BLOG TWO- READING
Feminists along with an academic named Graeme Turner state that binary oppositions are problematic in regards to gender. Their position is that humans particularly ones that belong to patriarchal societies think of females as weak and emotional animals because our conception of a male is strong and rational. This I believe is a very long bow to draw and if it is true the theory is a physiological one, which Graeme Turner, Jane Stadler nor Kelly McWilliam are qualified to comment on.
The authors bring our attention to structuring absences which is “the systematic exclusion of particular identities or features of the world from media narratives”. They seem to be critical of the fact that minority groups within society tend to be under-represented in central roles. This is true, however they don’t give any examples of films where they do play a central role or they are the protagonist. Such films as Forest Gump (1994), Rain man (1988) and Philadelphia (1993) are example of films that are based around social minorities.
However binary oppositions and structuring absences are only two small aspects of narrative structure which is what this weeks reading concentrates on. The authors mainly focus on classical narration in films, television and games. They advocate that in a classical narration (which is one where there is an initial state of equilibrium then a conflict causes a disequilibrium which is then resolved creating a renewed equilibrium) an audience will side and feel sympathy for the protagonist even if he is evil and immoral. A great example of this is Lord of War (2005). Even though the protagonist Yuri Orlov sells arms to genocidal dictators and terrorists you still felt sympathy for him when his brother is killed, his parents disown him and wife and child leave him.
Stadler and Mcwilliam go on to highlight how narratives in television are different to narratives in film. They say that television shows are more “character driven” and that they “lack a well defined goal”. The T.V show House (2004-present) is a good example of this theory. Each episode in linear, there is a mystery illness that puzzles a medical team that is eventually solved by Dr House having some sort of epiphany (returning to a renewed equilibrium). The show focuses mainly around the development of Dr House especially his relationship with his superior. That is how the show is character driven.
Life on Mars (2008-2009) and Lost (2004-2010) are good exceptions to the rule of character driven television. The storyline is much more important to the audience than the individual characters.
Lost is also a great example for the fragmentation that is found in television shows. Each episode ends in more questions then it answered. However I think probably the best example of fragmentation in television is NCIS (2003-present). Just before every ad break it will play ominous music then cut to black and white leaving the audience “dangling” with anticipation of what will happen next.
In conclusion Stadler and McWilliam demonstrate clearly how narratives are constructed in film, games and television. They also address the distinctions in the narratives which have developed in the three.
Bibliography
Stadler, J. & McWilliam, K., 2009, ‘Screen Narratives: Traditions and Trends’ in Screen Media: Analysing Film and Television, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, pp. 155-183
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