Narrative blog task

Factsheet 14:

1) Give an example from film or television that uses Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium.

The Hunger Games


2)  Complete the activity on page 1 of the factsheet: find a clip on YouTube of the opening of a new TV drama series (season1, episode 1). Embed the clip in your blog ad write an analysis of the narrative markers that help establish setting, character and plot.



The above is the first few minuets of the new season of the walking dead (season 9). From the end of season 8, we know most of the backstory and season 9 is almost like a new beginning for all the characters as their torture from negan is finally over. In the first half of this video, we see Rick and Michone and Ricks daughter where things seem all nice and happy until the scene changes.We see the kingdom, the hilltop and Alexandria formed as one whole group. Once the camera shot changes to the sight of a not so pleasant looking zombie, the music intensifies and we get back to reality where the world is swarmed with zombies. The group work together to try and kill all the zombies off and as this is a sci-fi thriller, you know there are bound to be a lot of fighting situations that get out of hand, a lot of deaths and lots of sudden zombie enters throughout the season.


3) Provide three different examples from film or television of characters that fit Propp's hero character role.

In The Hunger Games, Katniss is shown to be the Hero

In The Walking Dead, Rick is shown to be the hero along with the main cast who are on Ricks side.

In Criminal Minds, the group of the main cast who are in the FBI, BAU are shown as the Heroes.


4) Give an example of a binary opposition.

As an add on from above, an example of binary opposition could be a hero fighting a villain.


5) What example is provided in the Factsheet for the way narratives can emphasise dominant ideologies and values?

One example was the one about a policeman capturing a criminal. It was in a crime drama and by having the policeman successfully capture the criminal it shows the audience how important the law is too keep.


6) Why do enigma and action codes (Barthes) offer gratifications for audiences?

Enigma and Action codes are present to have an effect on the audience. They want the audience to starting thinking more about the media text, ask themselves questions about it and make them want to watch or read on so they get to the end and understand completely what they have just read or watched.


7) Write a one-sentence summary of the four different types of TV narratives:

• Episodic Narrative: This is a series of episode where each episode has their own mini storyline meaning there is no chronological order to how you must watch it.
• Overarching Narrative: The opposite of the episodic narrative where each episodes continues form the last episodes and they ted to go over a large number of seasons. There is only one main storyline within the entire series.
• Mixed Narrative: This is a mix of the above (episodic and overarching narratives) where there is a main story line but also smaller story lines within the series.
• Multi-strand Overlapping Narrative: This is when more than one thing is happening at the same time but show one after another. There is always something that would signify to the audience that the two scenes were occurring at the same time. Often used in Soaps.

8) How does the factsheet suggest adverts use narratives?

Many adverts promote their product by showing the audience a problematic surrounding, then the introduction of their product which will clear out the earlier problems making everything all nice and calm again. It is to emphasise how their product can help in real life situations again. An example where this is used are cleaning products.