Assignment 2: Essay Question: Narrative is a fundamental aspect of media and screen texts. Drawing on the concepts of myth, narration and plot, compare and contrast the narratives in Star Wars: A New Hope, and in Struggle Street -Danni Frantz Narrative in films and T.V. series’ is used to tell a fictional or fictionalized story. In media and texts narratives are used to help convince the audience that the story being told is realistic and take the audience on an engaging journey. Narrative is a fundamental aspect of media and screen text, and with a classic example like ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ and a current example like ‘Struggle street’ various narrative techniques can be as to why these techniques can differentiate themselves …show more content…
between genres. Both ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ and ‘Struggle Street’ use these narrative techniques in different ways that causes contrast between the two media texts, while small comparisons show narrative concepts like myth, narration and plot adding to the success of these texts. Myth provides a hefty source into a successful narrative and that’s not to be confused with myths like the loch ness monster or big food. In media and screen texts, myth refers to the dramatization of beliefs about certain things such as time and existence. Kennedy, Gioia and Bauerlain say that myths can explain “the origin of creation, the nature of human psyche, the beginnings of nations and natural objects” (Kennedy, Gioia and Bauerlein 117-118). Myths are used in narratives to explain “how we got here, why are we here, and who put us here” as Herrick J. explains. He also describes that the myth in narrative can be used to answer age-old questions in the human existence. An excellent example of the use of myth in a narrative is ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’, realised October 1977 and directed by George Lucas. Myth is used in this film to show the hero and adventure/epic myth but more specifically ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ uses myth to show the power of good against pure evil. It has been noted that the character of Luke Skywalker is used to showcase the hero that reflects on the elements in our culture that represent the good. By using myth, the cultural idea of evil and good are established and promoted showing the narrative as a guide for the audience to understand the meaning. Andrew Gordon’s book ‘Star Wars a Myth for Our Times’ states that “This does not mean that Lucas thinks we should all pick up a light saber, and conquer the forces of evil, but Skywalker does represent an ideal”, an ideal that audiences can do good in their individual lives. In a contrast to ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ narratives can also use myth to show the down side of life and by doing this can change audience’s views on pre-existing myths in society that negatively stereotype many people and places. An example of this is the show ‘Struggle Street’ that premiered on SBS in 2015. Like previously mentioned, myth is used in this show in a way to change people perspective on previous myths in society. While ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ uses myth to represent the ideal good in people, ‘Struggle Street’ uses myth to take a deeper look into the lives of a certain community that is judged and often mocked based on a negative stereotype that society can often have. This T.V. series uses a pre-existing myth about ‘bogans’ and ‘lazy lay abouts’ and in a reversed way, takes a look at why these people are struggling ad how that pre-existing myth can affect the community. As the narrator points out, “The Stigma that Mt. Drouin is a nest of dole bludgers and lay abouts is unfair, most folks here are struggling hard to make ends meet” (David Field). So, while the myth in ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ is used to show the good ideals in a fictional setting, ‘Struggle Street’ is somewhat using myth in the same way, however the show is set in a true setting. Narration is the number 1 important source when analysing media and screen texts.
Narration refers to the explaining of a story in media and texts and is important as it can explain important plot points, describe certain scenes and even point out the obvious meanings of the text. Narration can be done in many ways that can include voice overs, songs where the singer does the storytelling, and even floating texts. Like previously said, narration is a very important aspect of media and text as audiences can become lost if they are unaware of what is happening in the media text. ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ and ‘Struggling Street’ once again have a contrast when it comes to the narration of each media text. With an epic adventure movie such as ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ there is not much room for a narrator, whether voice over or character narrator, to explain the scenes, settings, and plot. The action, epic adventure movie needs to jump right into the story without worrying about how much time there is to explain why certain events are taking place in the text and how these problems and adventure began. ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ answers this with a way that has become so recognisable and infamous that many movies and T.V. series use the sequence as a tribute or parody. A large text crawls along the screen that explains the previous actions that leads to the films main plot, as well as the setting, in a quick manor that allows the story to begin immediately with the audience …show more content…
knowing everything needed to understand the material in the text. ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ needed this sequence as the film did not have much time for narration, but once again in contrast, ‘Struggling needs narration throughout the hour-long episodes as each episode features a completely different location than the previous episodes, as well as new people and lives to take an in depth look into. Because of these new factors, audiences need to know who these people are, why they might be struggling and their thoughts on the world and how it has treated them. Audiences also need to know the history of the struggling communities to understand the predicament these people are in. to answer these questions the series features a voice over narration that talks about the community and people involved with that episode with the voice over done by David Field. During the actual filming of the segments however, the camera man will ask certain questions to the person being filmed, adding another layer to the in depth look on their lives. With different genres and types of media, it can be seen how different types of narration can achieve various results. Both ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ and ‘Struggle Street’ achieve what is needed when it comes to narration, however it is the difference in methods that allow each media to explain the story. The plot or a film, also known as a storyline, is the main story begin told, devised and presented as an interrelated sequence.
