BA4 Contextual Studies - Propp's Morphology of the Folktale

Vladimir Propp devised a system to analyze the narrative structure of folklore. He published Morphology of the Folktale in 1958, attempting to organize the functions of elements within folktales into a chronological sequence, revealing the sequential "syntagmatic" structure. This analyses the structure of the sequence as contrasted with the paradigmatic structure which relates to the wider cultural context of the tale or "text".

This form of analysis "should be useful in analyzing the structure of literary forms (such as novels and plays), comic strips, motion-picture and television plots, and the like." - Alan Dundes, Introduction to the Second Edition of Morphology of the Folktale, 1968.

Propp's Morphology of the Folktale should therefore be useful in analyzing the narrative structure of the modern video game, allowing us to reveal the core functions that underpin the structure of games and use these recurring elements to provide a foundation for our own games, giving an underlying meaning and purpose to characters and objects within our game worlds. 

Space Invaders was designed and programmed by Toshihiro Nishikado for Taito in Japan in 1978. It quickly became a world wide phenomenon, commanding the attention of children and adults alike. Every pub had one; and cabinets like these were soon covered with flicked fag ash and shandy pint glass rings all over the planet... 

COME WITH ME BACK TO 1978!

Dance along to John Travolta and Olivia Newton John on the jukebox, order another two pints of lager and a packet of crisps, dig out your small change and let's play Space Invaders: "Deconstructed in the light of Propp's Morphology of the Folktale"...

II. y 2 - The Inverted Interdiction

The "Sphere's of Action" are how the functions join together logically in the tale, or game world, and these spheres correspond to their respective performers. 

So, to continue with the "Space Invaders" analogy, the player ship would be given the function of the Victim Hero and the Villain would be the Alien Invaders raining down missiles. 

The game worlds Sphere's of Action could therefore be described as follows:

II. Inverted Interdiction y 2. Order given to the Hero; "Press Start". Begin your quest to Defend the Earth! Further to this we can clearly see that "the spectre of this misfortune already hovers invisibly above the happy family" - Propp, Morphology of the Folk Tale p.27.

This is also connected with IX. Dispatch B 2. The Hero is dispatched directly.

VIII. Villainy - A 19. The Villain declares War. The Space invaders begin to bomb the player, the players protective barriers and the "Earth".

XII. The first function of the Donor D 8 and D 9. A hostile creature attempts to destroy the Hero and a hostile creature engages the Hero in combat. The Invaders are Donors as well as Villains as they give the player Hero points when destroyed, increasing your status as Hero amongst your peers.

XXI. Pursuit, Chase. Pr 1. The pursuer flies after the Hero. The Space invaders literally fly from the skies, raining death and destruction down like the fire of a folktale dragon.

The Hero / Player's name is added to the roll of honour when all their three lives are extinguished, preserving their achievements to inspire the next Hero / Player. It is interesting to note that the player / Hero has 3 lives itself an especially significant number in folklore terms; 3 wishes, 3 hags, 3 sisters. The trilogy has enormous symbolic significance.

The Hero never returns home or gains a resolution to the conflict. This is a perpetual war as endless waves of hostile invaders continually attempt to annihilate the Hero. In this sense we can see that the Hero and Villain are "stuck" in an endless loop, forever doomed to war without end.

It's interesting to think of the game world as a "character" or "actor" in it's own right; directed by the "developer" or "author" to fulfill a particular sphere of action in relation to the player/actor/hero. That's a relationship I hadn't fully considered until now and also raises other interesting further avenues of speculation, especially in regard to the author/developer role in shaping the narrative and the gameplay experience in a directed fashion in order to elicit a particular emotional and possibly cathartic response with the player/actor. Indeed, could this cathartic response be heightened as a result of the player being the prime agent in their own transformation?