As
part of a Dramatica seminar in Mexico City, a group of professional
screenwriters put Guillermo del Toro's dark fairy tale through
the Dramatica structure. (Click here for the storyform)
Here's
the result (full of SPOILERS, I'm afraid).
PAN'S
LABYRINTH completely separates the Overall Story from the other
throughlines to the point that they seem parallel plots, each
with their own Protagonist, Antagonist and other archetypes.
Actually, it's a single story and the multiple characters are
only sides of the players' complex personalities. The imaginative
girl OFELIA, for example, has the motivation of a Protagonist, but the purpose
of a Guardian. Housekeeper MERCEDES on the other hand has a Guardian motivation,
but the purposes of a Protagonist.
The
Overall Story is set in the harsh reality of Spain post Civil
War [OS Throughline of Situation] and its plot is centered
on CAPITAN VIDAL's obsession of conceiving a male child that
would follow his and his father's footsteps [OS Concern
of How Things Are Changing]. The other throughlines happen in
a magical world of fairies, fauns and monsters--or perhaps
just in Ofelia's vivid imagination [OS Issue of Fantasy
Vs. Fact]. PAN conceals his true identity in order to manipulates
Ofelia, the rest of the characters and the audience itself
[IC Throughline of Manipulation] to the point that none is
completely sure of what is really happening here.
After
Ofelia follows a disguised fairy into this magical realm [Story
Driver of Action] Pan declares the child a magical princess
stranded on Earth. In order to reclaim her throne, he gives
her three trials [Story Limit of Optionlock] to make
sure her "essence is intact" [MC
vs IC Throughline of Fixed Attitude].
Ofelia
goes through the endeavors [MC Throughline of Activity] resolving
each with her fair judgement [MC Problem Solving Style of Logical]
and disciplined obedience [MC Problem of Trust]. At some point however,
her instincts betray her and she disobeys Pan [MC vs IC Concern
of Impulsive Responses]. Ofelia loses any possibility of being transported
to the magical kingdom and is abandoned in the cruel real world of
a vicious step-father who despises her.
Pan
gives Ofelia another chance and asks her to shed the blood
of Capitan Vidal's new born son. She takes the baby to the
sacrifice place, but her merciful nature impedes her to harm
him in any way and disobeys Pan once more. Vidal believes her
intentions were to kill his son all along [OS Problem of
Trust]
and shots Ofelia right there.
Sacrificing
herself turns out to be the right choice for Ofelia and she's
transformed into the magical princess she always dreamed of
[MC Resolve: Change]. Vidal falls into an ambush and,
though his son survives, the baby is adopted by the rebels
and will never know who his murderous father really was [Story
Outcome of Failure]. In the final scenes, Ofelia is transported
to the skies and is reunited with her magical father and glorious
existence away from the cruel reality awaits her [Story
Jugment: Good], even if it's just in her mind.