Vladimir Propp's Character Theory

 Hell'o, Akhil here!!!

Vladimir Propp's character theory, outlined in his 1928 book Morphology of the Folktale, proposes that all characters in Russian fairy tales can be classified into a limited number of archetypal roles based on their functions in the narrative. Rather than focusing on their psychological traits, Propp was concerned with what the characters do to advance the plot. He identified seven (and sometimes eight) main character types, or "spheres of action."

Propp's seven primary character archetypes are as follows:

• The Hero: The protagonist, who goes on a quest to solve a problem or right a wrong. They are often a seeker or a victim.

• The Villain: The antagonist who creates the conflict or causes the initial "villainy" that sets the story in motion. This character may steal, kidnap, or otherwise inflict harm.

• The Donor: A character who tests the hero and, upon a successful outcome, gives them a magical agent or a helpful object.

• The Helper: An entity, often magical, that assists the hero in their quest, such as a helpful animal or a magical sword.

• The Princess (and her Father): The sought-for person or prize. The hero's journey often culminates in a wedding to the princess, symbolizing the defeat of the villain and the restoration of order. Her father is often the dispatcher.

• The Dispatcher: The character who sends the hero on their mission. This can be a king, a parent, or even the princess's father.

• The False Hero: A character who attempts to take credit for the hero's actions or to marry the princess, but is eventually exposed and punished.

Propp's work was foundational to the structuralist approach to literary analysis, asserting that narrative elements, like character functions and plot points, are stable and predictable across different stories, regardless of surface-level details.

In our film opening they where :

The Hero: The Hero is the protagonist who goes on a quest. In the video, the main protagonist who is dared to go into the haunted room takes on this role. He is the one who accepts the challenge and begins the journey to confront the disruption. His action is the first step toward the quest to prove his courage.

The Villain: The Villain is the character who creates the conflict or disruption. The primary villain in this story is the ghost of Ethan Graves. He is the source of the supernatural terror and the reason the "haunted room" is a place of danger. The story of his bullying and subsequent disappearance sets him up as a vengeful or malevolent force. The jumpscare at the end visually confirms his role as the antagonist.

The Dispatcher: The Dispatcher is the character who sends the hero on their quest. The friend who dares the protagonist to go into the haunted room acts as the dispatcher. This character initiates the central action of the story by setting the challenge.

Only these three types of characters are shown  in the film opening scene because of its time limits