Vladimir Propp

Vladimir Propp developed a character theory for studying media texts and productions, which indicates that there were 7 broad character types in the 100 tales he analysed, which could be applied to other media:

1. The villain (struggles against the hero)
2. The donor (prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object)
3. The (magical) helper (helps the hero in the quest)
4. The princess (person the hero marries, often sought for during the narrative)
5. Her father (usually dies during or before the end of the film/book)
6. The dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off)
7. The hero or victim/seeker hero, reacts to the donor, weds the princess

The film of which Ii have found which goes directly with this theory is 'The Iincredibles' this film is an animated film which Is about a family who all have there own specials powers. Within this film they are found to have there allies, and there enemies. Between all of them there are 7 characters which fit in with Vladimir Propp's theory.

The hero in The Incredibles is Mr Incredible, he is the father of the family and the main superhero out of all of them. He is always on the look out for crime that he can fight to keep the city he loves the most safe. He is a male character and the most predominant out of all of them due to his size and general look. He is the character who saves the day in the film.

The Donor in The Incredibles is thought to be a machine that is used to kill the enemy, without the machine he would not be able to destroy the enemies machines and therefore he would not be able to do what his aim has been all along and save the city. The machine also helps Mr Incredible find out what the enemy is trying to do as it has a computer in it which helps to find out what there target is.

The Helper in The Incredibles is the hardest to choose, due to the large family all helping to defeat the enemy it would be the entire family but there are also others which help him in the final fight against the enemy and these consist of Frozone, Mr Incredibles best friend and Edna, who is a genius and creates suits that help the Incredibles to fight without losing there powers or clothes.

The Princess in The Incredibles is difficult to find as they usually find themselves fighting for each member of there family just to keep the villain away, the only reward that Mr Incredible is offered is a large pay increase and a 'chance to re-live the good days' which is what Mr Incredible has been looking for ever since the superheroes of the city had been forced to lie low for good. So the pay and chance would have to be the reward at the end of the fighting.

The Father is usually seen as an authoritive figure who offers a reward to the hero for there success, as I just mentioned Mr Incredible had been offered the pay rise and chance to live in the glory days it is a women in the film called Mirage who offers him this, she would be seen as the father due to the offers she makes.


The Dispatcher in The Incredibles is Frozone, he is the one who sends Mr Incredible on his mission, he helps him throughout the mission but is also the one who lets him know of what is going on.

The final person of the 7 is The Villain, in The Incredibles 'Syndrome' is the villain. He is the one that is creating robots that kill real super heroes, this way he will be left as one of the only heroes by using fake sources. Mr Incredible sets out to stop him from killing anymore super heroes and making himself look like a hero.