'In the name of the father' propps narrative functions

Propp’s Narrative Functions

‘Trickery’ (Propp’s Narrative Functions)

• Zeitgeist – The British public were “baying for blood” and there was a A LOT of anti-Irish feelings amongst the British during “The Troubles”.

• The Government set up the ‘Prevention of Terrorism Act” to appease British public demands to defeat the IRA.

Inspector Dixon – the ‘Villain’ (Propp’s character roles) – is the figurehead of this desire to hold “suspected terrorists for upto 7 days”.

Terrorist - Connotations behind this verbal code?

Did the Conlon family and the rest of the ‘Guildford 4’ suspects receive a fair trial?

‘Struggle’ (Propp’s Narrative Functions)

Non-Diegetic Voiceover –

“Our case was so insane that if you made it up, know one would believe it” Examples of where there is a ‘struggle’ against the oppressors:

“Then you’re British” – Prejudice from the Prison guards.

“Irish Bastards!” and “Irish scum” – Prejudice from the Prisoners.

YOU SHOULD analyse the film to establish WHAT ‘struggles’ Gerry (in particular) has to overcome in order to clear his name and defeat the “evil” British political system.

• Do Giuseppe and Gerry identify themselves as “British”?• Dominant reading (Stuart Hall – 1980) – Does this force the

spectator to sympathise with the Conlons?

‘Punishment’ (Propp’s Narrative Functions)

• Does Gerry take the IRA seriously?• Danny – Gerry’s friend – is killed because he was “an incurable thief” – Would Gerry have

met the same fate?

What other form of ‘Punishment’ (Propp’s Narrative Functions) does Gerry encounter in the text?

YOU SHOULD research 2-3 more scenes of where this is represented.

‘Victory’ (Propp’s Narrative Functions)

High angle long shot of the Courtroom cheering the ‘Guildford 4’ – • HOW is this in binary opposition (Levi Strauss) to

how they are greeted when they were first convicted?

“In the matter of HER MAJESTY vs. Gerrard Patrick Conlon, the case is hereby dismissed”

• HOW do the spectators feel at this moment in the text?• Is it a ‘resolution’ (Syd Field) in the narrative and for the

hardship the convicted have gone through? Or…...

“I watched my Father die in a British prison for something he

didn’t do!”

“I will fight on!”

Key Term: Open Narrative -Will there be further ‘struggle’ (Propp) beyond the texts closure?