Applying Todorov, Barthes and Propp's Theory to "Stan" by Eminem

Reminder of Todorov's Theory:

• Equilibrium - This is always at the start of the media text, of where everything is normal and well in the characters life. They are usually happy, and are getting on with life as normal without any problems to deal with. 
• Disruption - This is when the Equilibrium is disrupted by the villain causing a problem for the main characters. A disruption disrupts the flow of normal events for the main character and the disruption causes enigmas (problems) for the main characters. 
• Resolution - The resolution is when the main character solves the main problems within the film and overcomes the villain and all obstacles that have been put in front of them. 
• New Equilibrium - This is always the end of the media text, when the problems have been made and have been resolved. The main characters are trying to get back to normal again, and have learned from their past experiences. 

Applying Todorov's Theory to Stan

• Equilibrium - The equilibrium in this music video is when Dido is laying in bed pregnant sleeping peacefully. All is well at this current time and there seems to be no problems with the woman at all.
• Disruption - The disruption in the music video is when Dido gets up and tries to go in the bathroom, and the bathroom is locked. Stan is in there pouring a liquid substance over his head/hair, and she knocks on the door to try and use the bathroom but Stan doesn't open the door and acts aggressively towards Dido. He gets angry and shouts at her. 
• Resolution - The resolution in this music video isn't really a happy resolution. The resolution is when the problems are solved for the main characters and the resolution in this music video is when Stan is driving his car along the bridge and falls into the river and drowns. This is the resolution as it stops the pain in Stan's head, and it stops all of the abusive relationship problems that Dido had been having with Stan.
• New Equilibrium -  The new equilibrium in this music video is at the end of the video at Stan's funeral when Dido is talking to the little boy, probably trying to re-assure him that everything is going to be okay after Stan's death. 

Reminder of Barthes' Theory

Open - An Open text is when the media text has no definitive end, and many people can think different things about it, and make up their own conclusions.
Closed - A Closed text is when there is only one real meaning in the film, and all audience members are only pulling at one thread. There is a definitive conclusion to the media text, and there are no questions at the end of it.
Polysemic - A Polysemic text is a media text of which different people can get different meanings and different ideas from the text that they have absorbed, depending on how they see the text.

Applying Barthes' Theory to Stan

I think that Stan definitely agrees with the theory of Barthes. Different people could definitely see it in different ways, and this can be described as a complex bundles of meanings. In terms of the text that I think it is, I think Stan could be seen as a polysemic text. I think this because I could understand different meanings from this video depending on how you look at it. One way this text could be viewed is the dominance of men in relationships and the abuse they give towards women. Another way that this text could be viewed is that it could be seen as the obsession of music artists driving people too far in life to do crazy things. This is definitely possible in today's society. Also, the enigma code is definitely used in this video as there are many problems created throughout this video such as: the problems between Stan and Dido, the desperation of Stan to contact Eminem, and how everyone is going to cope with Stan's death.

Reminder of Propp's Theory

1. Hero
2. Villain
3. Donor
4. Helper
5. Father Figure
6. Dispatcher
7. Princess
8. False Hero

Applying Propp's Theory to Stan

1. Eminem - We see that he does try and write a letter back to Stan to check if he is OK.
2. Stan - Stan could be considered the villain here as he is seen to be horrible to Dido, and possibly going crazy
3. There isn't a donor
4. There isn't a helper
5. The woman at the funeral - She is seen to be talking to the little kid, probably comforting him and giving him wise words
6. There isn't a dispatcher, unless you count that Stan is thinking to himself of driving off.
7. Dido
8. There isn't a false hero.

I found it hard to apply Propp's theory to the "Stan" music video, because there isn't many characters in the music video. I was able to use some of the 8 characters in Stan but the others I didn't really think applied to this video.