Lesson 03: Narrative Theories On Creativity

Lesson 03: Narrative Theories On Creativity

During our lesson we looked at different narrative theories to help us structure our texts, perhaps gain inspiration from them. We were asked to try to apply them on our own work. 

MWE

25/09/13 

Meta-narratives

• A narrative which can easily be associated to a bigger narrative due to their similar concepts e.g. The Almighty series (Bruce and Evan)

• It is an abstract idea in which could explain historical events and ideologies such as: Marxism, Feminism, Freudian

Levi Strauss- Binary Opposites

• French anthropologists whom believed we understood words not so much due to their meaning but due to their opposites.
• It is a principle that is well used. Example of binary opposites is the good and evil- hero and villain, which had been used repetitively throughout media texts
•  However binary opposite had become increasingly difficult to identify as complexity occurs in the narratives- For instance in Harry Potter; Harry is see as good. Although we learn that he is just evil in disguise- a horcux of Voldermort

Vladimir  Propp’s-Theory on Characters

Propp’s distinguished a list of characters which were used in folklore and seemed to be essential to narratives as they all have a role to play on the structure of the text

1.The Hero - The character who seeks something

2.The Villan - The character who blocks the Hero’s quest.

3.The Donor - The character who provides an object with magical properties.

4.The Dispatcher - The character who sends the Hero on the quest via a message.

5.The False Hero - The character who disrupts the Hero’s success by making false claims.

6.The Helper - The character who aids the Hero.

7.The Princess - The character who acts as a reward for the Hero, and the object for the Villan’s plots.

8.Her Father - Who acts to reward the Hero for their efforts.

  

Joseph Campbell’s Hero Quest

Campbell’s book “The Hero With A Thousand Faces” explains this apparent structure in which he claims to be present in most hero-quest stories. He calls this pattern “Monomyth”. Campbell divides a hero’s journey into 3 parts: Departure, Initiation and Return. Furthermore, within these stages are sub-categories which construct it.

Text which had adapted this narrative theory are: Star Wars and The Lord of The Rings 

Departure

Call to adventure

Refusal of the call

Supernatural aid

Crossing the first threshold

Belly of the whale

Initiation

Road of trials

Meeting with the goddess/Woman as temptress

Atonement with the Father

Apotheosis

Ultimate boon

Return

Refusal of the return

Magic flight/Rescue from without

Crossing the return threshold

Master of two worlds

Freedom to live