Vladimir Propp’s chapter ‘The Functions of Dramatis Personae’ describe the role the characters within a story play from a morphological perspective. The model Propp presents is divided into 31 functions. These functions signify important characters in the story, the function they serve within the plot, and the sequence of the tale itself. The first function involves one of the members of the family becoming absent for instance a parent might go on a trip. This is the initial situation which serves as the basis for the unfolding of the rest of the tale. The 2nd function is addressing of interdiction to the hero. In this step the hero is advised, request, warning, or a direct order etc. According to Propp the 1st and 2nd function act as a pair. The 3rd function is that of the violation of the 2nd function which is the interdiction. This function is extremely crucial because without this conflict there would be no story at all. It is the violation of what has been asked of the hero that makes a tale unique and worthy of telling. It is through this function that an ordinary story turns into a tale of adventure. It is also during this stage that the character of the villain enters the story and becomes a part of it.
The fourth function of reconnaissance deals with the aspect of the villain seeking something. In this stage the villain is actively attempting to gain something. In the 5th function of delivery the villain gains some kind of information against the victim which gives him an upper hand in the situation. Trickery is the 6th function which involves the villain trying to trick the victim in some way. For instance, in the tale of Adam and Eve the snake tricks Eve into eating the apple from the forbidden tree by lying and persuading her that it is the right thing to do. In the 7th function of complicity the victim or hero furthers the villain’s plans by acting in a way in which the villain intended. With this 7th function the first sphere of introduction of the tale ends. The second sphere of the body of the story begins with the 8th function relating to the ideas of villainy and lack. In the first stage the villain inflicts some kind of harm to a family member. In the 2nd stage of this function a certain sense of lack is recognized. The pairing of these two aspects in this function makes it one of the most crucial stages of the tale because it becomes the catalyst for the hero taking some decisive action to bring back harmony to the family or community. The 9th function of mediation is where the hero finds out about the villainy that has been committed or the lack of something which is identified. In this step, the hero becomes the center of the story and he begins to actively seek for a resolution. The 10th function of counteraction deals with the hero choosing to take positive action. The hero has two options; he can either choose negative action against the villain to take revenge or he can take a positive action and choose his own path towards a resolution. If he chooses negative action then e is no different than the villain it is his choice of positive action that defines him as a hero. The 11th function is that of departure in which the hero leaves home and begins his journey. This becomes the starting of the mission which the hero must complete in order to fulfill his role as a hero.
The 12th function is the beginning of the 3rd sphere of the donor sequence. This function is where the hero and is challenged gets tested to prove his mettle proving he is worthy of being a hero. The hero’s response to the challenge is the 13th function. The hero’s reaction shows where the story will go. The 14th function is where the hero acquires the magical object or agent for which he had set out from home. In the 15th function the hero gains some form of guidance which will help him in his journey. The 16th function is where the hero and the villain fight directly with each other against each other. This function contains a lot of internal and external struggle. In the 17th function the hero is branded in some manner. This branding will change the hero internally or externally in a permanent way. The 18th function involves the defeat of the villain. Finally the hero is successful in obtaining victory against his enemy. This is also the function which shows the victory of light against dark, good against evil etc. This section is the climax of the story. In the 19th function the lack or misfortune which became the basis for the hero’s journey is resolved.
The next 11 functions fall into the 4th sphere of the return of the hero. In the 20th function the hero begins his journey back home. In the 21st function the hero is chased by some agent that might prevent the hero from reaching home. In the 22nd function the hero is rescued from the agent that pursues him. His journey ahead is clear and in the 23rd function he reaches back home safely. However, the journey and events of his journey has changed the hero so dramatically that he is no longer recognized that person who left home .due to the changed appearance of the hero another false hero claims to be the real hero which makes the 24th function of claim. The 25th function is involves a task being given to the hero to prove that he is indeed the real hero and worthy of the reward and accolades instead of the false hero. This function may involve fun games or other entertaining tasks that still have the engagement or element of suspense but the dark mood from the villain’s part is gone and the mood is light-hearted. The 26th function is the resolution of the task assigned to the hero. In the 27th function the hero is recognized as being the real person who went through the difficult journey. The branding of the hero plays an important role in this function as it helps the people to recognize who the real hero is. The 28th function is the exposure of the false hero who made the claim of being the hero and/or deserving the reward. In the 29th function the hero is transfigured. In the 30th function the villain is punished. In the final function the hero is married and he rises to the throne which he so well deserves.
