I found the section in Beginning Theory about Vladimir Propp's philosophy particularly interesting, because it reminded me of a British Literature class I took two semesters ago here at TCU.
In that class, we learned about the various stages of the hero narrative. At the time, I thought it was fascinating that so many stories could fit into the same structure. Now, I find myself looking at the whole of literature through the lens of literary theory. True, Propp's categorization refers specifically to fairy/folk tales, but I'm sure similar lists of elements/events could be made for just about every literary genre.
So, then, we return to the tenet which says that all forms of art are interrelated. No new literature is completely new, but is rather a reworking of that which has already been done. It is the same story over and over again, only with slightly different characters which may, at first glance, appear original, but really just fit into a pre-established mold which we have come to expect.
Yes, while reading that particular section of Beginning Theory it reminded me the Major British Writers class I took last semester at TCU. I agree that it’s amazing how one structure can be the basis for so many stories. I believe that there are structures that exist for not only fairy tales and hero stories, but all stories. Whether or not there’s fire breathing dragons, damsels in distress, or quests for gold, there are always characters that can be considered heroes. Therefore it is clear the literature is interrelated. I strongly agree with your point about there being no new literature. It all seems to have some traces back to something that’s already been written or told. This doesn’t only exist in terms of literature, but also other forms of entertainment. Like music, for example, when it comes to country it’s usually about loving and leaving or when it comes to hip hop it’s usually about drugs and alcohol. The same lack of newness exists in the world of tv and film. I mean how many doctor and cops shows are they going to make? I guess it’s just about what the people like and think is popular. When it comes to movies, there’s always a mission to be completed, action to be taken, violence, and a glimmer of romance. The attempts people make to produce something new are usually not accepted very well because the people want what’s normal and usual. People don’t like change as much as they think they want it.
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