AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical debates.
Tzvetan Todorov is a Bulgarian philosopher. He was born in 1939 and lives in France, where he has written over 20 books on the nature of humanity, literature and culture theory.
He suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure. They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.
Let’s look at this in more detail:
All stories traditionally have a beginning, a middle and an end.
Beginning: the time, the setting and the key characters of the story; their lives in a ‘normal’ situation. We will see how they live, what they do, their social standing, whether they’re married, and will identify their key characteristics.
This initial ‘normality’ is known as equilibrium.
Middle: The equilibrium is broken by some sort of event, action or problem.
This is known as an enigma.
This takes the narrative into the ‘middle’ section, and the narrative drive is then to return to a state of normality, or equilibrium.
The state of non-normality in the middle of the film is known as disequilibrium.
End: by the end of a film, normality must have been restored, and the reason for the disruption alleviated. This narrative closure can only occur when all the strands have been tied up, and all enigmas resolved.
This is known as the resolution or a return to equilibrium.
Todorov's theory is that this circular form of narrative involves a transformation, i.e. something - or someone - changes.
Tzvetan Todorov is a Bulgarian philosopher. He was born in 1939 and lives in France, where he has written over 20 books on the nature of humanity, literature and culture theory.
He suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure. They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.
Let’s look at this in more detail:
All stories traditionally have a beginning, a middle and an end.
Beginning: the time, the setting and the key characters of the story; their lives in a ‘normal’ situation. We will see how they live, what they do, their social standing, whether they’re married, and will identify their key characteristics.
This initial ‘normality’ is known as equilibrium.
Middle: The equilibrium is broken by some sort of event, action or problem.
This is known as an enigma.
This takes the narrative into the ‘middle’ section, and the narrative drive is then to return to a state of normality, or equilibrium.
The state of non-normality in the middle of the film is known as disequilibrium.
End: by the end of a film, normality must have been restored, and the reason for the disruption alleviated. This narrative closure can only occur when all the strands have been tied up, and all enigmas resolved.
This is known as the resolution or a return to equilibrium.
Todorov's theory is that this circular form of narrative involves a transformation, i.e. something - or someone - changes.
Let's think about a text you know well, The Lion King.
What is the equilibrium? Enigma? Disequilibrium? Resolution?
Equilibrium: Mufasa rules the Pridelands, with Simba the next in line for the throne. The 'circle of life' is complete.
Enigma: Simba's evil uncle, Scar, kills Mufasa and banishes Simba.
Disequilibrium: Scar brings the hyenas into the Pridelands and breaks the 'circle of life'. Simba remains banished.
Resolution: Simba returns to the Pridelands, defeats his uncle and banishes the hyenas. The 'circle of life' is restored and Simba has his own son.
Look at the images below from the beginning and end of the film. How do they reflect Todorov's theory of a circular narrative? What transformation has taken place?
Equilibrium: Mufasa rules the Pridelands, with Simba the next in line for the throne. The 'circle of life' is complete.
Enigma: Simba's evil uncle, Scar, kills Mufasa and banishes Simba.
Disequilibrium: Scar brings the hyenas into the Pridelands and breaks the 'circle of life'. Simba remains banished.
Resolution: Simba returns to the Pridelands, defeats his uncle and banishes the hyenas. The 'circle of life' is restored and Simba has his own son.
Look at the images below from the beginning and end of the film. How do they reflect Todorov's theory of a circular narrative? What transformation has taken place?
Try this again with one of the trailers below.
1) Write down the story/plot of your chosen film.
2) Using the above to help you, break down the narrative of your film into equilibrium, enigma, disequilibrium and resolution.
You can also apply Todorov's theory to still images, e.g. posters. Look at the poster for War Horse below.
This poster most clearly suggests the disequilibrium of the film it advertises. It does this in order to appeal to its audience by portraying the most exciting, involving part of the narrative (remember the stolen cola!). Whilst doing so, however, it also holds connotations of the initial equilibrium and of the enigmas which caused the disequilibrium.
Answer the questions below.
1. What equilibrium is suggested by this poster? (What ‘normality’ do you think has been disrupted?)
2. What enigmas does the poster hold/suggest? (What problems or events have created the disequilibrium represented?)
3. What disequilibrium is represented on the poster? (What is the main storyline/narrative thrust of this film? What is it really about?)
4. What possible resolution can you predict for a film of this sort? (You can’t possibly tell this for sure, unless you’ve read the book, but you can make a prediction based on the connotations of the poster, as well as your knowledge of this genre and the symbolic and technical codes used.)
Other narrative pages:
Introduction
Ideology
Propp and Character Functions
Levi-Strauss and Binary Opposites
Answer the questions below.
1. What equilibrium is suggested by this poster? (What ‘normality’ do you think has been disrupted?)
2. What enigmas does the poster hold/suggest? (What problems or events have created the disequilibrium represented?)
3. What disequilibrium is represented on the poster? (What is the main storyline/narrative thrust of this film? What is it really about?)
4. What possible resolution can you predict for a film of this sort? (You can’t possibly tell this for sure, unless you’ve read the book, but you can make a prediction based on the connotations of the poster, as well as your knowledge of this genre and the symbolic and technical codes used.)
Other narrative pages:
Introduction
Ideology
Propp and Character Functions
Levi-Strauss and Binary Opposites