Vladimor Propp's Theory

Propp's analysis

Russian Vladimir Propp (1895-1970) analyzed many of his country's folk tales and identified common themes within them. He broke down the stories into morphemes (analyzable chunks) and identified 31 narratemes (narrative units) that comprised the structure of many of the stories.

Folk stories around the world form a web of connections and the same or similar stories can be found in many places. These old stories also have formed the basis of many more stories since and hence Propp's morphology is useful not only in understanding Russian folk tales but pretty much any other stories.

Propp has been both lauded for his structural approach and criticized for his lack of sensitivity to subtle story elements such as mood and deeper context. Nevertheless, his analysis provides a useful tool in understanding stories ancient and modern and, after early influence on such luminaries as Claude Lévi-Strauss and Roland Barthes, has become a classic of folklore and structuralist analysis.

He identified that “Five categories of elements define not only the construction of a tale, but the tale as a whole.”:

1. Functions of dramatis personae (see below)
2. Conjuctive elements (ex machina, announcement of misfortune, chance disclosure – mother calls hero loudly, etc.)
3. Motivations (reasons and aims of personages)
4. Forms of appearance of dramatis personae (the flying arrival of dragon, chance meeting with donor)
5. Attributive elements or accessories (witch’s hut or her clay leg)

Whilst not all stories will contain all of Propp's narratemes, it is surprising to find stories that contain none, and many modern books and movies fit nicely into his categories.

The 31 Narratemes

Here are the 31 elements of stories that Propp identified, plus their symbol, interpretations and discussion. Note that some of these functions generally occur in pairs, such as departure and return. They may also be repeated.

Few stories contain all elements, but where they do contain elements, they will very largely occur in the sequence given here.

• 0. Initial situation

1st Sphere: Introduction

Steps 1 to 7 introduces the situation and most of the main characters, setting the scene for subsequent adventure.

• 1. Absentation: Someone goes missing
• 2. Interdiction: Hero is warned
• 3. Violation of interdiction
• 4. Reconnaissance: Villain seeks something
• 5. Delivery: The villain gains information
• 6. Trickery: Villain attempts to deceive victim
• 7. Complicity: Unwitting helping of the enemy

2nd Sphere: The Body of the story

The main story starts here and extends to the departure of the hero on the main quest.

• 8. Villainy and lack: The need is identified

• 9. Mediation: Hero discovers the lack
• 10. Counteraction: Hero chooses positive action
• 11. Departure: Hero leave on mission

3rd Sphere: The Donor Sequence

In the third sphere, the hero goes in search of a method by which the solution may be reached, gaining the magical agent from the Donor. Note that this in itself may be a complete story.

• 12. Testing: Hero is challenged to prove heroic qualities
• 13. Reaction: Hero responds to test
• 14. Acquisition: Hero gains magical item
• 15. Guidance: Hero reaches destination
• 16. Struggle: Hero and villain do battle
• 17. Branding: Hero is branded
• 18. Victory: Villain is defeated
• 19. Resolution: Initial misfortune or lack is resolved

4th Sphere: The Hero’s return

In the final (and often optional) phase of the storyline, the hero returns home, hopefully uneventfully and to a hero's welcome, although this may not always be the case.

• 20. Return: Hero sets out for home
• 21. Pursuit: Hero is chased
• 22. Rescue: pursuit ends
• 23. Arrival: Hero arrives unrecognised
• 24. Claim: False hero makes unfounded claims
• 25. Task: Difficult task proposed to the hero
• 26. Solution: Task is resolved
• 27. Recognition: Hero is recognised
• 28. Exposure: False hero is exposed
• 29. Transfiguration: Hero is given a new appearance
• 30. Punishment: Villain is punished
• 31. Wedding: Hero marries and ascends the throne

http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/propp/propp.htm