Analysis of Beneath Floes according to Propp’s Dramatis Personae
The interactive fiction ‘Beneath Floes’ by Kevin Snow is not like any other story. The elements and characters of this story are very complicated and it is very difficult to analyze it using Propp’s dramatis personae. The two main characters in the story are the narrator and the reader. We as readers are equally a part of the story that we are reading about. Hence, it becomes very difficult to distinguish between the different characters. In my opinion the hero of the story will be the reader since the storyteller takes the reader on the journey. However, later in the story one begins to question whether it is the reader or the storyteller who is the real hero of the story. In order to bring some sort of sense and order the reader will be regarded as the hero of the story ‘Beneath Floes.’
The 1st and 2nd function of Propp’s dramatis personae are pretty clear as, I, the reader becomes the family member who becomes absent. The interdiction to not wander the shoreline alone at night is expressed by the narrator. The hero (the reader) violates the interdiction which is the 3rd function. The villain seeks to gain entrance into the hero’s or the community’s life which is the 4th function. In the case of ‘Beneath Floes’ this villain is an absent villain for now. This means that although the presence of the villain, which is the qallunaaq, is the corporate or capitalist system which targets the consumer or the hero. The entrance of the unknown other into the hero’s body becomes the 5th function. Moreover, it is also mentioned that the mind of her ois taken over which signifies the 6th function which is the trickery of the villain. In this case, the villain tricks the mind by instilling fear in the heart and mind. The 7th function is played out in complicitly helping out the enemy by stepping forward when the qalupalik appears from the floe.
The 8th function is presented in form of the weight that stops the hero from running away from the qalupalik. The hero falls, the ice burns the skin. Thus, harm is inflicted by villainy and a lack of courage in the face of danger is identified. “In these last moments, which are always vain, you hope the storytellers say you had muscles like Superman.” These lines make up the 9th function which is the identification of the need for strength. The 10th function is completed when the hero withdraws from the qalupalik finding strength within them and taking positive action. We can recognize the 11th function in which the hero leaves home in the incident where the hero sets up the fox traps.
The hero is tested when he sees the qallunaaq he hoards comic books which is the 12th function. The hero responds to the test by grabbing the comic book and running away completing the 13th function. The 14th function of acquiring the magical item in this case can be the rebellious spirit with which the hero runs away from the qallunaaq. The 15th function is the reaching of the hill on which the hero goes down on the ground. The 16th function becomes apparent as the hero has trapped the qallunaaq on the hill. The following sequence of the fight between the bear and the dogs becomes the combat between the villain and the hero. The branding of the hero which is the 17th function is symbolized by the lame dog. The 18th function of the victory of the hero and defeat of the villain takes place in the incident in which the bear shoots up to the stars. The 19th function of the resolution, like the rest of this story, comes in a very unusual way. The resolution that we as readers feel from the conflict and combat between the bear and the villain comes in the form of the explanation that the narrator then provides. The narrator explains what the bear and the dogs stood for, what the hill represented, and what the author wanted to imply through this tale. This is the resolution to the conflict which had been presented to us as the readers by the storyteller. Interestingly, the 18th and and19th function is repeated again now in the story of the hero and the qallunaaq on the hill.
The 20th function of the return of the hero is symbolized by his return to the floe. He is being pursued by the qallunaaq who the hero wants to trap in the sea and this becomes the 21st function. The 22nd function when the pursuit ends is when both the hero and the qallunaaq jump into the sea. The 23rd function is represented in the hero arriving in the story underneath the ice now. The hero cannot be identified as his appearance has changed due to being in the sea. The 29th function in which the hero is given a new appearance is the scene in which he appears under the water having become a part of the group of qallunaaq. To my understanding the 31st function of the wedding of the hero and the ascension to throne is symbolized by the hero accepting the qallunaaq and settling in to hear its stories. However, I could not identify the functions; 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, or 30 in the story ‘Beneath Floes.’
The dimensions of the story ‘Beneath Floes’ are so complicated that at times it becomes difficult to differentiate between the hero and the villain. For instance, the hero tricks the qallunaaq into following him and going into the sea water. However, the hero only does this because he had escaped the qalupalik and he now had to bring another victim to it. Thus, in his desire for survival the hero does something unethical and he also becomes the villain for the qallunaaq which he traps. The choices that the creator of the story presents at some points align with the plot functions since they serve as being the active agents of the story. Even though the choices may not have had any direct impact on the story itself nevertheless they help to understand the hero in a better way. Propp’s functions actually helped me to understand this story more clearly. At first reading this story seemed highly intriguing but also very confusing since similar episodes were being repeated and the tale was not a simple one to understand. Using Propp’s functions I was able to identify some clear characters, incidents, and chronology of events which I had not previously understood.
Works Cited
Propp, Vladimir. “Functions of Dramatis Personae.” Propp, Vladimir. Morphology of the Folktale . Austin: University of Texas Press, 1973. 25-65.