A Great Story-Structure Journey: THE SIGN OF 4, #2

By neville HURT

VOLUME 2 of 3

 

Really learn about the difference of Stereotypes and Archetypes.  We go down deep into the real HERO'S JOURNEY !

 

#  Short-Story Story-Lines and Story-Threads - with the 4 ACTS

# Character Relationships  -  HERO VERSUS  VILLAIN

# Who is the HERO ?

# The Welsh Tragedy of Aberfan turns into a magical discovery of THE HERO'S JOURNEY

# The magical A B C D  character relationships

# Children's Books - ages 4 to 10

# Literary Theme battles - and the Framing Story

# Syd Field, Joseph Campbell, Gustav Fretag and Blake Synder - all HERO'S JOURNEY

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bear Books
• Release date: Mar 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393995074

Book preview

STEREOTYPES  VERSUS  ARCHETYPES

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Tons has been written on these.  But not like this.

We have all heard the following problem in the world of job-seeking :

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You cannot get a job without experience, and you cannot get experience without a job.   Get out of that one, if you dare !

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All right then, I will ! ! !

You have to use the nit-picking or splitting hairs approach.  Just as CONFLICT is made up of MOTIVATIONS – so EXPERIENCE is made up of TRANSFERABLE SKILLS.

And we all possess them without the use of formal work-experience.  CHARACTER is also a collection of skills.  Transferable skills demonstrate our P-O-T-E-N-T-I-A-L in the job market, so our CHARACTER uses skills to generate potential to act their part in your story !

Skills turn our individuals into one of 2 types – for we are all a TYPE.

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INTROVERT = Mainly deals with INTERNAL  CONFLICT – SELF and HUMAN

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EXTROVERT = Mainly deals with EXTERNAL CONFLICT – ENVIRONMENT and TIME

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All characters are essentially STEREOTYPICAL to begin with :

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LOGICAL – POSITIVE view of HERO.

EMOTIONAL – NEGATIVE view of OTHER.

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STEREOTYPEs include :

The mother - who is kind and caring.

The teenager - who is a computer nerd.

The father - who is a rough brute.

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Just as we recognise a 1880's world of the Chinese laundry in Whitechapel.

Just as we recognise a 1970's world of a hard-working Indian in a U K corner shop.

Just as we recognise a 1980's highly intelligent Asian being interested in a fledgling computer industry.

All these examples are STEREOTYPEs – but they are still R-E-A-L people to us.

It is because they exist in real-life !

We just have to use our imaginations to create the other traits to flesh them out to be truly 3 dimensional.

However it is still better we have a STEREOTYPE than an NON-ENTITY . .

Neither one thing or another – then you really have a huge problem with thin cardboard cut-outs.

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ARCHETYPE is nothing more than the EMOTIONAL-LOGICAL main traits of the character taken together.

Good  Old  Bob said STORY is nothing but  - ARCHETYPAL, and not STEREOTYPICAL.

Bad  Old  Nigel  Watts – in this case – told me to avoid the ARCHETYPE at all costs !

Stories mostly operate in cast of 8 ARCHETYPAL CHARACTERS – which is quite correct.

Without these concepts you have boring non-existent people, that cannot operate a complex STORY, at all.

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Harry Potter is HERO.

Hermione could be EMOTION.

Dumbledore is GUARDIAN – but this is only to Harry's point of view.

You can tell stories from other people's point-of-views – but expect a lot of nonsensical things to happen along the way.

Hermione has to still worry about J K ROWLING's famous boy-hero in an emotional manner – and talk about Dumbledore in a respectful manner as the wise Guardian deserves.

Yet – if Hermione starts to believe that she is the centre of the Hogwart's universe – that Harry is a weak emotional idiot – and has a serious falling out with Dumbledore, who she now believes to be evil – then the story has now changed completely.

The ARCHETYPEs have been shifted around.

You have to be very careful if you write in other people's heads.  It is generally not recommended.

Whose story is this anyway ? – Snake will cry.

Lion will not be able to keep any secrets that Snake wants to have kept secret.

The thrilling story will soon fall apart.

It has to be written from HERO-COMPANION point of view ONLY.

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A silly Sergeant-Major OTHER - demonstrates these 2 traits :

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NEGATIVE  EMOTIONAL = A Loud-mouth Larry - always bullying - always shouting.  He is always constantly full of braveness and bravado.

