Narrative: analysing structure, enigma and action codes, character function and the construction of a story across a media text as one of the key aspects of media literacy.

What this dot point is asking

Narrative is the key aspect of media literacy that deals with how a text constructs and tells a story: its structure, the devices that drive interest, and the functions characters perform. A question on narrative asks you to analyse these choices and explain how they engage and position the audience. The crucial discipline is analysing how the story is told, not retelling what happens. This dot point sets out the narrative features to analyse and how to turn them into analysis of audience engagement.

The answer

To analyse narrative, examine how a text structures and tells its story, then explain how those choices engage and position the audience. Look at structure (linear or non-linear ordering, openings and resolutions, the shape of a print or screen text), at the codes that drive interest (enigma codes that pose questions, action codes that promise consequence), at character function (protagonist, antagonist, helper and the roles characters play in the story), and at point of view (whose perspective the audience shares). For each, explain the effect on the audience. The decisive habit is analysing construction over content: explain how the narrative is built and told, never simply summarise the plot.

Structure: how the story is ordered

Narrative structure is the arrangement of a text's events. A linear structure tells events in order; a non-linear structure rearranges them, using flashbacks or withheld information. Openings establish a situation and often an enigma; resolutions close or leave open the questions raised. Analysing structure means explaining how the ordering shapes the audience's understanding and involvement, for example how withholding a key event makes the audience piece the story together.

Enigma and action codes drive interest

Two codes commonly drive narrative engagement. An enigma code poses a question or mystery that the audience wants resolved, pulling them through the text. An action code sets up an expectation of consequence (a loaded gun, a countdown), promising that something will follow. Analysing these codes means naming the question or expectation and explaining how it hooks the audience.

Character function and point of view

Characters perform functions in a narrative: a protagonist the audience follows, an antagonist who creates conflict, helpers and other roles. Point of view is whose perspective the audience is given. Analysing these means explaining how the text positions the audience to align with, judge or distrust characters, and how that shapes their experience of the story.

Examples in context

Take a studied crime drama. Analysing narrative, you might explain that the text opens with an enigma (an unexplained death), which poses the central question and compels the audience to watch for its answer. You might analyse structure: a non-linear sequence of flashbacks reveals information gradually, so the audience reconstructs events alongside the detective, deepening involvement. You might analyse character function: aligning the audience's point of view with the detective positions them to share the investigation rather than observe it from outside.

Take a studied advertisement with a mini-narrative. The short story sets up a small enigma (a problem) and resolves it with the product, so the narrative structure positions the audience to associate resolution and satisfaction with the brand. Each point names a narrative choice and explains its effect on engagement.

Try this

Q1. What does narrative analysis examine, and what should it avoid? [2 marks]

• What the marker wants. It examines how the story is constructed and told (structure, codes, character function, point of view) and avoids retelling the plot.

Q2. Define an enigma code and explain its effect. [2 marks]

• What the marker wants. A device that poses an unanswered question or mystery; the desire to resolve it drives the audience through the text.

Q3. How can point of view position an audience? [2 marks]

• What the marker wants. By giving the audience a character's perspective, the text aligns their sympathy or understanding with that character, shaping how they experience the story.

A note on sources

This guide is AI-written and not individually human-reviewed. The key aspect of narrative follows SQA's Higher Media course specification; verify current detail against the SQA Higher Media documents at sqa.org.uk.