Narrative Theory -Sam Smith 'I'm Not The Only One'

Narrative Theory- Sam Smith ‘I’m Not the Only One’

The video I’m not the only one by Sam Smith is about a couple: the wife that is aware of her husband who cheats on her and we follow them both through there day of what they both do.

In relation to Tim O’Sullivan the music video is about a relatable issue what a lot of women and men go through in relationships. People would often feel emotion towards the girl who is clearly hurting at the fact that her ‘faithfully’ husband isn’t faithfully.

Kate Domaille who said that every story can be fitted into eight types of narrative for Sam Smith music video‘I’m not the only one’ she would class this as ‘Tristant and Iseuit ‘ and‘Romeo and Juliet’ as the narrative of the story is about a wife who loves her husband and he cheats on her with others. However she is seen at the ending of the video to take him back because of how she loves him and is not ready to let him go because she relies on him to much.

This video is a re-presentation as it creates a narrative based on society because it’s showing what some people think is socially acceptable. However, it is not acceptable but the guy assumes it is and it shows the effects of what cheating can do. Again the media text relates back to the audience, which is mainly sixteen to early twenties that are mainly there only problems on average that they have to face.

Boardwell and Thompsons theory is about how they offer two clear distinctions between the story and plot which relate to diegeis world of narrative that the audience are able to accept and what they actually see. As the audience we see everything that happens to them in relation to the narrative.

As we see the husband in dingy bar meeting a girl who he will cheat on his wife with which we actually see.

However, we do not see the wife recover from her mental breakdown and we just see her at the end with a new dress on and her make up sorted out so she doesn’t look like she knows so her husband doesn’t suspect anything. However, both stories are told from two points of view so that it is following their own days so the footage isn’t continuity edited and events are not in chronological order.

Todorvo’s theory which is where every film/music video is perceived in stages.

Such as stage one is a point of stable of equilibrium and everything is calm and normal. We can relate this to the music video ‘I’m not the only one’ as we see that the couple are happy together and seem like the picture perfect couple.

Stage two means that the stability is disrupted by some kind of force that creates a state of disequilibrium. This is shown in the music video when we see the wife cry and the husband go to the bar and meets another girl.Stage three is a recognition that a disruption has taken place which is when we see the husband go and drink with the girl.Stage four it is only possible to re-create equilibrium through the action directed against the disruption such as when the wife goes and drinks the alcohol to drown her sorrows because she can’t cope with having a cheating husband.

Stage five is the restoration of a new state of equilibrium which is when the husband returns and the wife pretends to be happy again by dressing up and the husband pretends he didn’t cheat. Thus the endless cycle starting again.

Barthes suggests that the narrative works with five different codes and the enigma codes works to keep up setting problems or puzzles for the audience. His theory is based upon our stereotypical understanding of actions that act as a short hand to advancing the narrative. This relates back to Sam Smiths music video as we see as soon as the husband leaves how the wife feels because of her actions of what she does during the time he leaves. Next we see the husband go to a stingy bar and meet up with another woman. We are able to understand what is happening because maybe from other shows or maybe experiences we understand what will happen.