1. Aims:
To be familiar with narrative
theories and character types

2. A RECIPE FOR ACTION ADVENTURE
• Chase scene(s) – on foot or in • Easy to follow narratives
vehicles (Todorov)
• CGI/pyrotechnics (special • Hero usually on a Quest
visual effects) • Heavily reliant on binary
• Fight scenes oppositions (Good vs Evil,
• Characters: Hero/villain/love Right vs Wrong, Hero vs
interest for hero/sidekick for Villain)
hero (usually loveable/funny) • Snappy dialogue & catch
(Propp) phrases
• Stereotypical gender • ‘Ticking clock’ scenario – time
representations – men are limitations which create
‘butch’, women are ‘eye tension
candy’ (Mulvey/ male gaze)
• Stunts & Daring saves at the
last minute

3. NARRATIVE
• Fictional stories follow a certain pattern of
narrative structure. Tveztzan Todorov came up
with a theory for this
• The basic structure for any story is to have a
• Beginning
• Middle
• End
• Todorov's theory goes like this...

4. NARRATIVE
• EQUILIBRIUM
• The original ‘equilibrium’. This is how the place and
characters appear at the beginning of the story
• DISEQUILIBRIUM
• Something happens to disrupt this order—’an agent of
change’. This could be a villain, war or natural event.
There is a DISRUPTION therefore to the equilibrium and
this has to be RESOLVED. (Usually by 'the hero’)
• NEW EQUILIBRIUM/RESTORATION
• A new equilibrium is established. Usually the disruption
is sorted out and the narrative is completed or 'closed'

5. CHARACTERS
• Vladimir Propp came up with the theory that
there are only a certain number of characters
who crop up in most narratives. It is easy to
spot the hero and villain in most cases but
there are others

6. HERO VILLAIN
Leads narrative, is usually looking Conflicts with the hero
for something (a quest) or trying
to solve some thing (a mystery).
Does not have to be male
WISE PERSON (DONOR)
Gives the hero something - a clue/
special power - which helps them
PRINCESS complete their quest
Is usually some sort of prize or reward
for the hero. If the hero is female then
the 'princess' can be male
FATHER (DISPATCHER)
An authority figure who offers a
reward to the hero for completing
BLOCKER their quest. That reward might be
The false hero who tries to stop a prince, princess or a cool new
the hero completing their job
task/quest
HELPER
Helps the hero - often acts as a
sidekick

7. NARRATIVE & CHARACTERS
• Pick a well-known fairy tale from the list:
– Snow White
– Sleeping Beauty
– Jack and the Beanstalk
– Cinderella
• Apply Todorov’s narrative theory:
– Equilibrium – Disruption – Restoration
• Apply Propp’s character types and comment on their
traits.

8. NARRATIVE & CHARACTERS
• Click the poster to view the
trailer for Spiderman 2
• Commenting on the narrative
structure of the clip – apply
Todorov’s theory.
• Commenting on the different
character types that you can
see. Are they stereotypes?
Apply Propp’s theory.
• Are these conventional of the
genre?

9. EQUILIBRIUM
Peter Parker is Spiderman doing A SENSE OF
his superhero job. He has a secret
identity - MJ doesn't know NORMALITY
DISEQUILIBRIUM
DISRUPTION
Dr Otto Octavius with the help of Harry
Osborn creates a machine which blows up
and reincarnates him as a villain
Peter doesn't want to be Spiderman
RESTORED ORDER
anymore because it's preventing him from
being with MJ
RESOLUTION &
NEW EQUILIBRIUM
Peter is Spiderman again defeats the
villain, saves the heroine
MJ knows Peter is Spiderman

10. CHARACTERS

11. NARRATIVE & CHARACTERS
• Apply narrative and character theory to an
Action Adventure film of your choice