Applying the concept of narrative to a trailer

The concept of narrative refers to the way in which a story is told through media texts, and the meanings demonstrated as a result. This concept can be analysed through the film trailer of 'Obsessed', a 2009 American thriller film featuring Idris Elba and Beyonce Knowles.

The film tells the story of a married black man, Derek (Elba) and his office temp Lisa, a white woman who repeatedly attempts to seduce him. Therefore, Levi-Strauss' theory of binary oppositions may be considered to be juxtaposed and subverted from for meaning and an effective method to create originality. This is due to the fact that within the concept of binary opposites, white is traditionally perceived to be 'good' which may derive from conventions associated with colonialism, however, Lisa is presented to be evil as her obsession with Derek is presented through various psychotic acts. As well as this, Derek, a black man, is innocent yet doubted by his wife and so this suggests that binary opposites have been subverted from.

Post feminism can also be applied to this trailer as Lisa is presented to be provocative and confident to express her sexuality which would have subverted from gender norms of the past, when women were culturally expected to be submissive and modest as a result of a high value of representation of identity and reputation within society. Furthermore, Lisa is a white female attempting to pursue her boss, a black male which illustrates a shift in positions within society because of a breakdown in a patriarchal society and therefore questions gender politics, and simultaneously demonstrates the fluidity of representation

The concept of post colonialism can also be used to analyse 'Obsessed'. This is because the reactions to the cultural legacy of colonialism meant that interracial relationships were gradually accepted, and this is shown through the white woman pursuing a black man and his wife presuming it as a love affair as interracial relationships are now normalised.


Linking to 'Infatuated'

• White female (Anastasia) pursuing black male (Gabriel)
• Characters not defined by race/stereotypes - deracialised - post colonialism
• Levi-Strauss' theory of binary opposites: white = 'good' & black = 'bad' (subverting from conventions)