This is Story Fanatic, a collection of articles covering story structure and analysis for
creative writers. Published weekly.
The Impact Character within a complete story provides an alternative paradigm that challenges the Main Character to reexamine his or her own point-of-view. This can be, but most often isn’t, the Antagonist of a story. By the end of the story, either the Impact Character’s influence will have won out and the Main Character will alter their paradigm, or their influence will have strengthened the Main Character’s resolve and the Impact Character will alter their paradigm. Thus, this character is essential for a story to have meaning.
Every complete story consists of four throughlines. The Overall Story Throughline, which is an objective look at the problem affecting everyone in the story. The Main Character Throughline which obviously covers the central character with which the audience empathizes most with. The Impact Character Throughline who provides an alternate way of solving the problem at hand and a perspective different from the Main Character. Finally, there is the Subjective Story or Relationship Throughline – which covers the relationship between the Main Character and the Impact Character. Having all four of these in a story is required if the Author’s intention is to argue some greater meaning.
This central character is defined as Steadfast because during the moment of crisis, when their Resolve is most tested, they stick with their approach to solving the story’s problem. This perseverance in no way guarantees a successful outcome. It simply describes a character who maintains their tried and tested paradigm.
This central character is defined as Change because during the moment of crisis, when their Resolve is most tested, they drop their approach to solving the story’s problems and adopt a new one. This change in no way guarantees a success. It simply describes a character who trades their old paradigm for a new one.
The Story Outcome determines whether or not the Protagonist succeeded or failed in their attempts to resolve the central Story Goal. This bit of story structure focuses on the logistical “outcome” of the story. Combined with the Story Judgment, it helps to create the Meaningful Ending that every great Author aspires to.
Dramatica is the story theory to beat all other story theories. Based on the simple idea that every complete story is really an analogy to a single human mind trying to solve a problem, this revolutionary understanding explains what makes great stories so compelling. To learn more about this theory in detail, be sure to visit the Dramatica website.
At the end of every complete story, the Main Character will be faced with an important decision: either continue to solve problems the way he or she always has, or change their approach and attempt to solve the problem differently. The Main Character Resolve determines what their answer will be. If they maintain their approach they are said to be Steadfast. If they adopt a new paradigm, they are said to be Change.
Personal triumphs are stories that explore what its like to feel good about losing out. While the efforts in the primary throughline may have failed, the Main Character has grown to a point where they have overcome their own personal angst. This is why these stories are often called “bittersweet” - the good guys may have lost, but the Main Character goes home happy.
A personal tragedy exists when the Main Character is unable to resolve their own personal angst. Have they overcome that personal problem that was bugging them since the beginning? Or are they still haunted by the demons and issues that they began the story with? The latter is a personal tragedy; the former is not.
There are four major throughlines in every complete story. The Overall Story, or what is commonly referred to as the “A” story line or “headline,” often describes what the story is “all about.” It represents a very dispassionate view of the story’s problems as it steps back and looks at the characters as functions, almost like chess pieces on a board. From this perspective, names and personal problems are not as important as the character’s role and story function.
The Main Character of a story represents the audience’s personal perspective into the story. Through this perspective, we the audience get to experience what it would be like personally to experience the story’s problems. The Main Character may or may not be the Protagonist. Protagonist describes a function, whereas the Main Character describes a perspective or point-of-view.
This is the character driving the story forward; the one leading the charge towards the Story Goal. This character may or may not be the Main Character of the story. Either way, the main function of the Protagonist is to Pursue.
When the Main Character of a story also happens to be the one driving the story forward (Protagonist), he or she is considered the Hero of the story. Many story theorists/gurus collapse the concept of MC, Protagonist and Hero all into one. While this works for most stories (particularly Western film), it tends to ignore those stories where the Main Character is “along for the ride.” Separating these concepts allows for greater accuracy in analyzing and developing a story.
Every complete story needs to signify to the audience when it will be done. Stories come to an end either because the characters run out of time, or because they run out of options.
Great stories engage audiences on an emotional level unheard of in lesser mediums of communication. By creating an intimate portrayal of one character struggling to resolve a problem, writers of these great stories insure audience engagement and empathy. The key lies in effectively defining this struggle and focusing it one specific area of conflict.
Understanding how conflict plays out within a complete story allows a writer the opportunity to dive into relatively untouched areas of storytelling. Instead of focusing on the well-worn paths of how a character looks or what they think, the adventurous author takes their Main Character into the realm of deficient psychology. In other words, they write personal journeys of struggle against how a character thinks and comes about conclusions.
Can a story survive without a well-thought out Main Character Throughline? Not for long. Sure, the promise of the premise might draw in the initial crowds, but the only way to guarantee repeat business is to give the audience something to care about – something to grab a hold of. The Main Character’s most personal issues provide that gateway to empathy so desperately needed for success.
In an attempt to understand the various machinations at work behind the scenes of a well-told story, many look to the Hero’s Journey, or various models thereof, as the answer. Unfortunately, the analysis that comes as a result is severely lacking in meaningful content and accuracy. The key is truly understanding what problems the Main Character of a story faces.
What made this film so compelling? Was it simply the question of whether or not the top was going to stop, or could it be that there was something more meaningful going on within the bones of this story? A closer look at the Main Character and his place within the larger story offers fans of great storytelling a better understanding of what makes great stories such an engaging experience.
Perception often leads to deception; how one sees the world of story shapes their understanding of it, granting them all sorts of interpretations that may or may not be accurate. As with Christopher Nolan’s dark treatise on dueling magicians, unveiling what is really going on within a story can lead to an emotional catharsis for writers themselves; leading them to even greater expressions of meaningful fiction.
While the complaints concerning Avatar’s resemblance to Dances with Wolves and Pocahontas are abundant and well covered, there is one aspect of this story that is not covered in as much detail, and that is the problem with the Main Character, Jake Sully. A well-written Main Character is the key to bringing an audience into a story. Screw it up and you risk losing emotional involvement.
In this article, the secret to great screenwriting is revealed. For an audience to fall in love with a film’s events, they must first understand that the filmmakers endeavored to provide them with something they could never find in their own lives: meaning.
Concluding article on the power of meaningful endings in stories. The meaningful ending is the purpose of every great screenplay or novel. It is the essence of what the author is trying to say and the thing audiences remember most long after the curtain has fallen.
A mishmash of different stories causes this film to live up to the confusing nature of its Biblical namesake.
Sharing the personal throughline across different characters.
A very detailed look at the story structure behind one of the X-Files’ greatest episodes.
A different way of looking at what is at the heart of the Main Character’s central problem.
The Main Character is the most important viewpoint into a story’s problems because it is the most personal.
I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to.
Can you have a Main Character who is not really involved in the Overall Story?