Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash
We can look at stories in lots of different ways. One critical aspect is the lens of change.
A story is about what unfolds when an inciting incident happens to the protagonist. The inciting incident represents a change to their life that cannot be undone. We follow a story to its conclusion in part to experience how the protagonist is changed by this event.
When the inciting incident happens it sets off a chain of meaningful events.
The inciting incident creates a central problem/opportunity for change.
Each subsequent scene is like holding that problem up to a different light and examining it from a new angle.
Through this repeated examination, the protagonist discovers that their initial understanding of the problem was incomplete or incorrect in some way.
This new understanding enables them to respond in a way they couldn't have at the beginning. They have not only experienced change, but have been changed.
In a way, it's like the Dr. Seuss story Green Eggs and Ham. Sam asks the protagonist to consider if he would try green eggs in ham in a box, with a fox, etc. Eventually, he agrees to try them and realizes they are quite good.
We can also think about it in the way mysteries work. Each scene reveals new information that forces the detective to revise their initial theory until they have a revelation about who the criminal really is. And in love stories, each interaction between the lovers reveals another layer of what's really drawing them together and keeping them apart. In either case, the protagonist has processed the initial event and can respond based on their new understanding.
How do we evaluate the change we see in a story or want to show in our own story?
The extent and quality of the change at the end will depend on many factors related to the person, the place, and the problem, which arises from the inciting incident. Here are a few to think about:
how willing the protagonist is to change as a result of the problem (who)
the type of problem and the human need(s) affected by the change (what)
where the problem arises and how the environment sets up both the problem and solution (where)
the time it takes the protagonist to process and solve the problem (when)
the scale of the problem and its solution (how)
All of the above affects how the writer presents the story to the reader to allow for the best chance of integrating and communicating the story’s why: the essence (the aspect of the story that is most important to us as the writer) and the primary message (the cause-and-effect statement that a writer sends through the action the protagonist takes in the story’s climax and the story’s resolution).
This post is part of a 75-day writing challenge and experiment. From September 9 through November 22, I'll be posting daily thoughts on writing, storytelling, and creativity based on recent readings or reflections. While my intention was to keep them very short—250 to 400 words—I've found that this range doesn't give me enough space to cover these topics adequately. I aim to keep them brief enough to be read quickly, but they will often be longer than 400 words.
At the end of the challenge, I will organize and revise the material with intention. For now, the object is to explore and share.