Objective Story Domain • [Domain] • the realm in which the Objective Story takes place; the background against which the overall story is played • Stories are about meaning. Meaning is created from perspective. Perspective is the relationship between what is being examined and the point of view from where it is seen. Simply put, an author determines the subject matter of a story and how he sees it. This is what becomes the message or meaning of the story. There are four principal points of view which must come into play in all complete stories. They are the Objective, Main Character, Obstacle Character, and Subjective views. The Objective view of a story is the widest view, examining the issues that affect all the characters in the story overall. There are four principal categories of subject matter (called Classes). They are Universe, Mind, Physics and Psychology. In more conversational terms we might think of them as (in the same order) Situation, Attitude, Activity, Manner of Thinking. In reality, they represent external and internal states of affairs and external and internal processes. Anything we might consider as subject matter can be broadly categorized as being an external or internal state or process. When a point of view is attached to the subject matter, the Class of subject matter becomes the Domain or realm in which that point of view does its exploring. So, when the Objective view is associated with a Class, that Class becomes the Objective Story Domain. The Objective Story Domain examines the issues that affect all of the characters, story wide. An OS Domain of Universe means that some fixed external situation is causing troubles for the characters, such as being trapped in a cave. An OS Domain of Mind means that fixed attitudes are the problem, such as a town that shares a prejudice. An OS Domain of Physics means that the story’s difficulties arise from an activity, such as a safari into dangerous territory. And OS Domain of Psychology means that the way people think is the overall source of problems, such as a group of people gathered for a reunion who find fault with each other.
From the Dramatica Dictionary
