The Function Of Soap Opera's Part 4

Narrative and Representation - Stereotypes

Soaps use a variety of narrative techniques to keep audiences watching.
Here are some of those techniques.

• Cliffhanger: A dramatic event at the end of an episode that promises to be developed next episode.

• Mini-Cliffhanger: A dramatic even that happens before a commercial break that tries to ensure audiences will continue to watch. (Only on ITV, C4, C5).

• Teasers: An event that promises further conflict or dramatic excitement.

• Hooks: An opening scene that has a large dramatic impact or normally continues on from the previous cliffhanger.

• Dramatic Irony: This is when an event happens that the audience know about, but other characters do not.

Here are a list of the techniques that soap opera's use when representing Persons, Places and events.

• Stereotypes and Counter-types
• Use of a gossip to create future conflict
• A greater number of births, deaths and marriages
• Based in real life, but with more tragedies
• A wide range of characters to attract a wider audience
• The name of the soap will have give off strong connotations to it's themes, lifestyles and conflicts