Loads of theorists have come up with narratological models and have coined lots of jazzy terms; Propp, however, is remembered for turning theory into practice with this analysis of Russian wonder tales. In this text, Propp identifies 31 functions that make up these tales, starting with "absentation" (the hero or another family member leaves homes) and ending with "wedding" (the hero gets married and is rewarded). He also divides characters into 7 main types (hero, villain, princess, etc.). Basically, his whole point is that these tales usually work to the same template.
Propp's analysis may be of Russian wonder tales, but can we extend it to any other sorts of texts? Think about whether you recognize any similarities between these tales and narratives that you've watched or read.
Propp's analysis is structural—that is, it's focused on the structure of the texts themselves rather than on the culture in which they were produced, the lives of the authors, or anything like that. Structuralism often gets a bum rap for ignoring this stuff, but are there any plus points about shifting focus from content to structure?