Levi-Strauss Narrative Analysis

Claude Levi-Strauss looked at narrative structure in terms of binary oppositions - sets of opposite values which reveal the structure of media texts. Levi-Strauss was not so interested in looking at the order in which events were arranged in the plot but instead focussed on deeper arrangements of themes. For example, a story will be typically arranged in binary opposites such as: hero/ villain, rich/ poor etc.


Applying Levi-Strauss' Theory to Pale Rider
(Directed and Starring Clint Eastwood)
Binary Opposites:
- Quiet vs. Loud
- Still vs. Action
- Peaceful village vs. Speed & Panic
- Green trees vs. Dry plains
- Sun vs. Storm
- Night vs. Day
- Steady camera vs. Panning movement
- Slow editing vs. Fast editing
- Steady camera vs. Frantic camera movements
- Calm vs. Panic
- Life vs. Death
- Action vs. tension
- Happy music vs. Tense music
- Panic vs. Mourning
- Country vs. Village
- Attacker vs. Victim
- High angle vs. Low angle
- Black horses vs. White horse


Applying Levi-Strauss' Theory to Die Hard
(Directed by John McTiernan, Starring Bruce Willis)
Binary Opposites:
- Joking vs. Tense
- Serious vs. Joke
- Family vs. Work
- Happy vs. Sad
- Low and high angles
- Older characters vs. Young children
- Happy driver vs. Reserved passenger
- Happy party vs. Sinister street
- Youth vs. Age
- Night vs. Day
- Real vs. Fake
- Loud vs. Quiet
- Chatty vs. Reserved
- High tech vs. Old fashioned
- Trivial matter vs. Serious
- Outside vs. Inside
- Day vs. Night
- Open vs. Enclosed
- Black titles vs. Coloured titles
- Love vs. Fight
- Fast vs. Slow pace
- Music-happy vs. sad
- Prepared vs. non-prepared
- Novice vs. experience
- Peace vs. danger
- Innocence vs. danger
- New York vs. LA