Comparing Tzvetan Todorov's theory against films I've already analyzed, and using the conventions to form my own ideas
| Panic Room | Harry Brown | Shutter Island | Our Narrative Ideas |
|---|
| Equilibrium | Mother and daughter move into new house | Every day life (from character's perspective) | Protagonist takes on job on island to investigate woman's disappearance | Everything normal-every day life (for characters) |
| Disequilibrium | Villains break in | Protagonist's wife dies (nothing more to live for), gang/drug culture out of control | Doesn't get much information from anyone - can't do job he went to do | Kidnap |
| Recognition of Disruption | Mother realises there are people in the house | Protagonist's friend gets killed - makes him realise the seriousness of the gang situation | Realises job isn't straightforward | Family/friends notice kidnap victim is missing |
| Attempt to Repair | Going into panic room - safety/escape. Using torch to flash to attract neighbour's attention | Protatgonist becomes vigilante and fights back - kills main culprits. Main fight with police on side | Determined to solve issue/do his job. Everything gets more and more confusing/trapped on island. Discovers he is in fact a patient on the island and has made up the story we've seen | Try to find her/save her. False hero situation? |
| Restored/New Equilibrium | Villains' deaths, police arresting surviving villain | Gang culture goes down after fight | Partial equilibrium - back to the way it was at the start (protagonist unaware he is a patient on Shutter Island) | Victim saved, everything okay/back to normal |
