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The Sun - Narrative

Media Studies: Eduqas GCSE, topic 2.12.2

The Sun (22 March 2025) - Narrative

The issue of The Sun, which was published on 22nd March 2025, constructs a drama of a crisis at Heathrow airport and directs anger toward those in power.

Narrative theory links (Todorov)

Narrative theory links (Todorov)

  • Todorov’s Narrative Stages:
  • Equilibrium (What was normal?):
  • Normal air travel at Heathrow is safe, functional, and professionally run.
  • Disruption:
  • Headline "Substation blaze shuts Heathrow"
  • The central, dramatic image of the fire, engulfing the building with flames and smoke, is visual evidence.
Narrative theory links (Todorov) 2

Narrative theory links (Todorov) 2

  • Recognition:
  • Headline quote “Britain humiliated by airport fiasco.”
  • Secondary quote "Back-up failed, thousands stranded"
  • The problem is not just a travel delay; it is a national disgrace caused by incompetence.
  • Attempt to repair:
  • The paper acts as the voice of the people, demanding a response from authority figures.
  • The Sun freezes the story in crisis mode to maximise drama and public outrage.
National crisis

National crisis

  • The event is told like a disaster movie – fire, failure, humiliation.
  • The large, black headline “FAULTY POWERS” frames the problem as Britain’s embarrassment.
  • It makes a collective national identity around crisis and frustration.
  • Creates a “them vs us” narrative:
  • Them: elites, authorities, system
  • Us: ordinary people ("Britain") stranded and let down
Language and tone

Language and tone

  • The front page fully conforms to the sensationalist ("Red Top" tabloid) genre:
  • Typography: Massive, block capitals, to scream the central message ("FAULTY POWERS").
  • Word choice: Use of emotive, colloquial, and hyperbolic language ("fiasco," "humiliated," "blaze").
  • Short, sharp sentences show urgency and panic.
  • Hyperbole (“Britain humiliated”) turns a technical issue into a national drama.
Visual narrative

Visual narrative

  • Dominant image:
  • Huge blaze = spectacle and fear.
  • Colour:
  • Warm orange flames contrast with a black background → danger and destruction.
  • Typography:
  • Subheadings use bullet points → structure the narrative like a list of disasters.
  • Inset image (Kym Marsh) adds celebrity escapism alongside crisis → a classic tabloid duality of drama and entertainment.
Intertextuality

Intertextuality

  • The cover and headline tap into the established media narrative of public service failure and national decline, resonating with existing audience prejudices.
  • The Sun acts as the people’s voice:
  • Outraged on behalf of the public
  • Demanding accountability from those in charge
  • The Sun uses moral framing:
  • Public = victims
  • Authorities = villains
  • It simplifies complex issues into blame-based storytelling → easy for readers to emotionally follow.

Test yourself on The Sun - Narrative

  • What is the purpose of The Sun “freezing the story in crisis mode”?

  • According to Todorov’s narrative theory, which stage shows that Heathrow airport was functioning normally before the crisis?

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