Applying Propp’s Narrative Theory to
The Princess Bride
Write a paragraph on each of these: What The Princess Bride is about
Explain how the narrative (story) of The Princess Bride follows Propp’s narrative structure
Westley – what Propp says a hero should be like and what should happen to him in the story; what Wesley is like and what happens to him in the story; include film devices like costume, music, etc.
Buttercup - what Propp says a Princess should be like and what should happen to her in the story; what Buttercup is like and what happens to her in the story: include film devices like costume, music, etc. Prince Humperdinck – what roles from Propp could he be and why; what does he do in the film to make us change our mind about him; include film devices like costume, music, etc.
Inigo and Fezzik – what are their roles from Propp? How do they change from the start to the end of the film? How does this change happen? Include film devices like costume, music, etc.
Other characters you may want to write about (Vizzini, Count Rugen, Miracle Max, etc.); remember to explain which character from Propp they are and how they change or develop; include film devices like costume, music, etc.
Your opinion on the film
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Applying Propp’s Narrative Theory to
The Princess Bride
Write a paragraph on each of these: What The Princess Bride is about
Explain how the narrative (story) of The Princess Bride follows Propp’s narrative structure
Westley – what Propp says a hero should be like and what should happen to him in the story; what Wesley is like and what happens to him in the story; include film devices like costume, music, etc.
Buttercup - what Propp says a Princess should be like and what should happen to her in the story; what Buttercup is like and what happens to her in the story: include film devices like costume, music, etc. Prince Humperdinck – what roles from Propp could he be and why; what does he do in the film to make us change our mind about him; include film devices like costume, music, etc.
Inigo and Fezzik – what are their roles from Propp? How do they change from the start to the end of the film? How does this change happen? Include film devices like costume, music, etc.
Other characters you may want to write about (Vizzini, Count Rugen, Miracle Max, etc.); remember to explain which character from Propp they are and how they change or develop; include film devices like costume, music, etc.
We Are Learning To…
•
apply Propp’s narrative theory to
The Princess Bride
•
understand the shape of stories
the villain harms a member of the community, kingdom or family
a member of the community, kingdom or family leaves home
there is a struggle between the hero and the villain
the hero attains (gets) the reward
the hero is branded or hurt
the hero is tested or attacked
the villain is overcome
the hero escapes
Propp says…
In
The Princess Bride
…
Preparation
Complication
Transference
Struggle
1
...
2
...
3
...
...
...
...
Return
Recognition
Looking at how the characters in
The Princess Bride
change
Character
At the start of the film...
By the end of the film...
Westley
Buttercup
Prince
Humperdinck
Inigo Montoya
Fezzik
Vizzini
Count Rugen
Applying Propp’s Narrative Theory to
The Princess Bride
Here are some sentence starters for you to use in your essay. Each box is a separate
paragraph.
The Princess Bride
is about...
Propp says that a film should begin with...
This is shown in
The Princess Bride
when...
Propp then says...
This is shown in
The Princess Bride
when...
At the end of a film, Propp says……… should
In
The Princess Bride
...
happen.
Propp says there should be a ...
In
The Princess Bride
this is...
We know this because ...
---
Applying Propp’s Narrative Theory to
The Princess Bride
Here are some sentence starters for you to use in your essay. Each box is a separate
paragraph.
The Princess Bride
is about...
Propp says that a film should begin with...
This is shown in
The Princess Bride
when...
Propp then says...
This is shown in
The Princess Bride
when...
At the end of a film, Propp says... should
In
The Princess Bride
...
happen.
Propp says there should be a ...
In
The Princess Bride
this is...
