Narrative TheoryChristopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight Trilogy’

Narrative

In Media Studies, it is important to tell the difference between the narrative and story

Story = a sequence of events, known correctly as the plot (What actually happens e.g. Scott taught the class about narrative and then they left

Narrative = the way those events are put together to be presented to an audience e.g. Scott dismissed the class, then there was a series of flashback s of the lesson.

Therefore, when analysing a narrative we analyse the construction of the story ie the way it has been put together, not the story itself. You also need to consider what the story is about in its most basic terms, ie the theme (eg Love, war, winning).

Narrative

Simply put, narrative is basically the order something is put in and there is always a reason for this.

For example, directors often use flashbacks, voiceovers or montages to show previous stories or show a passing of time.

Genre ,Character, Form and Time help us make sense of a narrative and also about what to expect.

You must consider whether their is one narrative going on. For example, Pulp Fiction has various stories with different characters going on. We call this a METANARRATIVE

There are a number of different narrative theories which propose ways in which stories (including films) are commonly put together

Vladimir Propp

Narrative theories

Linear/Non-Linear Narratives

Linear Narrative

Linear narratives are the ‘classic’ and simple beginning, middle and end stories.

This will follow the rule of situation-disruption-resolution, in that order.

In other words, the story will flow chronologically (in time order) through one story, from beginning to end.

Linear Narrative

Of Christopher Nolan’s films, few have a truly linear narrative, except perhaps ‘The Dark Knight’

In simple terms, Batman is controlling crime in the city, The Joker turns up which disrupts this, Batman defeats The Joker and returns order to the city.

Non-Linear Narrative

Non-Linear Narrative is where the narrative does nor follow a regular beginning-middle-end pattern.

The storytellers will play with the order of events.

For example, some films will choose to show the ending at the beginning (Fight Club, Double Indemnity, Forrest Gump, American Beauty etc.)

Non-Linear Narrative

Unlike The Dark Knight, Batman Begins tends to follow a non-linear narrative (at least for the first half)

The action jumps between time periods, from Bruce was a boy, to when he was an young adult, to a mature adult, to back to a boy, back to a mature adult, to a young adult, etc. etc. as we will see…

Non-Linear Narrative

There is another of Nolan’s films called ‘Memento’, the main trait of which is it’s unusual non-linear narrative structure

The story is told in reverse order, interspersed with extracts from a scene set right at the beginning of the film. The ending is shown in reverse at the beginning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cifPv4QWTH0

Vladimir Propp’s theory

Propp was a Russian critic who published his Morphology of the Folk Tale in 1928

Propp analysed over 100 Folk Tales

He established that all of these tales followed a strict Narrative structure, which usually contained 8 characters

“Spheres of Action”

HeroVillain

Princess DonorHelper Father

DispatcherFalse Hero

The Dark Knight (2008)

BATMAN•The Hero often seeks something e.g. A quest, money or to save the life of a Princess

• The Hero, according to Propp, is often the protagonist, which drives the narrative forward. There are two types of Hero “The Seeker”- who aids the victims of the villain and the “The Victim Hero”- who is the centre of the villains plans

•In fairy tales, this role is often adopted by the Prince This is ironic as Bruce

Wayne is often referred to as “The Prince of

Gotham” !

The Joker• The Villain often serves to cause disruption to the general social order e.g. The Wicked Witch in Snow White

• In the film the Joker terrorises Gotham City, killing and damaging the city in acts of wanton destruction

• He does this because he wants to challenge the role of the hero. For instance, he even kidnaps Batman’s love interest, Rachel DawesThe Villain is also

usually deformed, evil or mythical e.g. The witch in Hansel

and Gretel

Rachel Dawes •The Princess is often the reward for the hero and is often the reason for the hero’s quest e.g. when Prince Charming saves Sleeping Beauty

•Due to this fact, the Princess is often a target for the villain. In the film, the Joker kidnaps Rachel and kills her (which goes against usual conventions of a fairy tale ending)

• Often seen as a damsel in distress

However...

• Although she needs Batman to save her she is a strong woman and to some degree, in her role as a lawyer, a heroine herself

Lucius Fox • The Donor helps the Hero along their way, often by giving them an item with mystical powers

• In this case, Lucius Fox provides Bruce Wayne with such items as a utility belt, gadgets and a Bat mobile

•Such gadgets in today's society are seen as somewhat magical in the respect that they are extremely ahead of their time and in many respects, impossible to conceive, like that of magic

Commissioner Jim Gordon

•Commissioner Gordon fulfils two character roles in The Dark Knight, that of :

The Helper- Aids the hero, sometimes a sidekick e.g.

The fairy godmother in Cinderella

The Dispatcher- Often sends the hero on his way/ quest.

