Chapter4Narrative敘述1/29Narrative

Thischapterattemptsto:Definethebasictermsusedtoanalyzenarratives---Narrative,Story,andPlot.Describeninebasicstorytypes.DescribethecommonlyusedtheClassicThree-ActLinearStructure(經(jīng)典三幕式直線結(jié)構(gòu)).Describethevarietiesofsubplot.2/29NarrativeNarrativereferstothewaythatastoryistold.Itisprincipallyconcernedwiththewaythateventsareorganizedintimeandspace—thewayinwhichthescriptwriteranddirectortaketherawelementsofastoryandarrangetheminthemostattractiveandinterestingway.3/29NarrativeNarrative,story,andplotarethebasictermsusedwhenanalyzingthenarrativestructureofafilm.Althoughtheyaresometimesusedinterchangeably,theyalsohavemoreprecisemeaningsthatcanhelpustodrawsomeusefuldistinctions.DavidBordwellandKristinThomasinFilmArt---AnIntroduction《電影藝術(shù)入門》definethemasfollows:4/29NarrativeNarrativeAchainofeventsincause-effectrelationships(因果關(guān)系)occurringintimeandspace.StoryAlltheeventsthatweseeandhear,plusallthosethatweinferorassumetohaveoccurred,arrangedintheirpresumedcausalrelations,chronologicalorder,duration,frequency,andspatiallocations.PlotAlltheeventsthataredirectlypresentedtous,includingtheircausalrelations,chronologicalorder,duration,frequency,andspatiallocations.Thekeydistinctionisthatbetweenstoryandplot:Storyistheviewer’simaginaryconstructionofalltheeventsinthenarratives---whetherpresentedtousornot---whileplotisthefilm’sactualpresentationofcertaineventsinthenarrative.5/29TheBasicStoriesWritershavearguedthattherearealimitednumberofstoriesthatformthebasisforALLfictionalnarratives.ThesestorieshavebeennamedAchilles(阿喀琉斯),Candide(憨第德),Cinderella(灰姑娘),Circe(喀爾刻),Faust(浮士德),Orpheus(俄爾普斯),RomeoandJuliet(羅密歐與朱麗葉),Tristan(特里斯坦),andtheWanderingJew(流浪猶太人).Theycanoccuraloneorincombination.6/29Achilles阿喀琉斯The“Achilles”storyisthestoryoftheseeminglyinvulnerable(不會受傷，無懈可擊)herowithafatalflaw.ClassicaltragedyisusuallyavariantoftheAchillesstory.(Example:Superman《超人》)7/29Candide憨第德/天真漢Thestoryoftheinnocentabroad,thenaivelyoptimisticherowhotriumphscontrarytoallexpectations.(Examples:ForrestGump《阿甘正傳》,Mr.Bean《憨豆先生》)8/29Cinderella灰姑娘Thestoryofthe“dreamcomestrue”:Goodnessandvirtuearedespisedatthebeginningbutrecognizedatlast.TheprotagonistoftheCinderellastoryusuallybeginsinalowlypositionbut,throughhisgoodnature,convincesalldoubters(懷疑者)andisrewarded.(Example:Prettywoman《漂亮女人》)9/29Circe喀爾刻The“Chase”storyinwhichaninnocentvictimispursedbythevillain,untilthevillainisdefeatedbythepotentialvictim.Oftenthisstorytakestheformofthetemptress(誘惑男人女性)ensnaring(誘捕)thelove-stuck(被愛情沖昏了頭)male;ithasoftenbeenvividlydescribedas“thespiderandthefly”.Itisthebasisofhorrorfilms,thrillers,andfilmnoir.(Examples:theAlienfilms《異形》系列)10/29Faust浮士德Thestoryofanindividualwhosellshissoultothedevil,enjoysabriefperiodofpowerandprosperity,buteventuallyiscalledupontorepaythedebt.TheFauststorycanalsotaketheformofthedarksecretthatcanneverbecompletelysuppressed,orthepersonalhistorythatcannotbeevaded.(Example:WallStreet《華爾街》)11/29Orpheus俄爾普斯Thestoryofthegiftthatistakenaway.Thegiftcouldbesomethingpersonal,alovedone,anabilityofsomekind,everythingvaluableinlife,orevenlifeitself.Thestorycanfocusonthetragedyofthelossitselforthesearchthatfollowstheloss.(Example:BornontheFourthofJuly《出生于七月四日》)12/29RomeoandJulietTheclassic“star-crossedlovers(命運(yùn)不佳情侶)”storyinwhichamajorobstaclesstandsinthewayoftruelove.(Examples:Ghost《人鬼情未了》)13/29Tristan特里斯坦Thelovetriangle:Amanlovesawoman,butoneofthemisalreadyinvolvedwithsomeone(orsomethingelse).The“thirdparty”intherelationshipisusuallyaperson,butitmaybesomethingmoreabstract(e.g.acause,amission,adestiny).(Example:Tristan&Isolde

