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Must a character with a domain of Situation already be in said situation when the story begins, or can the situation come about later (say as a result of the inciting event?) |
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Yes and No, depending on the MC's Resolve.* For Change Main Characters, the answer is Yes, the character must be defined by his/her Situation at the story's start. Since Main Character domains of Situation are established in their backstories, the Situation domain must be present from the beginning of the grand argument story. This is important because the domain is ONE of the things that alter, along with adopting the MC Solution, at the time the MC changes. If it is not there at the beginning, then there is no way to tell if the character has a change or steadfast resolve. Rather, it would depend on WHERE you started the story as to your reading of change or steadfast, which is not acceptable in a storyform because a storyform is an objective view of a story's underlying meaning. For example, Luke is already a whiny farm boy who doesn't trust his inner feelings and who constantly tests himself and those around him at the beginning of Star Wars (1977). For Steadfast Main Characters, the answer is No, the character is not defined by his/her Situation at the story's start. Steadfast stories are about Main Characters who begin in equilibrium and then something happens that destroys that balance. In response to the event, the MC must choose a path (or has a path forced on them), which defines their journey through the story. As steadfast characters, these MC's respond by shoring up their resolve as the pressure increases over the course of the story. For example, Tess McGill in Working Girl is not defined by her situation until she tries to get a job working in NYC instead of her home town. When she does, she finds herself being defined by her resume rather than her skill set. TURKEL (to Tess), "You have to remember you're up against Harvard and Wharton graduates. Whaddya got . . . some night school, some secretarial time on your sheet?" By comparison, she is treated as an equal at home.
How does this pertain to Clarice Starling? I thought her defining characteristic was a need to protect the innocent -- something that she had felt since she heard the lambs screaming as a kid.
(10 Sep '11, 18:41)
MWollaeger
Although Clarice Starling is not Situation character, she is a steadfast character. Prior to being singled out to work with the big boys, her backstory was just part of her history. It becomes a personal issue for her when she cannot do her job without doing a quid pro quo with Hannibal by discussing her backstory, which happens pretty early in the story. THAT's when it becomes the source of her personal motivation, because prior to that she did not have the authority to deal with the "predators" in the world, Hannibal being one of the biggest around, so she can protect the lambs (victims).
(11 Sep '11, 00:15)
Chris Huntley
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If by start of the story you mean when the curtain draws, then no, the Main Character does not have to be defined by their Throughline at that moment. There may be, and probably should be, some amount of Backstory leading up to their eventual Throughline, but the exploration of the Throughline need not be already in progress. In The Sixth Sense, Malcom's unique "situation" didn't begin until the Inciting Incident (First Story Driver). There were issues with his wife that eventually carried over into that Throughline, but when the film began he was not defined by that unique situation. If by start of the story you mean when the Overall Story begins (as with The Sixth Sense example above), then again the answer would be no. Throughlines don't always begin at the same time and thus there may be stories where the Main Character's personal problem (Throughline) has nothing to do with the Inciting Incident (First Story Driver). Story Drivers are tied to the Overall Story Throughline, not the Main Character Throughline. That said, you probably don't want to wait too long before introducing their Throughline (the MC) as it is key for drawing the audience in. I think the opening sequence in which Malcolm is shot is backstory used to set up the main story, rather than being part of the grand argument itself. This prologue is necessary to establish who Malcolm is as a real live person -- award-winning psychologist, husband, victim, nice guy, plus his history with Vincent Grey -- in order to distract the audience from the reality of his condition in the main story. The Sixth Sense would play OK without the prologue, but the audience might suspect Malcolm's special condition without being set up to think about him in a particular way.
(09 Sep '11, 13:16)
Chris Huntley
Interesting, so you don't see Vincent's attack as the first Story Driver? Would it be more accurate then to see the first Story Driver as their first meeting? Or is it something we don't necessarily see, but read about in Cole's case file? (His bizarre behavior).
(12 Sep '11, 12:48)
Jim Hull ♦♦
I do not remember the early parts of the film that well, but I imagine it would be Cole gets a visit from Malcolm, which occurs immediately after the "5 Months Later" and "Philadephia, PA" title cards. I guess this means it is the first ghost sighting in the movie. It is also the first instance of the use of RED as the color for ghost -- the church doors. (I just watched the first part again. That's why I remember it now.)
(12 Sep '11, 13:54)
Chris Huntley
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