Vladimir Propp was a 20th century formalist who studied common narrative structures in Russian folk tales. His main idea was that there are limited functions in stories that, put together, construct a story. In this view, each narrative has repetitive elements such as departure, wedding, solution, victory and punishment. Later structuralist scholars have suggested that what is original about a narration is the way it is expressed. But, if you could analyze every existing story, you would find common elements in them. These functions are not only found in fiction. They can also be found in journalism.
In this New York Times story which describes an existing tension in Iraq, for example, I recognized Propp's struggle function.
Because journalism is not the exact reflection of reality, but a reporter's account of that reality, the stories we read every day in newspapers are constructions. These narrative constructions, have, as well, common functions.
Thanks so much. Yes, read the article, Maria, recently. I think the struggle to vote would be similar to a physical, not an emotional arc to a play, yes agree. Propp sounds like a moralist as well as a structuralist given the design from Russian folk tales.
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ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with Russian folk tales, just the structuralist analysis other scholars have made about them. But thank you for your comment, now I'm curious to read them and find the moralist sphere you talk about.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great piece of information. This is so cool to know. I completely recognize what you're saying about this article and how the "struggle" theme is reflected. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLeah