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Dramatica
Dictionary
T
Temptation -- [Element]
-- dyn.pr. Conscience<-->Temptation -- the urge to embrace
immediate benefits despite possible consequences -- Temptation is the
draw to belief that the negative consequences of an action are imaginary
or can be avoided. Often this is just a pipe dream, and when one gives
into Temptation one must pay a price. However, just as often one can avoid
negative consequence and indulge one's desires. It is our Faith and Disbelief
in consequences that defines the struggle between Conscience and Temptation.
("Psssst... We've got this new Dramatica program that will solve
all your story problems but it's going to cost you some bucks...")
-- syn. indulge, embracing immediate benefits, intemperance, immoderation
Tendency -- [Overview
Appreciation] -- the degree to which the Main Character feels compelled
to accept the quest -- Not all Main Characters are well suited to solve
the problem in their story. They may possess the crucial element essential
to the solution yet not possess experience in using the tools needed to
bring it into play. Like most of us, Main Characters have a preference
for how to go about solving problems. Some prefer to immediately take
action. We call these characters Do-ers. Others prefer to deliberate first
to determine if the problem might go away by itself or perhaps they can
adapt to it. We call these characters Be-ers. When a Do-er finds himself
in a story driven by Action he is quite at home. Similarly, when a Be-er
finds himself in a Decision driven story, he is quite content. Both of
these combination lead to Main Characters who are more than Willing to
accept the quest for a solution to the story's problem. They are comfortable
with the tools they will be required to use. But if a Do-er is placed
in a Decision story or a Be-er is drawn into an Action story, the Main
Character will be very Unwilling to participate in the quest at all for
the tools he must use are not in his area of experience. Willing Main
Characters force the plot forward. Unwilling Main Characters are dragged
along by circumstances beyond their control.
Test -- [Element]
-- dyn.pr. Trust<-->Test -- a trial to determine something's
validity -- To test is to try out a supposition to determine if it is
correct. "Run it up the flagpole and see if people salute it"
is the concept here. Any explanation that makes sense has the potential
to be correct or incorrect once it is actually tried in "the real
world." The Test characteristic will always want to try things out
before using it. This can weed out faulty items before they break down
when one relies on them. However, it can also waste time when it is of
the essence or waste one of the three wishes just to see if it works.
-- syn. trial of validity, examination, audit, inspection, scrutinization
Thematic Points
-- Story Points of a thematic nature that are found in each
of the four throughlines: Main Character throughline, Overall Story throughline,
Impact Character throughline, and Main vs. Impact Story throughline. They
include terms like "Throughline, " Problem," and "Benchmark."
Thematic Conflict -- [Dramatica term] -- The thematic conflict is an exploration of the differences between a throughline's Issue, the thematic point, and its dynamic opposite, the Counterpoint. Each of the four throughlines has an Issue, and therefore the potential to explore a thematic conflict. The relative value of Issue and Counterpoint cannot be determined until they are played out against each other to see which one proves to be more appropriate in the context of the throughline's problems.
Theme --
[Dramatica term] -- An argument about the relative worth of different
value standards as they are compared in all appropriate contexts -- Theme
is developed by creating varying perspectives within a story on an issue
which is central to the story. Presenting these perspectives in such a
way that the most appropriate one, according to the author, moves to the
forefront conveys theme to an audience. Theme occurs in both progressive
and static elements of a story's structure and is a consideration in all
four stages of communication (Storyforming, Storytelling, Storyweaving,
and Reception).
Theory -- [Element]
-- dyn.pr. Hunch<-->Theory -- an unbroken chain of relationships
leading from a premise to a conclusion -- A Theory is an unbroken web
of relationships that describes a mechanism. To be a theory, the actual
mechanism of each relationship in the Theory must be known as well. Unless
it is understood how point A gets to point B, it might just be coincidental.
For example, if two completely different and separate mechanisms are working
in the same area, it may appear that one is causing a certain effect when
it is really the other. Developing Theories gives the character representing
Theory the ability to understand and predict how things work and fit together.
The drawback is that he will not accept an obvious relationship unless
all its steps can be discovered. As a result, many "common sense"
approaches and understandings are not used, despite their proven value.
