In this film, we can apply most of Propp's Character Types to this film:
1. The ‘Villain’ is Regina (leader of the Plastics).
2. The ‘Donors’ are Janis and Damien (social outcasts who teach Cady about the school’s system).
3. The ‘Helpers’ again are Janis and Damien (who help the hero develop a plan against the Plastics).
4. The closest person to a ‘Princess’ is Aaron (Regina’s ex – boyfriend and Cady’s crush).
5. The ‘Princess’ Father’ doesn’t apply to this narrative.
6. The ‘Dispatcher’ would probably be Janis (who wants Cady in the Plastics for what Regina did).
7. The ‘Hero’ is Cady in this film.
8. The ‘Usurper’ does not apply here as far as I am aware.
Some of Propp's 31 Functions also apply to Mean Girls although it is not is a very good theory (as I will go on to talk about later):
1. The ‘Villain’ is Regina (leader of the Plastics).
2. The ‘Donors’ are Janis and Damien (social outcasts who teach Cady about the school’s system).
3. The ‘Helpers’ again are Janis and Damien (who help the hero develop a plan against the Plastics).
4. The closest person to a ‘Princess’ is Aaron (Regina’s ex – boyfriend and Cady’s crush).
5. The ‘Princess’ Father’ doesn’t apply to this narrative.
6. The ‘Dispatcher’ would probably be Janis (who wants Cady in the Plastics for what Regina did).
7. The ‘Hero’ is Cady in this film.
8. The ‘Usurper’ does not apply here as far as I am aware.
Some of Propp's 31 Functions also apply to Mean Girls although it is not is a very good theory (as I will go on to talk about later):
- Villain tries to meet hero; Regina and the Plastics ask Cady to have lunch with them.
- Member of hero's family desires "the lack"; Janis desires to have to "Burn Book" to get revenge on Regina.
- Hero discovers the lack; Cady finds out about the "Burn Book".
- Hero leaves home; Cady leaves her friends to infiltraete the Plastics.
- Location shifts to the place where the lack is to be found; Cady joins the Plastics.
- Hero and villain in direct combat; Cady attempts to bring down the Plastics throughout the film.
- Villain defeated; Cady gets revenge on Regina by making her eat high - calorie bars to gain weight.
- Initial lack liquidated; Cady gets to the "Burn Book" and writes a rumour in it.
- Unrecognised, the hero arrives home; Cady returns to Janis and Damien, still as a Plastic.
- Difficult task is set; Cady has to join her friends again.
- Task resolved by the hero; Cady gives her friends the Prom Queen crown.
- True hero recognised; Janis and Damien like Cady again.
- Villain is punished; Plastics disperse apart.
Clearly, Propp's theory is flawed in several ways.
- In my opinion, it is too vague; his theory says that there are several things that can happen in films, this can be very vague, e.g. the "hero" is just the main character of the film in this theory and every film will have some form of problem.
- Propp's theory does not consider the ways in which characters can change their story with dialogue, etc.
- This theory is also outdated I think; this was based on old Russian folk stories, since then films have changed for several reasons and can have very different narratives.
- His theory is very gender bias; the hero is a man looking to find a princess in his theory. Today, many protagonists are female in films such as this one.
(Please note, I have not seen 'Mean Girls' and have written this theory application based on various plot summaries on the internet which may not be reliable)
