NARRATIVE THEORY:

Valdimir Propp:

• Analysed over 100 Russian fairytales in the 1920's.
• Proposed that it was possible to cassify the characters and their actions into clearly defined roles and functions.
• Films such as Star Wars fit Propp's model precisely but a significant number of more recent films such as Pulp Fiction do not.
• The model is useful, however as it highlights the similarities between seemingly quite different stories.

Propp's Character Roles:

• The hero (seeking something e.g. Harry Potter)
• The villain (opposes hero e.g. Voldomort)
• The donor (helps the hero by providing a magic object)
• The dispatcher (sends the hero on his way e.g. Hagrid)
• The false hero (falsely assuming the role of the hero e.g. Ron)
• The helper (gives support to the hero e.g. Herminie)
• The princess ( the reward for the hero, but also needs protection from the villian)
• The princesses father