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Dramatica
Dictionary
F
Fact -- [Variation]
-- dyn.pr. Fantasy<-->Fact -- belief in something real
-- Fact is something that is truly real as opposed to just seeming to
be real. Of course, from a character's subjective view, when something
seems to be real it is impossible to tell from actual fact. No matter
how strongly a belief, understanding, or knowledge of something is held,
subjectively there is always the possibility some change in the situation
or additional information will prove it to be unfactual. Optical illusions
are a good case in point. The moment a character accepts something as
fact is the moment a thematic conflict might begin to grow. Nevertheless,
Fact represents beliefs that turn out to be real. -- syn. belief
in the genuine, ultimately real beliefs, truly real beliefs, authentic
notion, authentic idea, correct knowledge, correct beliefs
Failure -- [Plot
Dynamic] -- the original goal is not achieved -- Every objective
storyline in a Grand Argument Story has at its beginning a desired outcome
to be sought after. Ultimately, the characters will either achieve that
outcome or Fail to do so. The reasons for Failure (and in fact the Failure
itself) may not be bad. For example, in the course of trying to arrive
at an outcome, the characters may decide it was wrong to want it or learn
that achieving it would hurt people. Whatever the reason, be it nobility
or no ability, if the outcome desired at the story's beginning is not
achieved, the story ends in Failure.
Faith -- [Element]
-- dyn.pr. Disbelief<-->Faith -- accepting something
as certain without proof -- Faith is a belief in something without the
support of proof. Since the future is uncertain, Faith in one's ability
to arrive at one's purpose is a very strong motivator. However, when one
has Faith, it cannot be argued with since it does not rely on logic or
proof. The danger of Faith is that it does not allow one to determine
if obstacles are signs that ones motivations are misplaced, because the
obstacles seem to be tests that must be overcome through steadfast belief
-- syn. acceptance without proof, steadfast belief, confidence
in unproven, credence, unquestioned trust
Falsehood -- [Variation]
-- dyn.pr. Truth<-->Falsehood -- that which has been
shown to be erroneous -- Falsehood does not mean incorrect but in error.
In other words, what is presented may be absolutely accurate and yet not
reflect what is really going on. Perhaps only a portion of the truth is
expressed or more information than is pertinent causes one to misconstrue.
A danger is that Falsehood can get away from the control of its creator.
Once an error has been passed off as truth, some will continue to accept
it as truth even if it is recanted by the person that gave the False account
-- syn. erroneousness, untruth, erroneous notion, mistaken, astray,
dishonest
Family -- [Structural
Term] -- In the Dramatica structure, all units are divided into four
major groups according to their most general natures. These groups are
Elements, Variations, Types, and Classes.
Each of these groups is called a Family.
Fantasy -- [Variation]
-- dyn.pr. Fact<-->Fantasy -- belief in something unreal
-- Fantasy is something that although seemingly real, truly is not. Fantasies
exist subjectively so they can either be misinterpretations of the meaning
of actual things or internal fabrications of meanings that are not accurate.
Neither one can be consciously intentional or one would be aware of the
untruth of the Fantasy. Fantasies are not necessarily bad. In fact, they
can be the best way for a character to clarify the nature of his goal.
