Todorov's Narrative Theory

This theory has a circular, sequential structure. There are five main stages that can, supposedly, be applied to any media texts. These five stages are;

Equilibrium - A state of balance and calm, usually placed at the beginning of a narrative, for example the first equilibrium in The Godfather is when he is at the top of the game and in control. This aspect of narrative usually cannot be applied to newspaper articles except in accounts of events.

Disequilibrium/ Disruption -  When the established equilibrium is disturbed in some way, usually as a result of the antagonist or 'bad guy' wanting something which clashes with the wants/needs/morals of the protagonist or 'good guy'. This stage can be applied to all media forms with a narrative: films, books, games, even newspaper articles. In fact, most newspaper articles begin with a disequilibrium, for example reporting a theft.

Recognition -  The main characters/protagonist/people recognise that there has been a disequilibrium. This can be applied in most kinds of media, although newspaper articles can be described as being mostly recognition of a disruption, as it needs to report it to the audience.

Attempt to restore equilibrium -  This one is self explanatory. The main protagonists attempt to get rid of the disruption in order for their lives to get back to relative normality. This is a common convention in most media products, for example, a movie may have a big fight scene in which the protagonists and antagonists go against each other more directly. In an article, this doesn't always happen. It only happens if the problem has a resolution to gain or if the people involved attempt to get rid of the disruption. This often doesn't happen as the people haven't yet attempted this yet, or if the newspaper gets disinterested/has other news tat takes precedence.

New Equilibrium - This is when the equilibrium is generally restored, however there may be some changes, for example, in The Godfather the son takes over as the head of the gang at the end. This again, isn't always in a newspaper article for the reasons listed above. Without going through one of the stages, the narrative cannot then progress to the next stage.