Narrative Theory

In class we explored the ideas of four narrative theorists; Propp, Todorov, Levi-Strauss and Bordwell and Thompson. We applied the theories and ideas of four narrative theorists to 'The Shining'. Propp was a Russian critic who explored the underlying structures of folk/fairy tales and proposed a set of universal character and narrative functions which he thought were the basis of all stories. His ideas were an uneasy fit with 'The shining' because the roles Propp uses doesn't really fit with The Shining. As in the Shining hero could be many different characters such as Wendy or Danny, so it doesn't show a clear understanding of the theory in this type of film. Although one stage fits well as there the film does show a character leaving home, Jack and his family moving to the hotel.


Todorov is another theory where there is different stages in the film; equilibium, disequilibrium, pathway to resolution and new equilibrium. For The Shining this fits relatitively well as the equilibirum would be Jack getting the job at the hotel. When the problems happen and when Jack goes crazy this is the disequilibrium. then the pathway to resolution would be when Wendy and Danny trying to escape the hotel coming across many obstacles in the way, and then Danny leading Jack into the maze and making Jack lost and ending in him dying. So overall this could be the theory that works best with The Shining?


Thirdly Bordwell and Thompson is another theory we looked at and studied. This theory they put together having the narrative having one situation at the beginning and then having causes and effects occur during the film and then ending in a situation that ends the film. In ways this does work with The Shining as we don't necessarily see what is happening in some certain parts of the film, so in our heads we try to link images that we do see to things that we don't, we just make up what we are not seeing to something that would link to what we have seen. Doing this we help to understand the film and creating images in our heads shows that this theory does slightly work with The Shinning. Although this theory doesn't look on the film plot and story line, so it is quite difficult to work it out and try to connect it with The Shinning.


The Claude Levi-Stratus talks about the narative structure in terms of binary oppositions. To understand this we use examples like past and present. We know past is the opposite to present. Connecting this type of theory to the film The Shining, we see situations where good and evil binary oppositions are clear. But although this theory does link to The Shining in some way, it only concentrates on the themes of the events throughout the film instead of the arrangement of the plot.


To conclude these theories i have looked at and studied show a different outcome of the horror movie narrative. Applying this to The Shining i did find difficult although there were some factors that defiantly connected with some of the theories. As the theories were so different each one covered something different from the films narrative. They either looked at the plot more, or the characters etc. Overall i felt that there wasn't a certain one that stood out that linked to The Shining the most.