media

1. Narrative Theory
Talia Smith

2. Allan Cameron’s 4 Narrative
Structures
 Forking Path = Narratives
juxtapose alternative versions
of a story, showing different
outcomes. Many outcomes are
shown that can even contradict
each other.
 In the film sliding doors, it
shows the outcome of the
woman catching her train and
not catching her train and how
different her life could have
been because of that event.

3.  Episodic = collections of
stories joined by a
common theme, tends to
be non chronological. This
is an abstract narrative.
 It’s shown in the Simpsons
Halloween special the
episodes all followed on
by being linked to the
theme of halloween.

4.  Anachronic = Involves
flashbacks and flash-forwards
involving mini
stories within one media
text. Scenes can be
repeated directly or via a
different perspective.
 In pulp fiction the scenes
jump from location to
location and it’s so
abstract that it jumps
from middle to end to
beginning etc.

5.  Split Screen Narrative =
Spatial rather than
temporal lines, the screen
is visually split to show
scenes happening all at
the same time, the scenes
can be interlinked.
 In mean girls, the girls are
all having a phone
conversation involving
pairs and then all of them
as the scene develops
and the narrative goes on
to show the outcomes.

6. Roland Barthe’s Narrative Codes
 Barthes says texts may be open; unravelled in lots of
different ways, or closed; where there is only one
obvious thread to pull on. The threads pulled on try
unravel meaning and are called ‘narrative codes’.
There are 5 catagories:

7. Hermeneutic/Enigma Code
 The code refers to mystery within a text. Clues are given
throughout the text but no clear answers are given and
these elements of the story are not explained.
 Enigmas within the narrative make the audience want to
know more as enigma’s enhance and extend the narrative.
 Unanswered enigmas tend to frustrate the audience which
makes them hooked into carrying on watching a media
text.

8. Proairetic/Action Code
 Proairetic elements add suspense to a text.
 Action codes move the narrative along by using
action to imply further narrative action. An example
could be someone pulling out a gun on another, this
makes the audience wonder what the outcome will
be; shoot or not shoot.

9. Semantic Code
 This refers to parts in a text that suggest additional
meanings are hidden within.
 This is a connotive function as it gives an extra layer
of meaning in addition to its literal meaning.

10. Symbolic Code
 Symbolism within text exercises opposites in a text to
show contrast and create greater meaning, creating
tension, drama and character development.

11. Referential Code
 This code refers to anything referring to an external
body such as historical or cultural knowledge. These
codes point out an audiences shared knowledge
about the world and how it works.

12. Binary Opposition
 Claude Levi Strauss believed that the world was split
into a series of binary opposites where one thing can
only be defined when its opposed with its relation for
example, a hero and a villain. We wouldn’t know what
a hero was if there was a villain for it to contrast with.

13. Ideology
 An organised collection of ideas that can be thought
of together as a comprehensive vision. Its seen as a
way of looking at things, giving belief which helps us
explain the world around us.