《王者之心》)14/29TheWanderingJew

流浪猶太人The“WanderingJew”isthestoryofthepersecutedoralienatedtravelerwhowillneverreturnhome.(Examples:TheEnglishPatient《英國病人》)15/29TheBasicStoriesAchilles(阿喀琉斯),Candide(憨第德),Cinderella(灰姑娘),Circe(喀爾刻),Faust(浮士德),Orpheus(俄爾普斯),RomeoandJuliet(羅密歐與朱麗葉),Tristan(特里斯坦),theWanderingJew(流浪猶太人).16/29TheClassicThree-ActLinearStructureThemajorityofHollywoodfilmsemploytheclassicthree-actlinearstructure(oravariationofit).Thestructurewasfirstlycodified(整理)bySydField,buthassincebeenelaboratedandreinterpretedbyanumberofscriptwritersandtheorists.Bynomeansallfilmswilladheretothisstructure，andthosethatdowilldosoflexibly.Nevertheless,mostHollywoodscriptwriters(編劇)arefamiliarwiththestructureandacknowledgeitsimportance.17/29TheClassicThree-ActLinearStructureThethree-actstructureimpliesthatthefilmcanbedividedintothreeacts.ActIwouldnormallybeexpectedtooccupythefirstquarterofthefilm;ActIIwouldoccupythenexthalf;andActIIIwouldoccupythefinalquarter.Eachacthasadifferentfunction.Foratypicaltwo-hourHollywoodfilm(i.e.120mins),theactdivisionwouldbeasfollows:18/29TheClassicThree-ActLinearStructureActTimeFunctionActI

0-30minsSet-upActII30-90minsDevelopment(ConflictandConfrontation沖突和斗爭)ActIII90-120minsResolution(結(jié)局)andDenouement（尾聲）19/29TheClassicThree-ActLinearStructure20/29ACTITheSet-UpThefunctionofActIisto“set-up”thefilm:toprovideinformationaboutthemaincharacters,thesetting(布景),thetone氣氛),problems,conflicts,theloveinterest,andthetimescaleofthefilm.Centraltotheset-upisthepresentationofthehero/protagonist.ActIwillalsogiveenoughinformationtoallowtheaudiencetoknowthegenretowhichthefilmbelongs,andthustoknowroughlywhattoexpectofit.InActIwealsoexpecttofindahook,akeyline,anincident,andaturningpoint.21/29ACTITheSet-UpTheHookThehookistheintriguingepisodethatgrabstheattentionandsparksthecuriosityoftheviewer.Itcouldtaketheformofaconfrontationbetweenstronglycontrastingcharacters;itcouldpresentordinarypeopledoingextraordinarythings(orviceversa),oritcouldposeaquestion.TheKeyLineThekeylineposesthequestionthatthefilmasawholewillexplore,Thekeylinepointsoutthethemeofthefilm.IncitingIncidentThe

IncitingIncidentisscenethatpresentstheprotagonistwithaproblemthatdisturbsthenormalityandpredictabilityoflife.Beforetheincitingincident,theprotagonisthasbeenlivinglifeasnormal;22/29ACTITheSet-Upaftertheincitingincident,theprotagonistwillbedrivenbyanewmotivationtopursueanewgoal.Theprotagonistmaynottakeimmediateactiononaccountoftheincitingincident,butwillneverthelessbeginaprocessofreflectionthatwillleadeventuallytoaction.Turningpoint1Theroleoftheturningpointistocatapult(猛力推出)thestoryinanewdirectionbysettingupsomekindofcrisisfortheprotagonisttonegotiate.Theturningpointdiffersfromtheincitingincidentinthatitisassociatedwithsomedecisiveactionstakenbytheprotagonistthatdramaticallyraisesthestakes(冒更大風(fēng)險)andincreasesthedangerlevel.23/29ACTII:DevelopmentThefunctionofACTIIasawholetoshowthedevelopmentofthemaincharactersandplotthroughconflictandconfrontation.TheprotagonistwilladvancetowardsthegoalsuggestedbyhisactionsattheendofActI.However,theendofActIIwilltypicallyshowtheprotagonistencounteringamajorsetbackthatwillonlybeovercomeinActIII.

ThePointofNoTurningThepointofnoreturnusuallyoccurshalfwaythroughthefilm,andisthesceneinwhichtheprotagonistbecomestrulycommittedtothegoalthathehasbeenpursuing.Theroleofthepointofnoreturnis:toforcetheprotagonisttoreassesshisgoal,toconsidergivingup,todecidetocontinue,andthentopursuethegoalinastillmorecommittedandsingle-mindedway.24/29ACTII:DevelopmentTheTurningPoint2TuningPoint2,likeTurningPoint1,catapultsthestoryinanewdirectionbysettingupsomekindofcrisisfortheprotagonisttonegotiate.ThedifferencebetweenthetwoisthatTurningPoint2isamajorsetbackinwhichtheprotagonistisdefeated.TurningPoint2isalsocalledthemomentoftruth(真相時刻)becausetheprotagonistrealizesthattheactiontakensinceatTurningPoint1wasmisguided,weak,unprincipledandultimatelywrong.Yettheprotagonistisstrengthenedintheprocess,becausethroughrecognitionofhiserrorhegainsaclearerideaofwhatremainstobedone.25/29ACTIII:ResolutionandDenouement

結(jié)局和尾聲ThefunctionofActIIIistoprovideastrongclimaxthatresolvestheproblemfirstencounteredbytheprotagonistinActI.TheprotagonistisshowntohaveundergoneatransformationsinceActII:Henowhasamuchhigherlevelofself-knowledge(自我認(rèn)識),andamuchclearerideaofwhatneedstobedone,andsoispreparedforthisfinalclimax.Remainingquestionsareansweredandlooseendsaretiedupinthisact.26/29ACTIII:ResolutionandDenouementClimaxTheclimaxisthemomentatwhichtheprotagonistfaceshisgreatestchallengeandeitherdefeatshisopponentsorisdefeated.Inonesense,however,theprotagonistalwayswins:Hecanwinoutright:orhecanbedefeatedandyetstillwinbecausehehaslearntsomethingimportant.ResolutionTheresolutionisthebriefperiodaftertheclimaxwhenth