Year 12 film Studies essay question

How does Todorov and propps Narrative theories apply to the two film texts you have studied?

The two films that I have studied includes London to Brighton and Bullet Boy. They both are similar because the films conforms to the propps Narrative and Todorov theory, for example in London to Brighton our main character, Kelly is represented as a hero seeker/protagonist/victim, this is most evident when Kelly decides to safe and escape to Brighton with Joanne, who is represented as a princess. This conforms to the propps narrative theory because Kelly is represented as a conventional hero. A conventional hero from the propps theory defines that the role of a the hero is to safe and protect the princess and to go on a quest, this is denoted when she escapes to Brighton with Joanne.

In Bullet Boy, our main character Rickey is represented as a hero, this is most evident when Ricky received a gun from Wisdom, who represented as a doner in the scene. This conforms to the propps narrative theory because Rickey is represented as a conventional hero, a conventional hero is defined as having to react with the doner, which means that a hero receives an item in order to complete their quest.This is denoted when Rickey receives a gun to help Wisdom to get his revenge. However on the other hand, you could also argue that Rickey do not conform to the propps theory because a conventional hero plays the main part in the attempt to repair. In the film Rickey does not try to resolve the issues of crime, this is denoted when he agrees to help Wisdom in his revenge (never ending cycle of crime). Even though Rickey may not be conventional, Curtis, on the other hand could be identified as a conventional hero, which conforms to the propp theory, this could be denoted when Curtis decided to break the cycle of crime by deposing the gun in the river at the end. This conforms to the propp theory because it a conventional hero is to attempt to repair.

In London to Brighton, Kelly our main Protagonist conforms to the propp theory, for example when she hook up on some men (doner) on the streets to make money to escape to Brighton. This conforms to the propp theory because the role as a hero is defined as having the react to the doner in order to complete her quest. In the scene, there was a use of long shot of her in the streets, which signifies that it is just the beginning of her quest and the purpose the long shot is to also to reveal the time of day and location. Within the long shot I could denote the dark lighting (low key lighting), which connotes that evilness has already invaded.