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POSITIVE  LOGICAL =  Sensitive soul - deep down.  Kind to his family, and animals.  And in battle - he would be a Scaredy-Cat.

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If the army officer only either the LOGICAL or the EMOTIONAL strait – then he would be a STEREOTYPE.  If he only possessed the EMOTIONAL he really would be a true – STEREOTYPE.

If he only possessed the LOGICAL – that would be better, but he still wouldn't appear as fully realised as he should be.

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In a TV soap set in New Zealand, a dramatic scene was being developed by a young fully-up-to-date caring business-trainee for a college course.

The scene was intended to take place in a hospital parking lot between a Doctor - and a never-do-well Troublemaker.

It featured two lead males - in their middle 20's – a brown native Maori, the other a white European Pakeha.

The problem being - which role do they take ?

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THE HEROIC MAORI DOCTOR

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Since when do those nice Pakeha kids ever go off-the-rails, and be so nasty ?  And since when do Maori males ever become doctors ?

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Maori Doctor

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ARCHETYPE = HERO

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STEREOTYPE

LOGICAL-= Intelligent, kind and caring private health-care professional.

EMOTIONAL = From an extremely poor family – had to struggle not only through medical training - but to eat and survive.

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Pakeha Thug

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ARCHETYPE = OTHER

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STEREOTYPE

EMOTIONAL = White Trash from Rich Troubled-Background.  Steals and generally ruins community life for rich affluent Pakeha people - and even the local law-abiding Maori people.

LOGICAL = In reality, he has the same regular problems that we all do – no matter the socio-economic background.  Bored with his life – he turns to stealing fast cars and motorbikes.  He may steal for the thrill at a warehouse or shop.  Probably he even gets  a drug-habit – and turns to the really hard- drugs.

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This depiction is  CORRECT –  but why do we instantly fail to believe it in so much ?

This contains great EMOTIONAL-LOGICAL truth.

It is great if more Maori males can achieve greatness – but if they do, then it will be the turn of the Pakeha to let everybody down.  For the world will never be perfect !

Robert McKee agrees with an equivalent sentiment on another topic.

The fact - BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN REAL-LIFE VERY MUCH – starts off a train of thought that WEAKENS the argument.

The LOGICAL arguments for both characters are actually WEAK – the Maori should be given government money to be a doctor – and the Pakeha shouldn't cause crime, it has no sensible excuse to.

Because of this in the actual soap – it was seen as a FAILURE.  Which wasn't what the young lady wanted.  She didn't know about ARCHETYPES - and further script-development – as she wasn't a professional in those matters.

Snake was treated to a snap-shot of under-developed life – which it hissed at.  Lion could easily expanded upon the idea to create a more truthful realistic work.

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Do you genuinely know a rich socialite kid – and understand that can have it all, but wonder where they fit in society ?

Can you accurately demonstrate the fight of young Maori to become a doctor – which some REALLY do ?

Do you know a great real-life story of a relationship between a rich Maori doctor and an over-privileged malevolent Pakeha ?

You would flesh out that story with many other NEGATIVE traits ON BOTH SIDES - to get a great 3 dimensional professional story.

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THE  HONOURABLE  MAORI  THUG

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A Pakeha doctor should never be treated with a lack of disrespect – especially not by a Maori.  And you wouldn't want to meet that nasty native on a dark night, either !

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Pakeha Doctor

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ARCHETYPE  =  ANTI-HERO

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STEREOTYPE

LOGICAL = Intelligent, top-of-his-graduating-year, kind and caring private health-care professional. 

EMOTIONAL = From an already rich family – and only in it to make them richer, more powerful and successful.  Actually hates the elderly and disabled – and has shown cruel streaks towards animals in the past, to boot !

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Maori Thug

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ARCHETYPE =  GOOD OTHER

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STEREOTYPE

EMOTIONAL = A never-do-well yobbo.  Steals and generally ruins community life for Pakeha and even other law-abiding Maori people.

LOGICAL = In reality, the stealing is for his elderly grandmother who needs medicine – as she doesn't have private health-care provision.

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This depiction is WRONG – yet, why do we instantly believe it in so much ?

It contains a great LOGICAL-EMOTIONAL truth.

The fact - BECAUSE IT HAPPENS IN REAL-LIFE ALL THE TIME – starts off a train of thought that STRENGTHENS the argument.

The EMOTIONAL arguments for both characters are actually STRONG – The rich are too over-privileged – Why can't the underdogs of society get richer and become more successful ?

