
etc. as we will see…
9. There is another of Nolan’s
films called ‘Memento’, the
main trait of which is it’s
unusual non-linear narrative
structure
The story is told in reverse
order, interspersed with
extracts from a scene set
right at the beginning of the
film.The ending is shown in
reverse at the beginning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=cifPv4QWTH0
10. Now this is a theory that can be applied
to many texts but can also serve you
well if you want to disprove it.
Adverts employ this technique e.g. Nice
clean carpet, spill wine, vanish saves the
day and gets rid of the stain.
Todorov believed that texts are made
up of fives stage of narrative.
This structure could be applied to both
fictional and non-fictional texts.
11. Equilibrium
A disruption of this equilibrium by an event - conflict
A realisation that a disruption has occurred
An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption
A restoration of equilibrium or- A NEW EQUILIBRIUM
(everything goes back to normal but maybe with
some changes)
14. Propp was a Russian critic who published his
Morphology of the FolkTale in 1928
Propp analysed over 100 FolkTales
He established that all of these tales followed
a strict Narrative structure, based around 8
stock characters
17. •The Hero often seeks something e.g. A
quest, money or to save the life of a
Princess
•The Hero, according to Propp, is often the
protagonist, who drives the narrative
forward. There are two types of Hero:
•“The Seeker”- who aids the victims of the
villain
•“TheVictim Hero”- who is the centre of the
villains plans
•Batman effectively plays both of these
roles
•In fairy tales, this role is often adopted by
the Prince
18. • TheVillain often serves to cause disruption
to the general social order e.g.The Wicked
Witch in Snow White
• In the film the Joker terrorises Gotham
City, killing and damaging the city in acts of
wanton destruction
• He does this because he wants to challenge
the role of the hero. For instance, he even
kidnaps Batman’s love interest, Rachel
Dawes
TheVillain is also usually
deformed, evil or mythical
e.g.The witch in Hansel and
Gretel
19. •The Princess is often the reward for the hero
and is often the reason for the hero’s quest
e.g. when Prince Charming saves Sleeping
Beauty
•Due to this fact, the Princess is often a
target for the villain. In the film, the Joker
kidnaps Rachel and kills her (which goes
against usual conventions of a fairy tale
ending)
• Often seen as a damsel in distress
However...
• Although she needs Batman to save her she
is a strong woman and to some degree, in her
role as a lawyer, a heroine herself
20. •The Donor helps the Hero along their way,
often by giving them an item with mystical
powers
• In this case, Lucius Fox provides BruceWayne
with such items as a utility belt, gadgets and a
Bat mobile
•Such gadgets in today's society are
seen as somewhat magical in the respect
that they are extremely ahead of their
time and in many respects, impossible to
conceive, like that of magic
21. •Commissioner Gordon fulfils two character roles in
The Dark Knight, that of :
The Helper- Aids the hero, sometimes a
sidekick e.g.The fairy godmother in
Cinderella
The Dispatcher- Often sends the hero
on his way/ quest.This character also
frequently alerts our hero to a problem
22. • Batman believes that Harvey
Dent can become the “White
Knight” of Gotham City !
•Harvey Dent is seen as the real
Hero of Gotham, due to his crime
fighting in the courtroom. Batman
believes that he can retire and
leave Gotham city safely in his
hands
However...
•When Rachel is killed by the Joker
and Harvey Dent is left horribly
disfigured, his Hero status is lost.
He instead becomes the Villain
Known asTwo- Face. He is what
Propp refers to as “The False Hero”
23. •The Father role according to that of Propp
is often usually that of the father of the
princess, not of the Hero.
•For example, the king may reward the
Hero for saving his daughter (A Princess)
from a dragon. However, inThe Dark
Knight, the Princess is murdered by the
Villain.
•The Father is therefore not a literal
character, but the completion of the Hero’s
mission, to rid Gotham of crime. If he
succeeds, Rachel (at the beginning of the
film) has promised to be with him.
•Alfred does however fulfil the role of the
Helper.
24. Conflict is created to ensure the viewer is kept interest and to add purpose to the film:
What conflicts you identify in Dark Knight ?
Write them on the large pieces of paper provided
25. Levi-Strauss saw the world as full of
binary oppositions e.g. FatVs skinny,
richVs poor.This has transferred into
media texts also.
In a narrative we often see these binary
oppositions played off against each
other.
In film, perhaps the most fundamental
binary opposition is good vs. evil.This is
explored by Nolan.
26. The Dark Knight works on the
principle ofThe Joker and
Batman being binary opposites
The Joker is an advocate of
chaos and destruction, Batman
of order and justice
Each dresses and behaves in
opposite ways
“This is what happens when an
unstoppable force meets an
immoveable object”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SDbINMm-d60
27. Barthes was interested in concepts such
as negotiated reading.This basically
meant the relationship between the
institution and the audience.
Task: write three paragraphs
explaining what you think the
negotiated reading could be in Dark
Knight. What key themes and
messages/ values do you think the film
maker intended and what messages
and values do you think the audience
received?
28. The most well known of Barthes theories was
the idea of the ‘Enigma code’
In its simplest form it is the hook or mystery to
be resolved for an audience.
This keeps the viewers engaged and makes
them more likely to watch the film after seeing a
trailer or tune in for the next episode. It is
classically used in trailers in order to hook an
audience:
