Deconstruction of the characters in "It's kind of a funny story"

Vladimir Propp's theory of narrative

Vladimir Propp suggested that characters took on the role of narrative 'spheres of action' or functions. He came up with 7 different character types:

• The hero - usually male, is the agent who restores the narrative equilibrium often by embarking upon a quest. The hero is invariably the texts central character.

• The villain - usually creates the narrative disruption

• The donor - gives the hero something, it may be the object, information or advice, which helps in resolution of the narrative. 

• The princess - is usually the character most threatened by the villain and has to saved by the hero.

• The dispatcher sends the hero on her or his task

• The false hero appears to be good but is revealed at the narrative's end to be bad.

Craig Gilner is 15 years old and suffers from depression. He started having symptom's a few weeks after starting highschool at Executive Pre-Professional. The school's intense academic pressure caused him much stress. After going to countless doctors and therapist's he stops taking his medicationand his suicidal thought's become greater to the point he contemplated jumping off the Brooklyn bridge. He then check's himself into a hospital and meets other patients. This is the main protagonist as the story revolves around him and his mental illness. I decided to look into this character because they are very similar to the protagonist in our teaser trailer; both suffering  from depression and suicidal thoughts.

Noelle is a patient at the hospital that Craig forms a strong bond with. Like Craig, Noelle broke under the pressure and became very stressed, leading to her depression. Unlike Craig however, she was pressured by boys. She cut her face with scissor's and was admitted into the hospital for self-harm. According to Propp's theory, Noelle can be seen as the helper as she forms a strong bond with Craig and helps him through his depression. 

Bobby is one of the mental patient's in the hospital. Bobby and Craig form a quick bond and Craig looks up to him, almost like a mentor. Bobby end's up getting a job, after Craig let's him borrow one of his shirts to wear to a job interview. Bobby can be seen as the donor in this film because Craig looks up to him and he offers advice for Craig.


Our trailer
Our character fulfils more than one sphere character type; the victim and the villain. She is self-destructive and destroys her own life by taking drugs. This was done by featuring a close up shot of her heating up syrup on a spoon which acted as heroin, followed by a tracking shot of her running away in a subway under low-key lighting; further emphasizing how her life has changed and that there is little hope. This shows that there is not always a hero and that she has to face her problems alone; conforming to social realism.