Narrative Theory ‘’Something More Important’’

1. Narrative Theory‘’Something More Important’’ By Daisy Foster-Dunn

2. Film Coursework For my AS Media Studies coursework myself and Zoe Hook created an opening sequence to a film which we called ‘’Something More Important’’ and is about a teenage girl who has recovered from an eating disorder yet has recovered to tell her story. In this presentation I will be explaining how narrative theory applies to ‘’Something More Important’’ and how different theorists link to the genre and story of my film coursework.

3. Tzvetan Todorov’s Theory • Equilibrium= Everyday life of the character Molly, walking along Hayling Island Beach thinking back on her life. • Disruption= She is thinking about how her illness has changed her life, and has involved other people, family, friends etc. • Conflict= Molly is narrating her story from a different viewpoint, She was once a weak character caused by her ill health but now she is a strong character. • Resolution= Molly’s illness has been cured and she has made a good recovery. • New Equilibrium= Molly now thinks about life differently, she acts as a stronger character- The road to recovery has ended, she is healthy and able to live her life normally.

4. Roland Barthes’s Theory • Action Code= Molly is thinking about her past and is sharing certain moments of her life with the audience. • Enigma Code= The illness she has suffered from- Molly doesn’t tell the audience exactly what she had but it is very clear that it was life-changing. • SemicCode= connotations include: Molly explaining how her illness had taken over her life causing the most important aspects of life to be ignored and it was linked to appearance and an obsession. • Symbolic Code= The editing suggests that there is a hidden message e.g. dimmed lighting, Close-up shots, emotive settings etc. • Cultural Code= Molly Carter claims that she ignored the most valuable aspects of her life because she was obsessed with her body image which is communicated to the audience by her dialogue= ‘’You’d risk everything just to look how you want.’’

5. Claude Levi-Strauss’s Theory The binary oppositions of ‘’Something More Important’’ are Strong and Weak because Molly changes character roles. Her recovery changes her life and ultimately her type of character from Weak to Strong, therefore Claude Levi-Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions applies to this narrative. Weak Character Strong Character

6. Vladimir Propp’s Theory • Hero(Protagonist)= The ‘’new’’ recovered character of Molly. • Villain(Antagonist)= The eating disorder. • Princess= Molly’s values in life. • Father= Friends and Family. • Dispatcher= a change in Molly’s previous life- an epiphany. • Donor= All friends and family who now know about her illness. • Sidekick= Best Friends. • False Hero= the eating disorder- it changed how Molly thought of herself and her life.

7. Type of Story The type of story of Something More Important is ‘Rebirth‘as Molly who is the central character suddenly finds a new reason for living. This new reason would have probably been an epiphany or revelation that Molly has discovered through being ill and weak causing her to make a permanent change (recovery).