Propp's Narrative Applied to Die Hard

The 8 Character Roles:

Hero – John McClane

Villain – Hans/Karl/‘terrorists’

Donor – Villain with the detonators

Helper – Argyle/ the policeman

Princess – McClane’s wife / hostages

Father – The policeman

Dispatcher – Christmas

False Hero – Hans/TV journalist

The 31 Functions:

1. John  McClane goes to LA and leaves home

2. Building is on shutdown

3. The Villain enters the building

4. Hans looks for Tekagi 

5. Finds him and gets infomation

6. Hans attempts to get the lock code

7. Tekagi tells Hans to kill him

8. Hans kills Tekagi

9. McClane sees and escapes

10  McClane sets off a fire alarm to signal firemen

11 .McClane travels to the top part of the building which is still under construction

12. McClane kills villain, gets radio and detonators from him

13. McClane puts the body in the lift with a note saying he has a gun

14. Uses radio to contact cop and limo driver

15. McClane comes face to face with Hans in the room with glass doors

16. Shoot-out in the room 

17. McClane gets wounded (glass in his feet)

18.  McClane shoots the villains

19. Hans gets the detonators back 

20. McClane goes back to the bathroom

21. The Villains capture McLane at the top of the building

22. McClane hangs Karl with a chain

23. FBI think he’s a terrorist when he’s seen on the roof from the helicopter 

24. TV journalist reveals McClane’s identity, meaning they now know his wife

25. To escape from the roof he uses a fire hose

26. McClane escapes and rescues his wife Holly after killing hans

27. McClane meets the cop

28. Deputy chief of police, shown up

29. McLane is given a new coat

30. Karl is shot by Cop and journalist is punched by McClanes wife

31. McClane meets family and returns home in a the limo he arrived in