-- syn. structured explanation, concrete hypothesis, systematized
descriptive knowledge, description of linear connections
Thought -- [Element]
-- dyn.pr. Knowledge<-->Thought -- the process of consideration
-- When a character represents Thought, he illustrates the process of
consideration. Unlike the logic element that is only concerned with arriving
at a conclusion via reason, Thought deliberates both logical and emotional
aspects of a problem, not particularly to decide an issue so much as to
examine it from all perspectives. This has the advantage of illuminating
every side of an issue, but has the potential disadvantage of Thought
becoming an endless loop where consideration runs round in circles, chasing
its mental tail and never coming to rest in a decision. -- syn.
the process of consideration, thinking, contemplation, mental attention,
running over in your mind
Thought -- [Variation]
-- dyn.pr. Knowledge<-->Thought -- the process of consideration
-- Thought is not always directed. Often it wanders, experiential and
without conscious purpose. Thought might be about a topic or simple random
musings or creative daydreaming or inspiration. At its most essential
level, Thought is simply the mental force of change that rearranges the
inertia of knowledge. -- syn. consideration, contemplation, ponderence,
musing, reflection
Threat -- [Variation]
-- dyn.pr. Security<-->Threat -- an evaluation of one's
vulnerabilities -- Threats are indicators or warnings that danger lurks.
Avoiding real danger can be enhanced by acting at the first sign of a
Threat. However, reading the indicators is a subjective endeavor. One's
biases and experiences may lead to inaccurate assessments of Threats.
They may be real or imagined. When a character avoids actions or behaviors
because he perceives a Threat that is truly imaginary, he might stunt
his own progress toward his purpose based on an unreal fear. -- syn.
perceived danger, indication of peril, perceived vulnerability, warning,
detected hazard
Throughline --
[Dramatica Term] -- A sequence of story points within a single
perspective -- The Overall Story, Main vs. Impact Story, Main Character,
and Impact Character Throughlines each represent a different perspective
on a story's problems. Each own distinct sequence of story points which
must be consistent both within the perspective and also in conjunction
with the other perspectives in the story as a whole.
Timelock versus
Optionlock -- The two kinds of limits that can force a story to its
climax -- Stories would go on forever unless they were limited in some
way, forcing an end to action and/or decision. One way to bring a story
to a conclusion is with a timelock which limits how long the characters
have to solve the problem. The limit might be a bomb set to go off, the
timing mechanism on a safe, or the poison that takes effect in 24 hours-
anything that has a specific deadline and needs to be prevented or achieved.
The other way to force a story to end is with a optionlock which limits
how many things the characters can try to solve the problem -- trapped
aboard a spaceship with a vicious creature with no one coming to the rescue,
trying to escape from Alcatraz, struggling to save a relationship -- anything
that has a specific scope and needs to be resolved. So in short, in a
timelock the characters run out of time, in a optionlock the run out of
options. As a side note, timelocks and optionlocks can co-exist but only
one can be the real limit that forces the climax.
Timelock -- [Plot
Dynamic] -- the story climax is forced by a time limit -- If not
for the story being forced to a climax, it might continue forever. When
a story is brought to a conclusion because the characters run out of time,
it is said to contain a Timelock. As an analogy, a story might be thought
of as the effort to find the solution to the story's problem which is
hidden in one of the rooms of a mansion. Each room contains a clue to
the actual location of the solution. The Main Character is told he may
search as many rooms as he likes in five minutes. At the end of five minutes
he is given a choice. Based on the clues he has already found, he must
decide if the solution is in one of the rooms he already searched or in
one of the rooms he has not yet searched. Either choice may lead to success
or failure, but because running out of time forced the choice it is a
Timelock story. The choice represents the Timelock which brings the story
to a close and forces such appreciations as Main Character Resolve (Change
or Steadfast), Outcome (Success or Failure), and Judgment (Good or Bad).
Trust -- [Element]
-- dyn.pr. Test<-->Trust -- an acceptance of knowledge
as proven without first testing its validity -- To Trust is to accept
without trial. Whether a concept, relationship, person, or mechanism,
it will be accepted by the character possessing the Trust characteristic
without supportive evidence. This helps him to get on with the job at
hand in the most efficient manner, but opens him up to disastrous surprises
when an assumption is proven incorrect at a critical moment. -- syn.
untried acceptance, untested belief in, accept implicitly, assumed
dependability, unquestioned reliance on
Truth -- [Variation]
-- dyn.pr. Falsehood<-->Truth -- that which has been
proven correct -- Truth is more than facts and accuracy. Truth is meaning.
Whenever someone is quoted out of context, what is reported may be factual
and may be accurate but it is not Truthful. Meaning depends upon intent
and purpose. That is the beauty of the legal system -- that even if someone
is caught red-handed, the jury can acquit because it feels there were
mitigating circumstances. The problem with Truth is that it is an interpretation
and therefore open to debate. One person's Truth is another's Falsehood.
-- syn. honesty, correct information, correct notion, verity
Type -- [Structural
Term] -- The 16 terms which are grouped directly beneath the
Classes which are the next most general areas in which problem elements
can lie -- There are 16 Types in the Dramatica structure, four to each
Class. The Classes each represent a different point of view and the Types
in that Class represent a more refined exploration of that point of view.
In a sense, Types describe the basic categories of what can be seen from
a given point of view. Just as Domain level appreciations create genre-like
brush strokes in the story structure, Type level appreciations determine
the nature of the plot.
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