PROPP
A few of Propps' character types can be identified in this film:
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HERO: RICKY is the protagonist and is on a quest to start new life for himself
VILLAIN: THE RIVAL GANG continuously torment Ricky and create problems for him. They even cause him to loose people he loves.
DONOR: RICKY’S MUM tries to help Ricky by trying to guide him for a better life. She teaches him and his little brother that they have the choice to escape this kind of life style.
HELPER: WISDOM, despite being the cause of Ricky’s return to a gang lifestyle, is a good friend and helps protect him by giving him a gun for self-defence. He also offers to give Ricky money to help him when he runs away.
PRINCESS: RICKY’S GIRLFRIEND gets caught up in Ricky’s problems and becomes a damsel for Ricky as he tries to save her from his lifestyle.
FATHER: NO ONE TO REWARD IN REALISM films as in reality there wouldn’t be a figure that would provide sanctuary or rewards for these gritty and controversial topics.
THE FALSE HERO: WISDOM despite trying to help Ricky, eventually drags Ricky back into his old ways and prevents him from creating a new beginning despite not meaning to.
BULLET BOY
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Plot
Ricky, 18, is newly released from prison and makes his way back to his neighbourhood with his friend Wisdom. In less than 24 hours, a rival gang in the neighbourhood has already confronted the boys after Wisdom accidentally breaks one of the gangs wing mirror leading to Wisdom giving Ricky a gun later on, pulling him back into gun culture. Wisdom seeks revenge from the rival gang and conflict ignites between the gangs in a series of violent acts. Whilst all this happens, Ricky’s younger brother, Curtis, finds his gun and discovers the consequences of having one when he accidentally shoots his friend. As a result, Ricky is kicked out of his home and is left alone with no one but Wisdom. He goes to his home, only to find him dead and then tries to run away when the rival gang confront him for a final time and shoot him down.
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Sub plot
The sub-plot is one that follows Ricky’s younger brother and his experience with gun crime. Through his brother, he is exposed to the danger of guns, resulting in him hurting his friend and losing his brother. This results in Curtis throwing his brothers gun into a river by the end of the film to show how he has learnt through the experience and wants nothing to do with the gang lifestyle.
TODOROV
This film follows Todorov’s theory as the film can be split into 5 stages.
1. There EQUILIBRIUM is an equilibrium at the start of the film as when Ricky comes out of prison, he has a fresh start and has the choice to amend himself for his previous wrong doings. He has served his time and can make an effort to move on
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2. There is a DISRUPTION in his new start when Wisdom hits the wing mirror of the rival gang, igniting a new neighborhood war and hindering Ricky’s chances of starting a new life.
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3. This disruption is RECOGNISED when Godfrey, a rival gang member, takes action on what Wisdom has done to his car and spreads word that Wisdom is a coward. This causes a chain reaction where Wisdom retaliates by trying to kill Godfrey.
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4. The disruption is attempted to be RESOLVED when Godfrey kills Wisdom and Ricky. This puts an end to the fighting in the neighborhood and a side has one as won and there is no one left to fight.
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5. A NEW EQUILIBRIUM is created when Curtis realises that gun crime has taken everything away from him. This causes him to create a new start for himself when he throws the gun in the river to symbolise that he is putting his brother’s dangerous lifestyle behind him