This character also frequently alerts our hero to a problem

Harvey Dent A.K.A Two- Face

• Batman believes that Harvey Dent can become the “White Knight” of Gotham City !

•Harvey Dent is seen as the real Hero of Gotham, due to his crime fighting in the courtroom. Batman believes that he can retire and leave Gotham city safely in his hands

However...

• When Rachel is killed by the Joker and Harvey Dent is left horribly disfigured, his Hero status is lost. He instead becomes the Villain Known as Two- Face. He is what Propp refers to as “The False Hero”

“You either die a hero or live long enough to see

yourself become the villain”.

Alfred Pennyworth •The Father role according to that of Propp is often usually that of the father of the princess, not of the Hero.

•For example, the king may reward the Hero for saving his daughter (A Princess) from a dragon. However, in The Dark Knight, the Princess is murdered by the Villain.

•The Father is therefore not a literal character, but the completion of the Hero’s mission, to rid Gotham of crime. If he succeeds, Rachel (at the beginning of the film) has promised to be with him.

•Alfred does however fulfil the role of the Helper.

Task In pairs, pick a film of your choice and analyse it against some of the 8 character types. Consider:

•What character types do the main characters fit into?

• Do the characters live up to their character roles or do they subvert/ go against, such connotations?

•Are there any character types which are not included?

Remember – to fulfil a character type, you do not necessarily need a person! An object or concept could fulfil this role.

Tzvetan Todorov Now this is a theory that can be applied

to many texts but can also serve you well if you want to disprove it.

Adverts employ this technique e.g. Nice clean carpet, spill wine, vanish saves the day and gets rid of the stain.

Todorov believed that texts are made up of fives stage of narrative.

This structure could be applied to both fictional and non-fictional texts.

These were... Equilibrium

A disruption of this equilibrium by an event

A realisation that a disruption has occurred

An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption

A restoration of equilibrium or- A NEW EQUILIBRIUM (everything goes back to normal

but maybe with some changes)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDkltIaiQfw&list=PL606555723F99DD88

Example: Jaws (1975)

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Equilibrium – Bruce Wayne has retired,

with Batman wanted for the murder of Harvey Dent

Disruption of Equilibrium – Selina Kyle (Catwoman) breaks into Bruce’s safe for his fingerprints, Bane arrives in Gotham#

Realisation of Disruption – Comissioner Gordon shot by Bane’s men, asks Batman for help

Attempt to repair Disruption – Most of the film – Batman attempts to restore the equilibrium in Gotham by getting rid of Bane

New Equilibrium – Peace and justice restored in Gotham, although it will never be the same, and neither will Bruce Wayne or Batman (no spoilers)

Task

In pairs, take a film of your choice and break it down in terms of Todorov’s narrative structure

Equilibrium – The situation in which the film begins (the ‘norm’)

Disruption – Something happens to upset the equilibrium

Realisation – The Hero is notified that a disruption has occurred and must act to restore the equilibrium

Action – The Hero attempts to restore equilibrium New Equilibrium – Equilibrium is restored, although

something will have changed as a result of action.

Claude Levi- Strauss (Binary oppositions)

Levi-Strauss saw the world as full of binary oppositions e.g. Fat Vs skinny, rich Vs poor. This has transferred into media texts also.

In a narrative we often see these binary oppositions played off against each other.

In film, perhaps the most fundamental binary opposition is good vs. evil. This is explored by Nolan.

Binary Oppositions: The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight works on the principle of The Joker and Batman being binary opposites

The Joker is an advocate of chaos and destruction, Batman of order and justice

Each dresses and behaves in opposite ways

“This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDbINMm-d60

Task:

Can you think of any films which contain binary oppositions?

Think about how two concepts or characters are juxtaposed against each other.

Roland Barthes

Barthes was interested in concepts such as negotiated reading. This basically meant the relationship between the institution and the audience.

He established that even though texts may imprint meaning into a text we produce new meaning for ourselves, that the media has no control over.

This is called cultural consumption. The way we view a text is influenced by our cultural, social and political views as well as our viewing of other texts.

Breaking the enigma:

The most well known of Barthes theories was the idea of the ‘Enigma code’

In its simplest form it is the hook or mystery to be resolved for an audience.

This keeps the viewers engaged and makes them more likely to watch the film after seeing a trailer or tune in for the next episode. It is classically used in trailers in order to hook an audience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPKhWXhiMSw

Enigma Code: Batman Begins Batman Begins uses the

enigma code as a plot device, as Batman searches to establish what the plot of the evil Scarecrow is.

He gathers clues piece-by-piece, much like a detective, before uncovering the plot, and finally revealing the true villain in Ra’s al Ghul, who is simply referred to as ‘he’ by the other villains leading up to this.

This device keeps the audience interested in the narrative