Narrative Structure And Methods

Question 1

USP

Answer 1

Unique selling point
Links to repetition and difference

Question 2

What is Luther’s USP?

Answer 2

DCI John Luther’s dark maverick character troubled, brooding, violent; tends to take the law into his own hands and bend the rules, ambiguous relationship with Alice Morgan

Question 3

Types of narrative structures ? (6)

Answer 3

Linear start – middle – end
Non linear flashbacks or no time continuity
Closed storyline has an ending and is resolved
Open storyline is not resolved and ending may be open to interpretation
Single strand only one storyline
Multi-stranded there may be lots of storylines

Question 4

Todorov suggests that there are 5 stages to a narrative structure

Answer 4

Equilibrium – everything is as usual and normal
Disruption – something happens
Recognition – something has happened and needs to be resolved
Repair – a way is found to rectify the situation
Resolution – everything returns to normal

Question 5

Types of binary oppositions

Answer 5

Good vs bad
Man vs woman
war vs peace
Strong vs weak

Question 6

What are Barthes codes

Answer 6

Action – an action happens and must be resolved . This is intended to build suspense
Enigma- poses questions to the audience- anything that is not explained
Symbolic- what the audience sees stands for/represents something
Cultural- The narrative will have refer to something that the audience recognise from our culture

Question 7

What are the two viewpoints

Answer 7

Restricted viewpoint – The audience only see the narrative from one person’s point of view
Omniscient viewpoint – The audience see the narrative from the point of view of different characters – this leads to dramatic irony