Level 2 Media Studies New Zealand Narrative Structure

1. Types of Essays: Patterns of
Organization
Listing
Time Order
Compare/Contrast

2. Narrative Assessment: Internal
YOU MUST EXPLAIN HOW:
3 conventions of the Hero’s Journey
help to create the narrative.
(how the different parts of the Hero’s
Journey move the story)
USING TWO FILMS to support your
answer. (Star Wars & Little Ms SS)

3. Narrative Assessment: Internal
YOU MUST EXPLAIN HOW:
3 conventions of the Hero’s Journey
help to create the narrative.
-this can include ARCHETYPES

4. Narrative Assessment: Internal
YOU MUST EXPLAIN:
•How the conventions are used in
each film.
•Why they are used in each film.
(contribution to the narrative.)

5. The implications or consequences of the contribution of
each feature of the hero’s journey to the narrative.
-effectiveness of the convention (Star Wars/Little Ms SS)
-the usefulness/weaknesses of the use of the Hero’s
journey in studying the narrative of films
-the influence of such features on audience expectations or
commercial effectiveness
-evaluation of the use in comparison with other films of
your own choice or other forms of media.

6. Suggestion
Paragraph 1: “Hook” (1st sentence)
You could write:
a quote
Imagine if…
an interesting fact
SOMETHING to HOOK the reader.

7. Suggestion
Paragraph 1: Middle
You could write:
a history of your topic
a brief intro to your topic
SOMETHING related to your topic

8. Suggestion
Paragraph 1: Middle: Ideas
Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey
-explain what it is.
-relationship to Hollywood.
-as a story telling tradition
-use in films
-archetypes

9. Suggestion
Paragraph 1: Middle: Ideas
Star Wars: A New Hope
– director and year completed
George Lucas (1977)
-interesting facts about Star Wars

10. Suggestion
Paragraph 1: Middle: Ideas
Little Miss Sunshine – directors/year
completed
Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris(2006)
-interesting facts about LMS.

11. Suggestion
Paragraph 1: Last Sentence
THESIS STATEMENT
This is WHAT your essay is about!!!
This should include the TOPIC and
argument of your essay.

12. Example:
HOOK – Paragraph 1
In a galaxy close, close to home a
man named Joseph Campbell
decoded the Hero’s Journey.
Why does it work?

13. Example:
Middle – Paragraph 1
You’re probably asking yourself, what is this Hero’s
Journey? Well it is a journey that is evident in all
Hollywood films, across all genres. It has
transcended culture and time – it is the prefect
recipe for cooking up a story. There are twelve
steps within the Hero’s Journey, these steps lay the
foundation for a textbook narrative.

14. Example:
Thesis - Paragraph 1
In this essay I will explain (argue, evaluate, etc),
using two films as examples, how three of the
conventions within the Hero’s Journey are
necessary for creating narrative.

15. Example:
Paragraph 2: Choose a convention
Ex: The Ordinary World

16. Suggestion:
Paragraph 2: Main Idea Sentence
The 1st sentence of the second
paragraph should be the MAIN IDEA.
M.I. relates BACK to the Thesis,
however it is the OVERALL idea of
PARAGRAPH 2.

17. Example:
Paragraph 2: Main Idea Sentence
The first convention from the Hero’s
Journey that greatly assists the
narrative is “The Ordinary World,” it
is also the first step.

18. Suggestion:
Paragraph 2: Major Details
Major details are more specific than
M.I.’s, however they could be applied
to BOTH films.

19. Example:
Paragraph 2: Major Details
1st Major Detail
GIVE A DEFINITION OF THE
CONVENTION!!!!!!!

20. Example:
Paragraph 2: Major Details
‘The Ordinary World’ is the world that the hero
lives in. It is used to show the audience where the
hero (the main character of the story) comes from.
Without this convention, the audience would not
understand why the challenges the hero faces
throughout the narrative are so important.

21. Example:
Paragraph 2: Major Details
‘The Ordinary World’ is the world that the hero
lives in. It is used to show the audience where the
hero (the main character of the story) comes from.
Without this convention, the audience would not
understand why the challenges the hero faces
throughout the narrative are so important.

22. Example:
Paragraph 2: minor details
These details are SPECIFIC.
They are narrow.
They often begin with:
For example, For instance, Such as,
To illustration, etc.

23. Example:
Paragraph 2: minor details
(following off of last example)
For example, the ‘Ordinary World’ in ‘Narnia: The
Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’ directed by
Andrew Adamson (2005) is London during World
War II.

24. Example:
Paragraph 2: Analyze
WHY did the writer/director show
the audience this world?
How does it help the narrative?

25. Example:
Paragraph 2: minor details
(following off of last example)
The ‘Ordinary World’ in Narnia allows the
audience to relate to the characters. It shows why
the children have been moved to the country side.
During this time there was a mass exodus of
children from London to the countryside to
protect them from bombings.

26. Example:
Paragraph 2: minor details
Keep expanding.
What does this ordinary world
show us about the children?
How does it help the narrative?

