Dramatica Theory Book

Chapter 12: The Elements of Structure -- Theme (Continued)

We still have one final level of the thematic chart of a story's problem to encounter. In fact, we have already encountered it. It is the very same chess set of sixty four Character Elements we created earlier:

Each Variation can be sub-divided again into four Elements. And, it turns out that when we get to the heart of the thematic issues in a story, no matter what kind of problem we began with it all comes down to the same thing: Character. Not surprising at all, really. Characters represent the different ways the Story Mind can go about solving the story's problem. The Main Character sits on the Crucial Element, and must either stick with it, if it is the solution, or abandon it if it turns out to be the problem itself.