Media Theory Research

 Hello readers! A very important aspect of our class is media theories and how we can integrate them into films we're analyzing or how we want to add them to our projects. For my film, I decided that the best media theory for me to analyze is the Character Types Theory by Vladimir Propp. His theory states that there are 7 different archetypes that characters can have that are defined by their "spheres of action."

The 7 different archetypes, alongside their role, are listed below.

1. The Villain: The villain is the character in the story who causes some type of destruction or harm in the story. They can be displayed as a bully, evil entity, or even an evil stepmother. This character is very likely to go head-to-head with the protagonist of the story. An example of this character type is Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter Franchise.

2. The Donor (provider): The donor provides the hero with some sort of item that can help them defeat the villain and succeed. This character can be displayed as an old man who gives the hero a sword, or an animal who guides the princess to the right path in the forest. During their path, the donor might ask for a favor from the hero, and once they get what they want, they give the hero the item or piece of advice needed. An example of this character type is The Fairy Godmother from the fairytale and film Cinderella.

3. The Helper: The Helper is someone who successfully helps the hero to gain what they need to remove their problems and misfortunes from their life by using their own personal abilities. This role can be fulfilled by someone playing a sidekick. They can help the hero with some bumps they may come across. An example of this character is Donkey from the Shrek franchise.

4. The Princess (a sought-after person): This is someone who the
hero is looking to save. There are a few different ways that it can be displayed in film. Either a girl the hero is trying to save who is being tormented by the villain, or a missing person who the hero is trying to find and save. An example of this character archetype is Princess Aurora from the film Sleeping Beauty. 

5. The Dispatcher: The dispatcher takes the role of someone who alerts the hero that something villainous is occurring, and they help the hero take charge to prepare for what's coming next. This can be displayed by a smaller side character, a family member, or a townsfolk. An example of this character archetype is Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter franchise. 

6. The Hero: Propp defines a hero in two different aspects. One aspect of the hero is the "seeker." They agree and willingly go on a quest to defeat the evil. The other aspect of being a hero is the "victim." they're someone who was attacked by the villain, and they go fight the villain for "revenge" or freedom. An example of this character is Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games franchise since she goes against the Capitol. 

7. The False Hero: The False Hero is someone who takes credit for the quest and the defeat of the evil. It is typically someone who is first displayed as a good person, but then it is revealed that they are obviously corrupt. A great example of this character is Hans of the Southern Isles from the film franchise Frozen. 

Overall, all of these characters are important in their own way. But for my coming-of-age genre, I will be doing the hero, the villain, and the helper. The hero will be played by our main girl who tries to overcome whatever problems get thrown at her. The villain will be played by a mean girl bully or a teacher who picks on her for no reason. The helper will be played by her best friend, we're not sure if we're going to make her a main character or just a side character. 

Citations used:

Media Studies. (2024, March 9). Vladimir Propp’s 7 character types and narrative theory.
        https://media-studies.com/propp/