Introduction
The story knowledge is delivered to the viewer through a series of symbolic, operational, and discursive cues. A story may be told using a sequence of written or spoken words, still or moving pictures, or some combination of these. According to Blair and McCormack, “the primary elements of a narrative include a setting or context, plot, characters and moral of the story” (1). This paper highlights how narration helps shape a story that is being told and how it impacts the viewers of Stranger Things and Macbeth.
Main body
Narration is an enactment or recounting mechanism that is typical in our cultural experience. This mechanism is viewed as a narrative when it is sufficiently consistent and formed to distinguish itself from the flux of cultural interchange (Cutting 1713). Narrativity is culturally influenced to some degree. It is a concept of cultured or developed conduct, similar to learning a new language, except it is dependent on the human species’ predisposition or ability to learn this type of behavior.
Since certain elements of fiction consist of the narration in the film, film as narration is important, allowing us to interpret them more clearly. The chronological order of on-stage events in the theater favors brevity and a clear temporal flow, but it also results in revelations that occur before the play begins (Cutting 1714). History details important events that occur before the plot is performed on stage in most plays.
The disruption stage is where the state of equilibrium is disturbed by an action. Following that, Todorov believes films have an acknowledgment point where the incident that threw the balance off is stated (Alber 265). The film’s solving stage is where the audience sees an effort to fix the damage caused by the disruption. The final stage is a re-enactment of the equilibrium stage. This is the point at which a new equilibrium is restored or returned.
A narrative is an integral part of the scripting of Stranger Things. It helps to keep the viewer informed of what goes on in the film. This trend persists throughout the season, with the main plotline of the show largely resolved. From the series Stranger Things, it is evident that this is a science fiction film. For example, “You shouldn’t like things because people tell you you’re supposed to.” In season 1, Jonathan recalls the cheerful moments he spent with Will before his disappearance. “It is better to like all kinds of music that Will likes than following everyone else.” Jonathan was a bit of an outsider, but he was proud of who he is. How viewers are introduced to the mysterious disappearance of Will gives the viewer a sense of where the plot is going.
Additionally, Will’s mother and the police chief are also on the lookout for him. Eleven, a new character who has fled from somewhere, is also added. The viewers do not know anything about her in this episode. She just says a few words that do not reveal anything about her character. As it subverts the normal expectations of an “idealistic family,” the first episode indicates a socially conservative collection of values. Joyce Byers from the narrative is portrayed as a single mother of two sons, Jonathan and Will Byers. On the other hand, the Wheeler family is represented as a well-off family. Mike has a nuclear family consisting of his parents, son, and two daughters, but Will’s family is not nuclear. As a result, the Byers family is viewed as less optimistic in contrast them.
Narrative theory is a valuable concept that can aid in the telling of the story in a narration that captures the audience. This is because it can be used as a primary method for delving into more profound and more prolonged stories like Stranger Things (McHale 531). Furthermore, the complexity of the documents makes it challenging to apply this concept even in its most basic form. Thus, it is essential to note that Stranger Things has applied narration style to great effect.
Equilibrium is evident when the boys play the game Dungeons and Dragons at Mike’s residence. They leave mike’s residence since the next day they had to go to school. The state of equilibrium is upset when Will gets home and only finds his dog, and nobody else is present. Will Byers notices something out the window and dashes to his shed to retrieve a BB gun. He senses a noise and raises his eyes to the sun. After that, the scene cuts to him vanishing.
In contrast, the film Macbeth provides a different point of view. For example, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee, I have thee not, and yet I see thee still”. Macbeth reveals his anxious condition of mind to the audience by portraying his illusion of the bloody dagger leading him to Duncan’s room. This illusion does not command him to murder Duncan, but he is already decided to assassinate him. From this narrative, the point of view is how Macbeth is depicted as imperfect due to reasons such as greed for power. From Macbeth’s perspective, the balance is easily disrupted: he does not need much persuasion to turn to the dark side. Additionally, this film’s narrative helps the viewer have a clear mental picture of scenes such as the dead bodies that only speak through the witches.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a narrative is how the plot of a story is presented via a series of symbolic, operational, and discursive cues. A narrative helps interpret the story more clearly and understand the themes presented in films. In Stranger Things, the story’s overall structure helps shape the narrative so that it is easy to understand. Todorov’s theory helps to tell how to develop a narrative within a story, such as the case with Stranger Things and Macbeth. Moreover, in Macbeth, through disruption of the equilibrium, the narrative is changed by turning into the dark side. It is, however, evident that the point of view in a film can help dictate what is to be perceived by the viewer. It helps to build a storyline within a certain biasness which can be very helpful in capturing the viewers’ attention.
References
Alber, Jan. “The Representation of Character Interiority in Film: Cinematic Versions of Psychonarration, Free Indirect Discourse and Direct Thought”. Emerging Vectors of Narratology, vol. 1, no. 1, 2017, pp. 265-283.
Blair, Benjamin D, and Larkin McCormack. “Applying the Narrative Policy Framework to The Issues Surrounding Hydraulic Fracturing Within the News Media: A Research Note”. Research & Politics, vol. 3, no. 1, 2016, pp. 1-3.
Cutting, James E. “Narrative Theory and the Dynamics of Popular Movies.” Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, vol. 23, no. 6, 2016, pp. 1713–1743.
McHale, Brian. “The Cambridge Companion to Narrative Theory ed. by Matthew Garrett.” Style, vol. 53, no. 4, 2019, pp. 531-537.