"Pushing Daisies" Narrative Criticism

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Narrative Criticism is an analytical method that outlines how a story is told, but more specifically who is telling the story and what elements are used to tell it. It is comprised of two basic aspects of storytelling referred to as “plot” and “discourse.” Plot refers to the simple “what happens to whom” of the text, while discourse is referring to which method the plot is told to the audience. This could be using production values, visual elements or other methods of production. There are several different narrative “vocabularies” that exist to tell the story. Three of which are: traditional- as outlined by Aristotle, structuralist- concerned with an approach to look at the plot, and visualist- which uses visual filming aspects like color, icons, and light-dark to delineate the plot or discourse. But no matter what vocabulary is used you will always find a common narrative structure observed in the text. It begins in the story with some kind of state of equilibrium, which is then interrupted and thrown out of balance. Throughout the story you see attempts to bring back that balance, inevitably ending up with the equilibrium restored. The pilot to the show Pushing Daisies humorously titled “Pie-lette” can be described using a very visualist narrative vocabulary. This is because of the incredibly strong visual elements used to instill certain emotions into its audience and give the text more meaning. The story revolves around a man named Ned who has a special gift to both give and take life with a simple touch. It begins with him portrayed as a boy before he first learns of his power, living in his almost surreal, bright, friendly suburban neighborhood with his loving home-maker of a mother. This represents Ned’s equilibrium, his innocence, before accidentally taking his childhood sweetheart’s father’s and even his mother’s life in the process of learning his new

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