27. Example:
Paragraph 2: Analyzing
The ‘Ordinary World’ in Narnia is not a happy
one. Leaving their parents behind, the children
are uprooted to a place where they know no one.
Within this world we are introduced to the
children, the heroes of the story, as they are,
before they cross into the extraordinary and
before they complete their journey..

28. Example:
Paragraph 2: Analyzing
Within this world the audience comes to understand
the escapism the children and the people of the time
period must have craved. From the uncomfortable
scenes of bombs dropping and crowded train
platforms to the giant, foreboding house in the
countryside the audience is left wondering, ‘What
will happen next?’
Escapism:the avoidance of reality by absorption of the mind
in entertainment or in an imaginative situation, activity, etc

29. Example:
Paragraph 3: Continue with next film
Similarly, in the movie Star Wars: A New Hope
directed by George Lucas (1977) the ‘Ordinary
World’ was the planet of Tatooine, inhabited by the
hero Luke Skywalker.

30. Star Wars: A New Hope
George Lucas
1977

31. Luke Skywalker
A farm boy living on the desolate
planet of Tatooine, Luke dreams of
adventure. When a distress call from
Princess Leia arrives in the form of a
hologram played by R2-D2, Luke
must decide if he's ready to answer
the call to adventure
HERO

32. OBI-WAN KENOBI
One of the last Jedi Knights in the
galaxy, Obi-Wan Kenobi asks Luke to
join him on his mission to rescue
Princess Leia from the clutches of
Darth Vader, his old enemy. Obi-
Wan recognizes Luke's natural ability
with the Force, and begins to train
him in the Jedi way
MENTOR

33. DARTH VADER
Darth Vader hunts down and captures
Princess Leia, who has stolen the plans
for the Empire's new planet-killing
space station, the Death Star. He will
soon be confronted by his old master,
Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a lightsaber duel,
as well as Obi-Wan's new apprentice,
Luke Skywalker, in a starship battle
over the Death Star itself
ENEMY/SHADOW

34. TARKIN
The ranking Imperial officer in
charge of the Death Star, Tarkin
seeks to discover the location of the
secret Rebel base, using any means
necessary to extract the information
from his prisoner, Princess Leia.
ENEMY/SHADOW

35. C-3PO
A droid used to interpret the many
languages used throughout the
galaxy, C-3PO -- along with his
counterpart R2-D2 -- become the
involuntary couriers of the secret
Death Star plans hunted by the
Imperials
ALLY

36. R2-D2
R2-D2, a multi-purpose astromech
droid, is given the Death Star's
secret plans by Princess Leia just
before her capture by Darth Vader.
His mission is to deliver the plans to
Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine, a
quest that will ultimately lead him to
a fight over the Death Star itself.
HERALD/ALLY

37. PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA
Captured by Darth Vader while attempting
to deliver secret plans of the Death Star to
the Rebel Alliance, Leia takes charge of
her own escape from the battle station
with the help of Luke Skywalker and Han
Solo.
ALLY

38. HAN SOLO
Han Solo is a rogue, a gambler, a scoundrel. He and his
Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca are hired to transport
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, and the droids to
Alderaan in his ship, the Millennium Falcon. He soon
learns, though, that he gets more than he bargained
for in helping the Rebels.
ALLY

39. TATOOINE
A desolate desert planet on the
outer rim of the galaxy, Tatooine is
the home of Luke Skywalker, who
longs to leave his dusty moisture
farm and experience a life
adventures among the stars.
ORDINARY WORLD

40. DEATH STAR
A planet-killing space station the
size of a small moon, the Death Star
has become the ultimate threat to
the galaxy. The Rebel Alliance seeks
to destroy the Death Star with
secret plans stolen by Princess Leia

41. Ordinary World: Tatooine
Living w/uncle and aunt
Call to Adventure: R2D2’s holograph of
Princess Laia.
Denial of the Call: R2D2 wants to find
Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Luke resists. His
uncle says that he no longer exists.
Meeting Mentor: Obi-Wan
Crossing Threshold: Luke returns to find
Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru killed by
imperial stormtroopers; now has no
reason to stay – answers the call.

42. Tests/Allies/Enemies: R2D2, C-3PO, Han
Solo, Obi-Wan, hiring Han’s spaceship.
They escape an imperial blockade.
Approach:Reach Alderaan – it’s been
destroyed. Obi-Wan introduces Luke to
‘the Force.’ A tractor beam from the
Death Star pulls them in. They hide.
Ordeal: Aboard the Death Star they
must fight to survive. Obi-Wan is killed
by Darth Vedar and becomes one with
the force.
Reward: Princess Leia is rescued, they
join the rebel forces, Luke gains
confidence and

43. Reward: Princess Leia is rescued, they
join the rebel forces, Luke gains
confidence and takes his place amongst
the rebels.
The Road Back: Luke returns to find
family farm burned out by imperial
stormtroopers; now has no reason to
stay – answers the call. The Death Star is
in hot pursuit.
Resurrection: In an epic battle, Luke
does the impossible and destroys the
Death Star.