Maintaining the Fantasy allows one to practice responses so that Fantasy
might actually turn into fact. Of course, when one lets a Fantasy grow
such that it extends beyond the goal and into the means of evaluating
progress toward the goal, the Fantasy can become self-sustaining and only
imagined progress is ever made -- syn. false belief, faith in
the imaginary, delusion, erroneous conviction
Fate -- [Variation]
-- dyn.pr. Destiny<-->Fantasy -- a future situation
that will befall an individual -- The distinction between Fate and destiny
is an important one. Destiny is the direction one's life must take, Fate
is any given moment along that direction. So whereas one can have many
Fates, one can only have one destiny. Fate describes a state of situation
and circumstance that exists at a particular point in time. In other words,
Fate is something of an outcome, or perhaps a step -- just one of a number
of Fates along the path of one's destiny. Characters often either make
the mistake of assuming that they have only one Fate and are therefore
stuck with it, or they mistakenly believe they can achieve their destiny
without "passing through" unattractive fates that lie along
the path. The nature of a Fate is that no matter how you try to avoid
it, it tracks you. All options that you might exercise still lead to that
Fate. That is what also defines Destiny as the limitations on free will
that force you to arrive at your Fate no matter how you alter what you
do or what kind of person you are. If we all knew the future, there would
be no free-will -- syn. inevitable events, unpreventable incidents,
eventual events, destined occurrence, destined events, unavoidable situations
Feeling -- [Element]
-- dyn.pr. Logic<-->Feeling -- an emotional sense of
how things are going -- Feeling is the mental process of seeking the most
fulfilling course or correct explanation based on emotion. The Feeling
characteristic believes "ya gotta have heart." It cares not
for what is efficient or even practical as long as it is "feels"
right. This makes the Feeling characteristic very empathetic to the emotional
atmosphere in a situation, yet apt to ignore or pay little attention to
necessities -- syn. empathy, emotional sensibility, affective
outlook, sentiment, emotional assessment
Female Mental Sex
-- [Character Dynamic] -- See Intuitive Problem Solving
Style
Female -- [Overview
Appreciation] -- women will tend to empathize with the main character
in this story; men will tend to sympathize -- Although there is much common
ground in a story that is appreciated equally by women and men, some dramatic
messages speak to one group more profoundly than the other. One particular
area of difference is the relationship of female and male audience members
to the Main Character. In some stories an audience member will feel Empathy
with the Main Character, as if he/she were standing in the Main Character's
shoes. In other stories, an audience member will feel Sympathy for the
Main Character, as if the Main Character is a close acquaintance. The
dynamics that control this for women and men are quite different. "Female"
indicates that as a result of this storyform's dynamics, female audience
members will tend to empathize with the Main Character. Male audience
members will tend to sympathize
Fixed Attitude
(a.k.a Mind) -- [Class] -- dyn.pr. Situation<-->Fixed
Attitude -- a fixed minset· The Fixed Attitude domain describes a
fixed mindset. This can be a bias, prejudice, or even a "positive"
opinion about anything at all. The key is that the attitude is fixed,
meaning it is accepted as a given and not re-evaluated. Often the Fixed
Attitude domain is represented by a group of people who share a common
bias for or against something. -- syn. attitude, fixation, position
on an issue, fixed point of view, disposition
Flashbacks and
Flashforwards -- [Storytelling] -- Storytelling techniques
for developing the story and the backstory simultaneously -- Often the
purpose of telling a story is not just to document the effort to solve
a problem but to convey understanding as to how such a problem came to
be in the first place. If the author wants to develop both story and backstory
simultaneously during the course of the storytelling by alternating between
them, two primary techniques are available: the Flashback and the Flashforward.
In the Flashback, the story proper is assumed to take place in the present.
Flashbacks then reveal key episodes in the development of the problem
(the Backstory), sometimes in the past, to underscore or contrast specific
points in the story as appropriate and as desired. In the Flashforward,
the Backstory is assumed to take place in the present and the story is
revealed to the audience in episodes illustrating the future outcome of
forces presently put into play. In either case, by the end of the storytelling,
both Backstory and Story have been fully illustrated to the extent desired
to convey the intended message
Focus -- [Element]
-- See Symptom
Forewarnings (Overall
Story Throughline) -- [Type] -- The indications that the consequence
is growing more imminent -- Whether or not the Consequences ever befall
the Main Character, there are Forewarnings that indicate their approach
and help force the limit of the story and bring the Main Character to
the moment where he can be assessed in terms of his Main Character Resolve.
These Forewarnings could be a quick look at a growing crack in the dam
which no-one sees, or it could be a mad scientist installing the final
component in his doomsday device; however it is represented, its nature
will be described by the storytelling of Forewarnings.
Future (The
Future)-- [Type] -- what will happen or what will be --
A story focusing on the Future concerns itself with what will be. This
does not require the story to be "set" in the Future -- only
that the Future state of external and/or internal issues is the subject
that is being addressed. A character centered on Future may be trying
to discover what will be or may be trying a achieve a particular state
of affairs down the line. In both the Story and Character sense, the end
is more important than the present although it still may not justify the
means -- syn. what is to come, what will be, prospect, prospective
-- dyn.pr. Progress
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