Todays Lesson - The 4 Narrative Theorists

The 4 Narrative Theorists

Barthes: 

-Codes: action, what significant actions people do?

symbolic: what hidden meanings do some objects or actions have?

enigma: what questions do you ask yourself?

Levi-Strauss:

-Binary opposition: Female or Male

Hero or Evil

Urban or Rural

Wealthy and Poor

Todorov:

-Structure: the obstacles you need to overcome

Equilibrium - The state of normality

During films they disrupt the equilibrium and then restore it.

E.G in pixar short clips

Propp:

-Characters: Hero, Villain, The Donor, Dispatcher, False Hero, Helper, Princess, The Father.

We then watched three short clips , two being short films from Pixar and one from the film The Prestige.

Then we had to choose and opening scene from another film of our choice and analyse this. I chose the film I Am Legend.

We then used Barthes theory to analyse this film.

Actions:-
The male allows the dog to put his head out the window, strokes him and talks to him. This shows how much he cares about the dog. Also him being lonely may lead him to talk to him.
The attempt to shoot the deer shows his intention to kill the deer. This most likely is for food but could be for something else.

Symbolic:-
Abandoned buildings
Carrying gun
Dog
Large group of birds and deer
Abandoned tanks

Enigma:-
Why is this city abandoned?
Why is the man in the car and his dog still alive?
Where did the deer come form?
Why does he chase them?
Where is he going?