44. Return with the Elixir: Luke is now a
rebel fighter, he has learned about the
force, he is honored for his part in the
destroying of the Death Star.

45. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris—a husband and
wife team—made their filmmaking debut with Little
Miss Sunshine, a critique of the “winner-take-all”
outlook in American life.

46. Father Richard (Greg Kinnear), a
motivational speaker trying
unsuccessfully to peddle his
“Nine Steps to Success,” is the
second husband of……

47. …of chain-smoking, “pro-
honesty”, house-wife Sheryl
(Toni Collette). Her brother…

48. …Frank (Steve Carell) has
recently attempted suicide after
being jilted by his gay student
lover and losing his standing as
America’s pre-eminent Proust
scholar. He now shares a room
with…

49. …teenager Dwayne (Paul Dano),
who is immersed in Nietzsche, and
has taken a vow of silence until he
gets into the Air Force Academy.
“Welcome to hell,” is his written
greeting to Frank when he moves
in with the family which includes…

50. …slightly pot-bellied, seven-year-
old Olive (Abigail Breslin) who is
single-mindedly bent on becoming
a beauty queen. Her coach is…

51. …Grandpa Edwin (Alan Arkin), a
cynic and late-in-life convert to
pornography and heroin (“I still
got Nazis bullets in my head.”)

52. The Family Unit…
The Hero…

54. Ordinary World: Albuquerque, New
Mexico
Call to Adventure: Aunt calls and tells
the family that Olive has been offered a
position to compete at Little Miss
Sunshine pageant in California.
Denial of the Call: The family argues
about whether or not they can go.
Meeting Mentor: They mentor one
another – Grandpa’s life attitude/Olive’s
attitude about life guides the family as
well.

55. Crossing Threshold: The family sets off
on their trip – Olive’s excitement
convinces the family to go – Dwayne
and Frank agree to go. (Dwayne needs
incentive: flight school.)
Tests/Allies/Enemies: Van’s clutch
breaks down; Richard loses his book
deal (Stan Grossman); Olive is left
behind; Frank runs into his boyfriend.

56. Approach: The family checks into a
motel for the night; Olive confesses to
Grandpa that she is scared about the
pageant the following day, but is
reassured that she will 'blow 'em outta
the water." Sheryl and Richard have an
explosive argument about the failed
book deal, and Richard travels to
Scotsdale in the middle of the night to
confront Stan Grossman, his partner in
the deal. Richard's ideas are rejected
again, and he returns to the motel.

57. Ordeal: Grandfather is dead. They have
to go to the hospital and find that they
cannot afford the bill. The family
decides to risk everything and steal
grandpa from the hospital.
Reward: The family is closer than ever.
Pulling off the caper of stealing
grandpa’s body they are united and the
push towards the pageant becomes
even more important. Family bonding.

58. The Road Back: The family is back on
the path they started on – they are
focused on getting to the pageant on
time. Pitfalls: police pull the van over (g-
pa’s dead body is in the trunk!!)
because the horn won’t stop. Having a
family “saves” dad ie the porn in the
trunk. Dwayne finds he is colour blind –
Olive is mentor again – he supports her
dreams.
Resurrection: Dad works to get Olive
into the pageant. The family is put to
another test – Olive’s performance in
the pageant.

59. Return with Elixir: The family unit is
strengthened. Dad realizes you don’t
have to be a “winner” to win. The
family, having become closer and more
confident during the trip, push-start the
microbus once again and pile in. They
drive into the sunset, back to
Albuquerque.

60. What could the van represent?
-breaks down….
-needs to be pushed along…
What else in the movie is breaking down?

61. What is being repaired?
Where do these repairs happen within the 12 steps?

62. Do all the characters change?
Who changes the most?
Why do you think that is?
Who changed the least?

63. Why do you think this movie appeals to people?
Which of the 12 steps can you relate to?
How would you compare this film to Star Wars?

64. COMPARE/CONTRAST

65. Starter sentences…..
The convention of INSERT STEP reveals ____________ to the audience
about the narrative.
Without the INSERT STEP the narrative would lack….
INSERT STEP is one of the most important conventions within the Hero’s
Journey, it helps the audience to understand……….
The archetype of the INSERT ARCHETYPE is important to the narrative
because…….
The archetype of the INSERT ARCHETYPE can be found in INSERT STEP
because…..
The archetype of the INSERT ARCHETYPE enters the narrative within the
INSERT STEP in order to….

66. Starter sentences…..
COMPARE/CONTRAST:
Similarly in INSERT FILM the convention of INSERT STEP is used to….
Compared to INSERT FILM the convention of INSERT STEP works much
better/is less successful because…..
Unlike INSERT FILM, INSERT FILM is able to convey the idea of the
INSERT STEP much more clearly because…..
For example, within INSERT FILM INSERT STEP allows the audience to
experience…..
For instance, the scene where…….happens allows the audience to better
understand the INSERT STEP.