T8- Media theories by Todorov,Propp and Levi-Strauss

The five stages of Todorov theories are:

• A state of equilibrium(all being as it should be)
• A distribution of an event, or that event
• A regonistion that the disorder has occurred
• An attempt to make amend of the distribution
• New equilibrium( a new state restoration)

Todorov theories are:

The fictional environment starts with a state of equilibrium (everything being as it should be), then it suffers some distribution(disequilibrium). A new equilibrium is then produced at the end of the narrative. 

E.g: a murder happens and people are terrified, someone vanishes and the character have to solve the mystery. 

Propp theories are based on Fairy tales films, according to him,  characters have a narrative function, they provide a structure for the text. 

Actions as funticon of narrative:

• Preparation( e.g from our 
• Complication
• Transference
• Struggle
• Return 
• Recognition

propps also listed seven roles:

• The villain
• The donor
• The sought-for-person(and her father)]
• the dispatcher
• The hero
• The false hero

why is this theory useful:  its useful because it avoids treating characters as if they're individuals and reminds us they are merely constructs. some characters are indeed there just to progress the narrative.

Levi-strauss:

This theory was the binary-opposite, its sophisticated but important idea that helps understand how ideas meaning are being shaped, created or reinforced in a text. Binary-opposite is a theory of meaning and an idea that can be applied to all texts. 

Binary-opposites are used to be very simple and easy to spot in films, such as good vs bad in traditional fighting films.  Examples can be seen in Harry potter.