Vladmir Propp analysed over one hundred folk tales, in which, interpretating eight different character types. This is useful to identify characters in media productions and realising their role.
1/ The Villain
2/ The donor (preparing the hero, by giving an object or significant information)
3/ Helper (Helps somewhere on the quest)
4/ Princess or prize ( quite often received by the hero, or maybe the victim)
5/ Her father ( Who ives the task to the hero in the first place, or identifies hero)
6/ The dispatcher
7/Hero
8/False hero
This is useful today as this theory can be noticed in recent productions. An example of where this can be identified is in Hot Fuzz, where there is a hero, Nicholas Angel, who distinguises the cause of the high death rate. The villains appear to be a high majority of the local people living in
Sandford. The helper can be seen as Danny Butterman, who enthusiastically
helps PC Angel.
Vladmir Propp also developed a theory on narrative functions of texts. This includes:
- Preparation
- Complication
- Transference
- Struggle
- Return
- Recognition
These functions can relate to many media products and can be recognised within different films.
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