Narrative

Narrative
Within this lesson we learnt about narratives and how a narrative is some kind of story being re told in a different form, normally in words. There are different people who have come up with various theories on how narratives should be. An example of the people who came up with a theory is Barthes' codes. His theory is based of the action code, symbol code and enigma code, the enigma code is where when watching a film opening you ask yourself questions as to what is happening. The symbol code is something that suggested special events or signs. Aristotle believed in the theory of beginning middle and end. Propp came up with the theory that within a film there are eight different characters within a film.
    From this film opening the use of Aristotle's theory is seemed to be presented. This is presented in a way of how their lives started and ended together. This type of theory tells a better story and how peoples relationship evolved.
   Another type of narrative theory that was used throughout this film opening was Levi Strauss' idea of opposite personalities. One way that they present this in the film opening is how when they was younger the woman could get up the hill faster and was waiting for her boyfriend where as towards the end when she gets ill, when they race up the hill, the man was at the top of the hill waiting for his wife to get up but she didn't have any energy which reflects the start of the film opening. Another type of personality opposite that they show is  how when they are cloud watching and see a baby cloud, she is full of ideas and is enthusiastic where as he doesn't have much of an opinion unless to say something that please her.
    An effect  that is shown through this film opening scene is a time lapse to speed up the years that they spend with one another. As most of the scene is of their memories and events spent together they try to speed up the time by showing a range of ties and bow ties one after the other to show how their days started and how many years they spend with each other.   
    Todorov is one of the main figures of theories that is presented throughout this film opening. His theory is about equilibrium and disruption of equilibrium. Equilibrium is the state of normality and disruption of equilibrium is that a character makes an action that causes an effect which disturbs the state of normality. One way that this theory is represented is when he puts his hand on the letter box and gets his hand print on it due to paint, however this is resolved in a positively way by the woman joining in also. Another event that happened was that the balloons flew away and an effect on the woman that inflicted emotional pain upon them was the fact that she was unable to have kids after dreaming of doing so, which is shown. Incorporating the money jar that they have, they were saving up for something special however two events occurred that drained the savings they had built up twice, this was due too the tyre bursting and him braking his leg.
    The enigma code was also presented through this film opening due to the instant thought in peoples minds, asking themselves questions. Questions would be asked such as 'why are they going into so much detail and why do they tell the story with no words?'.People read the code of these questions by sudden events occurring after everything is going smoothly. Barthes' theory of action code was presented due to the mans leg breaking and the woman getting told she is ill and hasn't got long left. This is shown through just pictures as it illustrates the actions of what happen sometimes in other films where people are in a hospital bed and are informed bad news by the doctor. A symbolic/semiotic code is also presented through the cloud being in the shape of baby, which informs the audience that the couple are looking into have a child. Another thing that happens that supports this code is the change of ties represents the age of them both increasing.
    The main characters in this film opening is obviously the man and woman and they both present the theme of love, family and friends. In the beginning the don't expect love to sprout however, feelings develop for one another and the theme of love is presented throughout the whole way due to key events like having a child and helping one another on the hill and being there for one another when a bad event sprouts.
   Symbols that are also portrayed in this film opening both visually and technically is the symbol of age, which is represented through the object of using the ties. Another symbol presented through an object is the balloons. This could represent heaven and grace, the fact that she dies and balloons try to go into the sky multiple times could be a sign sent to them and towards the audience.