Todorov

Todorov's Narrative Theory

Equilibrium:
1. State of equilibrium
2. Disruption to that equilibrium
3. Recognition that disorder has occurred
4. Attempt (or attempts) to resolve the situation
5. Return to equilibrium or establishment of a new one

Movie that contains this theory:
"Taken"- 2008
1. Divorced parents to 17 year old daughter, mother has a new partner, father leaves CIA to be close to his daughter (who lives with mother and partner).
2. The daughter wishes to go abroad (to France) with a friend and the father doesn't want her to due to his old job but lets her go anyway.
3. Daughter calls her father from France because they are being attacked. She is taken whilst on phone to her father.
4. The father goes to France in attempt to find her using evidence from the call finding out she was taken by traffickers.
5. He finds his daughter and stops that group of traffickers. Once they return home the parents are more at peace with each other.

Movie that doesn't contain this theory:
"momento"- 20001. A man is shot, but in reverse... this is neither a positive start to a movie nor a representation of an ordinary lifestyle.
2. There is no equilibrium to being with, it starts from this state.
3. The guy is in constant awareness of his disruption.
4. The whole movie is of him trying to get to the beginning therefore there are continuously different moments of disorder following resolution.
5. It just goes back to the beginning which means nothing has really been resolved.