Here are some difficult words you may wish to use:
Westley Buttercup
Inigo
Montoya
Fezzik
King Count
Rugen
Miracle
Max
Humperdinck
Vizzini Prince Princess
wedding
castle hero villain Prince
helper King Florin Guilda
In
The Princess Bride
we have just seen…
I think the next thing to happen will be…
This is because…
After that…
I think…
---Here are some difficult words you may wish to use:
Westley Buttercup
Inigo
Montoya
Fezzik
King Count
Rugen
Miracle
Max
Humperdinck
Vizzini Prince Princess
wedding
castle hero villain Prince
helper King Florin Guilda
In
The Princess Bride
we have just seen…
I think the next thing to happen will be…
This is because…
After that…
I think…
The Princess Bride
UNIT OF WORK:
Moving Image Analysis
CLASS:
TEACHER:
Starter Activity Learning Activities Skills Assessment Resources
1 Key
vocabulary - introduction
Look at still images and faces/characters and as a group evaluate what sort of roles they would be in a film/fairy tale Teacher-led on how stills differ to moving images
As groups to add movement/sounds to the images to exaggerate the characterisation (e.g. spooky music or hunched shoulders for a villain)
Show the start of The Princess Bride and ask groups to talk
about/write about what sort of characters are on screen Brainstorm how they imagine/expect the narrative will go
Media knowledge Development of prior knowledge
Group work and sharing ideas
Informally Video of The
Princess Bride
2 Key vocabulary
- model its use
Introduce the narrative theory of Propp (focus on characters) Teacher to model the application of Propp to a fairy tale they all know
Pairs to apply the theory to a different story (including movies as well as books if they like)
Re-watch the start of The Princess Bride
Discuss which roles Buttercup & Wesley take, both in terms of narrative and music/lighting, etc.
Make suitable notes in their books (Why can Buttercup be seen as Princess?)
Knowledge, understanding and application of theory to
narrative, structure and characters
Evaluation Analysis
Informally Video of The
Princess Bride
Propp’s theory
3 Key vocabulary
– spelling test
Watch the next ten minutes of The Princess Bride
Discuss/notes on: can story have two Princes; how is Buttercup ‘more’ of a Princess now?
Watch the rest of the film
Knowledge, understanding and application Evaluation Analysis Informal review of their notes Video of The Princess Bride 4 Key vocabulary – putting it into use
Apply Propp’s narrative structure to The Princess Bride –
which parts fit, which don’t – write out the sentence from Propp’s theory and add one of their own to show they
understand the film (e.g. “A member of the
community/kingdom/family leaves home” this is shown when Wesley leaves the farm to seek his fortune)
Evaluation Analysis Synthesis Informal En2 - notes 5 Organising the structure of narratives cut-ups
Watch the opening 5 minutes of Star Wars (up to the boarding of the Rebel ship)
Identification of genres from clues on screen (sci-fi and fairy tale from the opening “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…” to words like the “Princess” and “evil Empire” and
Development of media knowledge
Oracy and discussion skills
Informally Video of Star
ship)
Discuss how they know Darth Vadar is the villain before he has said or done anything (costume, music, breathing, how stormtroopers defer to him, mask, position of the camera to make him seem intimidating)
As a group, decide who else will be involved, based on Propp’s theory
Analysis
6 Organising the
structure of narratives
Teachers could show the whole of Star Wars at this point if they wished, and apply Propp to it – very easy!
Video of Star Wars
7 Connectives ICT base – use of Lord of the Rings CD-rom to storyboard a
section of Tolkein’s novel and application of Propp to the characters (all activities on the DC-rom)
Media knowledge ICT
Best storyboards
ICT base and CD-rom
8 Connectives In MA teams plan, draft and write in best a critical essay on
either The Princess Bride, Star Wars or Lord of the Rings
what clues they have from the moving images to link it to Propp
Critical essay writing Planning PQE Media language
Formal En2/3
9 Writing speech In pairs, plan and storyboard a new film using Propp for
guidance and fusing fairy tale with another genre, e.g. horror, vampires, sci-fi, western, etc.
Review the opening sections of The Princess Bride, Star
Wars (and Lord of the Rings)
Write a short script for the opening section
Group work/collaboration Structuring
Developing characters & ideas
Informally
10 Writing speech Using the digital cameras film some shots for an opening
section (approx 30 seconds) and use a computer to edit it
ICT
Media technical work
ICT and video
11 Writing speech Write a review of their own movie, explaining choices in
camera angle, music, costume, etc. The more able to compare their own work with one of the films they have studied
Analysis
Planning & drafting Evaluation
Possibly the script, the video and/or the review
12 End of unit assessment and review. Metacognition