In a media texts narrative sense, the plot highlights all the important points that later involve important consequences within that story. Plot is important to a narrative within media and texts because without plot there is no story to tell, which leads to a boring and terrible narrative. Without a plot there can’t be a situation that later leads to the consequences the make up a good narrative. ‘Star Wars’ IV a New Hope’ uses many plots involving characters that eventually come together for an overall plot and mission to overcome. The films official synopsis reads “The Imperial Forces, under orders from cruel Darth Vader, hold Princess Leia hostage in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy”. The plot used in ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ is used to tell the story of good standing up and battling against evil as well as explores themes of the superiority of the nature of technology as well as the mystery and power of the force. A powerful point that the plot of the film explores however is the importance of hope and believing in what you can’t see. Dan Zehr states that while the character of Luke
Skywalker is wanting a change in his life while gazing into the two suns, “The audience is presented with a powerful theme, we must have hope”. ‘Struggle Street’ has a larger contrast to ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ than the previous examples as the two media texts are two different genres. With ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ being a science fiction, adventure, epic genre and ‘Struggle Street’ being a reality T.V., documentary genre, there is an obvious difference between the two. ‘Struggle Street’ uses different people and setting with every episode and takes a look into these lives. However, since this T.V. series is based in reality there is no coherent plot. A plot is a story that is structured by the writers for the audience to follow and with a film like ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ there needs to be a strong plot line to take audiences on a thrilling adventure. With a T.V. series like ‘Struggle Street’ the audiences need to take an in depth look into the lives of these people, and realistic lives and backstories are not structured in the sense of narrative. With this type of genre, it is very important to keep the truth and if a structured plot was introduced into the T.V. series it takes away that truth and lies to its audiences. Narrative is a fundamental aspect of media and screen text, and with a classic example like ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ and a current example like ‘Struggle street’ it is clear to see how various narrative techniques such as myth, narration and plot were used to create these texts. ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ and ‘Struggle Street’ are completely different in genre, settings and type of character, however both these media texts use myth, narration and plot in similar ways to make a terrific narrative and engage its audiences. Whether from using pre-existing myths to change audiences perspectives on situations to using a new style of narration to explain previous information and becoming a widely known sequence, both ‘Star Wars IV a New Hope’ and ‘Struggle Street’ demonstrate how to use narrative in an effective and engaging way.
The only real way to truly understand a story is to understand all aspects of a story and their meanings. The same goes for movies, as they are all just stories being acted out. In Thomas Foster's book, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor”, Foster explains in detail the numerous ingredients of a story. He discusses almost everything that can be found in any given piece of literature. The devices discussed in Foster's book can be found in most movies as well, including in Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic, “Pulp Fiction”. This movie is a complicated tale that follows numerous characters involved in intertwining stories. Tarantino utilizes many devices to make “Pulp Fiction” into an excellent film. In this essay, I will demonstrate how several literary devices described in Foster's book are put to use in Tarantino’s film, “Pulp Fiction”, including quests, archetypes, food, and violence.
My reasons for this opinion are all because of the Disney movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens. First, the two movies The Force Awakens and the New Hope have the exact same plots. In all The other movies of Star Wars each plot is very different. In The Phantom Menace, the first movie in the Star Wars saga, the plot is that
The change from differing mediums, novel and film, reveal characteristics and possibilities of narratives. Through the advancement of technology, modern writers
Narratives are an important part of an essay as they create a sense of tone needed to describe a story or situation with ease. If the narrative is not correct, it can leave a false impact on the readers or viewers because it lacks the main tone of the story. Having a perfect narrative can not only enhance a story, but it can also prove evidence. In her essay, “An Army of One: Me”, Jean Twenge provides some of the best examples of how narratives enhance a story and she also emphasizes on how the tone of storytelling matters on the impact that the story would have on its readers or listeners. Apart from Twenge, Tim O’Brien also focuses on how the narrative of the story can help in understanding the truth and falsity of the story in his essay, “How to Tell a True War Story.” In addition to O’Brien, Ethan Watters also emphasizes on the narrative of cultural progress in his essay, “The Mega-Marketing of Depression in Japan”, when he talks about the anti-depressants to be sold in Japan. All three authors agree to the fact that narrative, the art of telling a story or explaining a situation, has a major impact on the story and on how it is taken by the audience.
Film and literature are two media forms that are so closely related, that we often forget there is a distinction between them. We often just view the movie as an extension of the book because most movies are based on novels or short stories. Because we are accustomed to this sequence of production, first the novel, then the motion picture, we often find ourselves making value judgments about a movie, based upon our feelings on the novel. It is this overlapping of the creative processes that prevents us from seeing movies as distinct and separate art forms from the novels they are based on.
Quite possibly one of the most iconic openings in cinematic history is “A Long time ago in a galaxy far far away.” Of course, I am referring to Star Wars. It is such a fascinating and great movie going experience. There have been a total of seven Star Wars films, but in this essay I am going to be focusing on Star Wars: Episode 3- Revenge of the Sith. This film was written and directed by George Lucas and of the science fiction genre. Revenge of the Sith was released in theaters on May 19, 2005.
