Dramatica Theory Book

Chapter 24: Storytelling and Storyforming Structural Appreciations (Cont.)

Who are YOU and what are YOU doing?

When considering the Obstacle Character's perspective, it is best to use the second person singular ("You") voice to evaluate the Classes. This is best imagined as if one is addressing the Obstacle Character directly, where "You" is referring to the Obstacle Character.

• If the Obstacle Character's Domain is Universe (e.g. Marley's Ghost in A Christmas Carol), you might ask them: What is it like to be in your situation? What is your status? What condition are you in? Where are you going to be in the future? What's so special about your past?
• If the Obstacle Character's Domain is Physics (e.g. Jim in The Glass Menagerie or Booth in In The Line of Fire): What are you involved in? How do you get what you want? What must you learn to do the things you want to do? What does it mean to you to have (or lose) something?
• If the Obstacle Character's Domain is Mind (e.g. Obi Wan in Star Wars or Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?): What are you afraid of? What is your opinion? How do you react to that? How do you feel about this or that? What is it that you remember about that night?
• If the Obstacle Character's Domain is Psychology (e.g. Laura Fisher in The Verdict or Sam Gerard in The Fugitive): Who are you really? How should you act? How can you become a different person? Why are you so angry, or reserved, or whatever? How are you manipulating or being manipulated?