Brew – Narrative analysis

Structure

• The narrative of Brew presents a linear structure with elements of a circular one.

• While the story is shown in a linear progression, the story starts as it ends with the protagonist alone in the coffee shop however the change and development of the character is evident.

Todorov• The story follows Todorov’s

ideas of the narrative structure. • The equilibrium is clearly

marked at the start, with Graham sitting down alone with his coffee.

• The disruption occurs when Miranda (who is unusually early) arrives and meets Graham.

• The recognition of the disruption comes through Graham’s epiphany that he isn’t happy being grumpy after looking at Miranda’s notebook.

• His attempt to ‘repair the disruption’ coincides with the creation of the new equilibrium – his attempt to be happy presents a new outlook, a contrast to his previous miserable mindset.

Vladmir Propp and Characters

• After studying a hundred Russian tales, Vladmir Propp concluded there are only seven ‘types’ of characters, serving a similar purpose across all the stories.

• While his analysis was applied to longer form stories, this concept still has some resonance with my two hander short film.

• One of Propp’s character-types is the donor, who ‘prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object’. This fits in well with the character of Miranda who offers Graham an alternative outlook to his life with the ‘magical’ object referencing her notebook.

• Graham also fills the category of the hero, reacting the donor and receiving the reward once he overcomes the obstacles. In this case he realises he needs to be happier and while the reward is not shown, we see him working towards it and making an effort to change.