Narrative TheoryThe narrative is the structure of the story, the Diegesis is the fictional time and place implied by the narrative for example the world In which the narrative takes place. The verisimilitude is the quality in which something portrays to be real or true, the verisimilitude shows the high depth of reality. For the narrative to engage with an audience it must have the diagetic effect, having the rules on continuity temporal and special coherence. There is eight narrative types in which every narrative story can be fitted within.
Walter Fisher developed narrative theory, that all meaningful communication is a form of storytelling; the theory however clashed with already existing beliefs. The beliefs of the nature of human beings, the ways in which they act and their communication skills. Fisher sees two universal paradigms, the rational world paradigm and the narrative paradigm. The national paradigm theory claims that people are storytellers, characters interpret stories through the terms of “good reasons”. Good reasons are past events within their own life’s, history, culture and the characters involved. The national paradigm also states that narrative rationality is determined by the fetidly of our stories that the world is a set of differential stories in which we chose and change to re create. The rational world paradigm theory claims that people make decisions due to or based upon arguments, and that essentially they are rational. The communication within the situation determines the course of the argument, and that initially the world is a set of logical puzzles that can be solved through rational analysis.
The structure of the classic narrative system; according to Pam Cook the classic narrative system should have linearity of cause and effect(…) An overall trajectory of enigma resolution(…) A high degree of narrative closure(…) A fictional world in which contains verisimilitude governed by spatial and temporal coherence.
Tzvetan Todorov highlights the classic Hollywood narrative system within stages.
Stage One; A point of stable equilibrium, where everything is satisfied, calm and normal. Stage Two; This stability is disrupted by some kind of force, which creates a state of disequilibrium. Stage Three; Recognition that a disruption has taken place.
Stage Four; It is only possible to re-create equilibrium through action directed against the disruption. Stage Five; Restoration of a new state of equilibrium. The consequences of the reaction is to change the world of the narrative and/or the characters so that the final state of equilibrium in not the same as the initial state.
As well as Walter Fisher, Tim O Sullivan et al argues that all media texts tell and represent some kind of story through careful mediation however juxtaposing Fishers theory, O Sullivan et al believes that the stories tell characters about themselves however the stories are not personal to the character they obtain no personal preference or past relation but the story conveys a culture or a set of cultures. The theory sets out to show the experience when we read a story and to understand the particular set of constructions or conventions involved within the creation. The importance is within how the constructions are brought together.
Bordwell and Thompson- theories
“Shared recognition of people/ situation”
Stereotype- enhance realism/ verisimilitude
Feminism
Post modernism
Collective identity
What is narrative?
Feminism within a ballad? Alexandra burke; Hallelujah
Objectification of woman within media relations; videos; magazines
“Men act and woman appear” juxtaposition of stereotype and feminism
