Todorov's Narrative Structure Theory

 

Tzvetan Todorov created a narrative structure theory which is about how the narration in a story is created. In the theory, Todorov has broken down this theory into 5 stages in chronological order: 

1. Equilibrium: This is the stage where the character is living their normal and balanced daily life 
2. Disruption: This stage is where the flow of the character's normal life is disrupted which ends up changing their normal lives
3. Recognition: This stage is when the character realizes the occurring disruption
4. Repair: This stage is the attempt to repair the disruption
5. New Equilibrium: When a new equilibrium/balance is has been restored

Case Study - The Sea Beast (2022)

SPOILER ALERT! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Jacob Holland lived his whole life in equilibrium as a hunter, hunting sea monsters for a living with the legendary sea monster hunter Captain Crow and his legendary ship the inevitable. This is a normal routine for Jacob.

The disruption occurs when they abandoned tracking the sea beast called the "Red Bluster" to save another fellow hunter, being attacked by a sea monster.

The recognition of the disruption occurs when the King and Queen, who have supported the hunters, want the era of hunters to end because they think the royal navy can do a better job than the hunters which made Captain Crow infuriated, this made the king and queen ask them to leave by having the royal guards to force them out and arresting them. This led Jacob to negotiate with the king and queen to give them another chance to prove they can keep their alliance. Jacob negotiates with the king and queen to give them another chance to prove the hunters can keep their alliance.

The repair takes place when a little girl Massie Brumble who was an orphan befriended the "Red Bluster" which she names Red and convinced the people of the kingdom that the war between people and sea monsters which was named the "dark times" never happened, the King and Queen lied about the "Dark Times" for their own benefit.

After convincing the people that they don't need to fight anymore, the world started to change. Jacob then continued living his life with a little girl named Massie in a small house living a peaceful life together with a friend named "Blue". This is the new equilibrium.

In media, the text has a lot of meaning to give the audience a deeper reading. For example, in the movie The Sea Beast, the producer wanted to show us that understanding true history will affect the present.