1. Campbell: Monomyths and Journeys
A popular form of structure derived from Joseph Campbell's Monomyth from his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces and adapted by Christopher Vogler is the Twelve Stage Hero's Journey. This is essentially a more detailed Character Arc for your story's hero which is overlaid onto the more traditional three-act structure that many successful Hollywood movies such as Star Wars and The Wizard of Oz when analysed appear to follow.
The 12 Stages od The Hero’s Journey:
Ordinary World – Where the Hero exists before the story begins. Where learn crucial details about him/identify with him.
Call to Adventure - Hero receives a call to action e.g. threat to safety, family.
Refusal to Call – Hero is hesitant to accept the ‘adventure’ , and refuses due to their fear and have to suffer the consequences.
Meeting the Mentor – Hero gets guidance for his quest from his mentor e.g. practical training. Hero no longer filled with doubt.
Crossing the threshold – hero is ready to take on the ‘adventure’ , and crosses the threshold from the world they’re familiar with.
Tests, Allies, Enemies - Obstacles are thrown in the way of the Hero , he most overcome them. There maybe new allies and enemies.
Approach to the Inmost Cave – Can be an actual location in which there is a danger or a conflict is waiting for the Hero to overcome.
Ordeal – A dangerous physical test or a deep inner crisis that the Hero must face e.g. facing his deepest fear. (High Point of story)
Reward (seizing the sword) – After overcoming everything , the Hero is transformed into a stronger person and the ‘reward’ may come with more power, greater knowledge etc.
The Road back – The hero must return home and cross the threshold once again, but the anticipation of danger is replaced with acclaim (enthusiasm and public praise. )
Resurrection – The Hero must have their final and most dangerous encounter with death. This will have consequences to his ordinary life.
Return with the elixir – Hero returns home a changed man, having learnt things and growing as a person . The hero will return to where the began but things will ‘never be the same again’.
Campbell: Monomyths and Journeys

2. Strauss: Binary Opposition
Binary Opposition is a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning. E.g. Good vs Bad, Young vs Old, Male vs Female, Rich vs Poor.
He attempted to find what fundamentals were needed to create a myth. He broke each of the versions of a myth into a series of sentences, consisting of a function and a subject. Sentences with the same function were given the same number and bundled together. These are mythemes.
When he examined the relations between mythemes was that a myth consists of nothing but binary oppositions. Strauss believed that the human mind thinks fundamentally in these binary oppositions and their unification and that these are what make meaning possible.
Application of Theory:
In films such as Harry Potter. You will constantly see Harry Potter portrayed as the “good guy” or the “hero” no matter who he faces. Juxtaposed to Voldemort who is the eternal “villain”. This opposition is portrayed throughout the entire film series from the way they speak, their morals and from how they are presented on posters. Within the image alone you can see the binary opposition between the two characters, as on Harry's face you can see worry clearly present, and a sense of hope, whereas with Voldemort, there is nothing but darkness and evil present in his features.
Strauss: Binary Opposition

3. Todorov: Narrative Theory
Todorov simplified the idea of narrative theory while also allowing a more complex interpretation of film texts with his theory of Equilibrium and Disequilibrium. This is split into five continuous stages.
A state of equilibrium:
When everything is as it should be in a state of equal balance between powers of any kind.
A state of disequilibrium
A disruption by an event.
A recognition that the disorder has occurred.
An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption
A return/restoration of a NEW equilibrium at the end of the narrative.
Application of theory (Die Hard):
1. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is coming home to his family for Christmas and all is calm. (The equilibrium)
2. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his team of terrorists take over the Nakatomi building which is hosting a Christmas part of which McClane and his wife are attending. (Disequilibrium)
3. McClane isn't in the room when the terrorists storm in so is able to move up the building when he hears screaming. People outside of the building realise there's a disruption when a police man's car is shot at from the building. (2 points of recognition)
The police try sending in a SWAT team in which fails. The situation is solved by John McClane throwing Gruber out of a high floor window which kills him. (Repair)
5. The equilibrium is restored when the police got McClane, his wife and the other hostages out of the building, and the McCLane's leave in a police car. (Restoration)
Todorov: Narrative Theory

4. Propp: 8 Character Roles
Propp suggested that every narrative has eight different character types, these character types are:
The villain — Fights the hero in some way.
The dispatcher — Character who makes the villain’s evil known and sends the hero off.
The (magical) helper — Helps the hero in the quest.
The princess/Prize — The hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain and resulting in a “happily ever after” moment.
Her father — Gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father cannot be clearly distinguished.
The donor — Prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
The hero or victim/seeker hero — Reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
False hero — Takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.
Application of Theory:
The Villain - This is the character who struggles against the hero. Typically, with some sort of scarring. The villain will usually wear dark and mysterious colours, and not very attractive. This is to juxtapose between the hero and the villain; to highlight their differences. For example “The Joker” who provides an evil presence in the movie: “The Dark Knight”
The Dispatcher - The character who invites the hero to eliminate the evil. For example the character “Nick Fury” in “Avengers Assemble”. He collects the hero(s) in order to send them off to fight the evil presence.
The Helper - The character who helps the hero fight against evil. An example is the character “Robin” in “Batman and Robin”, he helps the hero by providing a physical presence in order to destroy the villain.
The Princess - The character who needs to be rescued from the evil villain. An example is “Gwen Stacey” in “The Amazing Spiderman”. She is taken by the villain and must be rescued by the hero.
The Donor - The character who offers some sort of help to the hero by providing an object(s) that will help the hero in his/her quest. For example “Lucius Fox” in “Batman Begins”. He helps the hero (Batman) by providing him with weapons and armoury.
The Hero - The most common character type. The character who eliminates the villain and weds the princess. The example I have used is of “Spiderman” in which he eventually defeats the evil and weds the princess (Mary-Jane Watson)
Propp: 8 Character Roles

5. Barthes: The Five Codes
Barthes suggested that there will be one or more of the 5 codes that describe the meaning of texts.
Hermeneutic/Enigma Code:
This code refers to any mystery with a text. Clues are dropped within, but no clear answers are given. Enigmas within the narrative make the audience want to know more. Unanswered enigmas tend to frustrate the audience.
Proairetic/Action Code:
This code contains serial elements of action in texts. Proairetic elements add suspense to the texts.
Semantic Code:
This code refers to parts within the text suggests or refers to additional meanings. Elements of the semantic code are called Semes. The seme has a connotative function in the text. It has an extra layer of meaning in addition to its literal meaning.
Symbolic Code:
This code is about symbolism within the text. It exercises opposites to show contrast and create greater meaning, tension, drama and character development.
Referential Code:
This code refers to anything in the text which refers to an external body of knowledge such as scientific, historical and cultural knowledge.
Barthes: The Five Codes