Propps Theories of narrative: Functions

Propps theory is a form of structuralism which is a view that all media is inevitably in the form of certain fixed structures. These structures are often culturally derived and form expectations in the mind of an audience. Propps theory can be applied to generic structures in western culture, such as popular film genres. I decided to apply Propps functions theory to the very popular and modern film Twilight. Here are the functions and how they apply to the movie:

1. Absentation: A member of the family leaves the security of the home for some reason. This may be the hero of another family member that the hero may need to rescue.
Bella’s mum has left the home environment to live elsewhere to avoid conflicts with Bella’s father. Bella leaves the home and her father to attend school.

2. Interdiction: An interdiction is addressed to the hero (don’t go there, don’t do this) The hero is warned against some action. A warning to the hero is also a warning to the reader about the dangers of life. Will the hero heed the warning? Would the reader?
Edward (the vampire) is warned to stay away from Bella by his family as she is human and could cause problems for Edward and his family.

3. Violation of interdiction: the interdiction is violated; the hero ignores the interdiction and goes ahead. At some point the villain enters the story as a consequence of this decision.
Edward ignores his family and goes ahead with his relationship with Bella. James (villain (bad vampire) enters the story and craves Bella just because she is Edwards.


4. Reconnaissance: the villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance. The villain makes an attempt at seeking information, for example seeking searching for something valuable or trying to actively capture someone. The introduction of the villain adds tension to the story especially when they’re found close to the family home.
James goes to Bella’s home and seeks information about Bella, something that will make her want to go to him.

5. Delivery: the villain gains information about the victim. The villains seeking now pays off and he or she now acquires some form of information about the hero or victim. The is a down point in the story as the pendulum of luck now swings towards the villain, creating fear and anticipation that the villain will overcome the hero and the story will end in tragedy.
James had acquired information about Bella’s mother and a video of her, which he knows will have an effect on Bella.

6. Trickery: the villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victims belongings (trickery). The villain presses further, often using the information gained in seeking to deceive the hero or victim in some way, perhaps appearing in disguise.
James calls Bella and uses the video he obtained of her mother to deceive Bella into thinking he has her mother as a hostage.

7. Complicity: the victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy. The trickery of the villain works and the hero or victim naively acts in a way that helps the villain in some way.
Bella is fooled by this, and rushes to where the villain is in the hope of saving her mother.

8. Villainy and lack: there are two parts to this stage, either or both of which may appear in the story. In the first stage the villain causes some kind of harm. In the second stage a sense of lack is identified, for example in the hero’s family, whereby something is identified as lost or becomes desirable.
James harms Bella by biting her hand.

9. Mediation: misfortune or lack is made known (hero is dispatched/hears call for help). The hero discovers the act of villainy perhaps finding their family or lover devastated or caught up in a state of anguish and woe. This creates a defining moment in the story as we wonder what will happen now.
Edward learns of James having Bella and goes to seek her out.

10. Beginning counter action: seeker agrees to or decides upon counter action. The hero decided to act in a way that will resolve the situation for example rescuing those that are captured.
Edward decides he has to fight, and win against James.
(At this point, twilight skips some of the stages and resumes again)


18. Villain is defeated.
Edward kills James.

19. Initial misfortune is resolved (spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed)
Edward sucks out the poison in Bella after the bite.