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We all agree with that !  But because of this in the actual soap – it was seen as a SUCCESS.  The writer was acutely aware of STEREOTYPES, which she tried so desperately to avoid – and didn't know how to further-develop the work.

Ultimately she had to admit defeat.

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Do you genuinely have new insight into the social problems of inequality, poverty and depravation ?

Can also provide a new understanding into the excesses of the rich and privileged ?

Do you know a great real-life story of a relationship between a rich Pakeha doctor and an underprivileged malevolent Maori ?

You would flesh out that story with many other POSITIVE traits ON BOTH SIDES - to get a great 3 dimensional professional story.

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Since we have shown that crime does pay – and all rich doctors are nothing but baddies – that will need to be balanced accordingly.

Isn't it weird that both these twin examples are the EXACT OPPOSITE OF EACH OTHER in all respects ?

MAKE  'EM  ALL  WAIT  FOR  BREAD ! ! !

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No, this isn't a time-line of the history of loaves going :

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FLAT-BREAD  -  SOURDOUGH  -  YEAST-BREAD

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I mean that bread actually has 8 special ingredients – that have scientific relationships with each other – EXACTLY like our 8 STORY ARCHETYPES.

BAKING is described as an ART – put in a little bit of this, add a dash of that.

BREAD-MAKING is a SCIENCE.  Change just 1 ingredient and the whole entity changes.

I have a BREAD-MACHINE, and was pretty chuffed when I was able to create a prefect loaf.  The problem is that although Home-Economists create the ideal recipes for your particular machine – but they don't work for YOU.  Flour milling processes vary – so does temperature and humidity of your kitchen.

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There are about 4 major problems with failed loaf-making :

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CHARACTER-based –  the loaf's appearance !

PLOT-based – something based on the machine and ingredients

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#  The dense house-brick

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#  The CRATER-LOAF – that huge sunken depression

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#  The machines themselves can be utter garbage – some won't even switch on !

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#  The Poor Wheat Harvests – leading to poor-quality weak flour-gluten

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GUARDIAN = Flour, itself.  Without this then BREAD-WORLD cannot exist !

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SKEPTIC = Olive or Sunflower Oil – otherwise known as shortening.

Oil informs Flour -  I find your wheat grains far too hard.  I have to work very hard myself to soften them.

Flour retorts – I need to make long-gluten-strands.  They give the loaf structure.  I don't want you making then shorter.  We're not making a cake, you know !

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HERO = Yeast.  Without this the loaf would be a rock-solid door-stopper.  You could also wield it in anger against an intruder.

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COMPANION = Sugar.  A small amount will keep Yeast growing and happy.

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THE BREAD IMPROVERS :

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EMOTION = Lemon Juice and Dried Skimmed Milk Powder.  These just make the loaf better.  The milk creates a smooth rich dough.  The Lemon just creates a nice acidic environment for Yeast.  It also helps Flour develop gluten.

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REASON = Vital Wheat Gluten.  The poor wheat harvests cause what gluten is in Flour to be weak – or not enough gluten is present to start with.

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GOOD /  BAD =  Water or liquids.

Everything happens in solution.  Yeast and Sugar will create their relationship.  Bread dough is just a heavy Flour-solution.

Too much water - and the infamous CRATER-LOAF will occur.

Too little - and the bread will resemble a house-brick.

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OTHER = Salt.  Give this direct to Yeast and it will KILL it.

Yeast and Sugar can get over excited.  Salt will slow down the rate of reproduction of yeast cells.  Bread tastes like asphalt without Salt.

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So, there you have it.  These relationships sound familiar, don't they ?

REMEMBER – the human-mind created – BREAD in the first place.  To make bread you need a mind – just like when you create a story.

Now go and make BREAD.

It is still much, much better than supermarket rubbish.

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Up until now we have mostly examined plot-and-character acting together – through our precious literary themes.

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CHARACTERS  + THEME MOTIVATION +  EVENTS  =  A WORKING PLOT

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Now, Elephant ambles into the picture.

It is possible to make just CHARACTER ONLY important.  We block out what everybody else is doing and concentrate on a single ARCHETYPE.

What are they doing ?  Now, what are they doing . . . ?

Strangely, you will find you start to create 2 whole different organisations.  And that is NOT including - HERO'S JOURNEY.

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ONE – THE GENERAL OVERALL STORY-LINES

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These are 4 short-stories that tell us about every character in a simple straightforward way.  It is YOU telling ME what your stories