In the words of Michael O’Shaughnessy, ‘narratives, or stories, are a basic way of making sense of our experience’ (1999: 266). As a society and a culture, we use stories to comprehend and share our experiences, typically by constructing them with a beginning, middle and an end. In fact, the order that a narrative is structured will directly impact the way it is understood, particularly across cultures. This idea originated through Claude Lévi-Strauss’s concept of structuralism in anthropology which ‘is concerned with uncovering the common structural principles underlying specific and historically variable cultures and myth’ in pre-industrial societies (Strinati 2003: 85). In terms of media studies, structuralism’s inherent objective is to dig beneath the surface of a media text to identify how the structure of a narrative contributes to it’s meaning. Structuralism encompasses a large range of analytical tools, however, this essay will examine Joseph Campbell’s monomyth and Claude Lévi-Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions. Through analysis of Victor Fleming’s film, The Wizard of Oz (1939), it will be shown that although the monomyth and binary oppositions are useful tools with which to unveil how meaning is generated in this text, structuralism can undermine the audience’s ability to engage with their own interpretations of the film.
A New Hope opens with a Rebel spacecraft being apprehended and boarded by the leader of the unforgiving Empire, Darth Vader. The Rebel ship holds the plans to the Empire’s brand new weapon, the Death Star. Princess Leia, a member of the Rebellion, places the plans into a droid named R2-D2, along with a message. R2-D2 and another robot, C3-PO, leave the ship in an escape pod, and land on the desert planet of Tatooine. The droids are captured by Jawas, a scavenger species native to Tatooine, and sold to Luke Skywalker’s uncle.
Being one of the world’s most popular art forms, it was inevitable that these archetypes would find their way into film as well. In this essay I will argue that the films Pulp Fiction, Taxi Driver, Watership Down, and Trainspotting are all versions of The Hero’s Journey, consequently demonstrating just how prevalent these archetypes have become in modern cinema. And that mythology and storytelling are important parts of each culture because they prevent the darkness in our hearts from spreading.
George Lucas wrote and directed Star Wars, he had tons of creative and production control just like Hitchcock. Furthermore, the film demonstrates his aesthetic vision through recurring themes of good verse evil, heroes fighting for good and saving the day. Lastly, the film demonstrates thematic and stylistic consistencies to create the meaningful narrative. One thing that stands out from Star Wars that illustrates George Lucas’ control over the production is the credits. He did not want the credits at the beginning of the film so the audience can focus on the narrative. In the late 1950’s the auteur theory was introduced to filmmaking which created a new way of making films. Auteur theory went against the classical narrative by focusing on realism. Auteur films had ambiguous endings, which deeper into the character’s physiological state. Even though, Star Wars demonstrates certain auteur elements, it does not go against the classical narrative. To conclude, Star Wars mixed classical Hollywood techniques with the auteur theory that lead to a different and unique way of making a
...verything around us is made by our actions. Positive or negative they cause an effect that will ultimately lead to a different story base on how we interpret life. Narrative elements are used as a bridge by the directors in their film to create any master plot that is currently known. Any modification at any narrative element used by the director at important moments inside the story can help you portray a different master plot. This used of narrative elements can be best described as an ever changing process that takes place inside an individual’s head. Depending on the individual that may be exposed to those narrative elements can create different meanings. This new interpretation can be different for everyone. We have to be aware that one change in the surface scenery can lead to many ideal outcomes in our minds and that is the main power the audience has.
Frame stories use embedded narratives to help tie in the context of the main narrative. Readers are lead from story to story when reading or watching frame stories. This also helps to provide different perspectives to the readers, by showing narratives from different points of view or people. When given multiple perspectives readers can learn much more about what is happening with certain characters feelings and thoughts. Having already explained what makes City of Thieves a frame narrative, I will also give a few examples of other stories and movies that are well known frame stories. The first example is Titanic, in the beginning of the movie an old woman named Rose is recalling her voyage of the Atlantic Ocean. Further into the narrative the viewer finds themselves in 1912, the beginning of the story. Throughout the rest of the narrative you hardly ever return to Rose. The movie then ends just as it begun. A popular book that uses frame narrative is The Odyssey by Homer. This very popular tale includes a few stories within the book itself. Early in the narrative, Zeus and Athena discuss Odysseus and what
The film’s story does not simply shines forth, but is also the foundation of the plot. The film’s plot makes the traditional guidelines applicable...
The storytelling technique made use by Cameron in the film Titanic is special because history and fiction is inculcated within the plot. For example, Cameron made use of the history of RMS Titanic as the main plot of the film. But he was aware of the fact that mere history of a cruise ship will not satisfy the global viewers. So, he decided to inculcate fiction and romance to the main plot. Parisi (1998), states that “Cameron’s gift was to create a unique moviegoing experience, one audiences couldn’t get from any other film” (202). One can easily identify that inculcation of fiction and romance is helpful...
Going to the movies offers a complete escape from everyday life for a few hours at a time. In movies, a story can usually be told from beginning to end in a short period of time. Movies allow a person to get completely wrapped ...