Texts: Narrative Construction - Propp 22.4

Propp's Character Functions

Propp concluded that all characters could be resolved into 8 broad character functions in the 100 tales he analyzed:

1. The villain — struggles against the hero.
2. The dispatcher — character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
3. The (magical) helper — helps the hero in their quest.
4. The princess or prize and her father — the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain.
5. Her Father.gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, and marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father cannot be clearly distinguished.
6. The donor — prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
7. The hero or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
8. False hero — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.

Vladimir propp 

Task 1: 
Watch and consider one of the following films:
Shrek
The Matrix
Seven or,
A choice of your own
Identify the Proppian characters and say which traits or actions allow you to identify them.

Write up on your own blogs for feedback.