There is only one Main Character in a story. Why is this? Because each complete story is a model of the Story Mind which reflects our own minds, and in our minds we can only be one person at a time. At any given moment, we have a position in our own thoughts. Our state of mind in regard to a particular problem reflects the biases of the position on which we stand. If a story is to fully involve an audience, it must reflect this point of view.
From the Dramatica Theory Book
From the Dramatica Theory Book:
In The Elements of Structure: Foundations we described four throughlines in a story – the Objective Story Throughline, Main Character Throughline, Obstacle Character Throughline, and Subjective Story Throughline. The Objective Story Throughline describes the relative value of the approaches of the Objective Characters. The Main Character Throughline describes the point of view and growth of the Main Character. The Obstacle Character Throughline describes the alternative point of view and growing impact of the Obstacle Character, and the Subjective Story Throughline describes the ongoing argument between the Main and Obstacle Characters as to whether the Main character should change or not.
A good way to think of these four throughlines is as four different points of view through which the audience relates to the Story Mind — the same four points of view we all use in all of our relationships. The Main Character represents the “I” point of view. The Obstacle Character represents the “you” perspective. The Subjective Story Throughline covers the “we” perspective, and the Objective Story Throughline explores the “they” perspective. Taken together, the four points of view range from the most personal to the most impersonal, and provide all of the angles we use to examine the nature of our problems and the relative value of alternative solutions.
We have previously looked at the Elements of Character from a purely objective perspective. When we stand in the shoes of a character, however, we get an entirely different perspective. Rather than seeing how the events of a story relate to one another, we become more concerned with how events effect us personally. Providing this experience is the purpose of the Main Character.
Protagonist • [Archetype] • An Archetypal Character who represents the qualities of Pursuit and Consider • An Objective Character charged with the responsibility of pursuing a solution to the story’s objective problem. An objective problem does not mean it can’t be personal. Rather, it means that all of the dramatically functioning characters in the story are concerned about the outcome. The true Archetypal Protagonist pursues the solution against the Antagonist. In other stories a close cousin of the Protagonist shares all the same elements except he tries to avoid the Antagonist’s plan. For the Pursuing Protagonist the goal is to cause something. For the Avoiding “Protagonist” the goal is to prevent something.
From the Dramatica Dictionary
Projection • [Element] • dyn.pr. Speculation<–>Projection • an extension of probability into the future • Projection is a means of anticipating events and situations by extending the line of how things have been happening into the future. A character that represents Projection has a good grasp of what he might look for in things to come. However, this character will give great weight to past experience so abrupt changes in direction might be ignored until it is too late. • syn. anticipation, how things will be, most likely, probable
From the Dramatica Dictionary
Progress • [Type] • dyn.pr. Future<–>Progress • the way things are going • Progress concerns itself with change • what direction and how fast? It is not so important where things were, are, or will be, but rather how the struggle between inertia and change seesaws over the course of the story. • syn. flowing, advancing, proceeding, moving forward, developing step by step, graduated, staging, successive, procession, the way things are going
From the Dramatica Theory Book
Production • [Element] • dyn.pr. Reduction<–>Production • a method of thought that determines potential • Almost like deduction in reverse, Production arrives at a future truth by limiting out what can not happen, rather than arriving at a present truth by limiting out what cannot be. Anything remaining when the impossible is ruled out has potential. The problem for the character representing the Production characteristic is that Potentiality is often mistaken for Certainty if he fails to realize that any overlooked or unknown information can completely alter the course of the future. • syn. determining potential, noticing possibilities, ruling out future impossibilities, discovering of potential
From the Dramatica Dictionary
Process • [Element] • dyn.pr. Result<–>Process • an ongoing activity; the mechanism through which a cause leads to an effect • A Process is a series of interactions that create results. The character representing Process will concentrate on keeping the engine running smoothly. Unfortunately, he often forgets to look where the car is actually going. Sometimes the experiences along the way are the important part, other times it is arriving at the destination. • syn. chain of interactions, manner of procedure, cause/effect relation, progression, ongoing pull or tendency
From the Dramatica Dictionary
Problem (Objective Storyline) • [Element] • the underlying cause of the story’s difficulties • Of all the Elements, there is a single one that describes the essence of the story’s problem. The inclusion of this element in an Objective Character identifies him as the Main or Obstacle Character. This is because it makes that character the only one who can solve both the Objective and Subjective problems in a single stroke by addressing the problem (changing).
From the Dramatica Dictionary
Probability • [Element] • dyn.pr. Possibility<–>Probability • liklihood • The character having the Probability characteristic puts its beliefs and efforts behind what is most likely. It is not as bound to safety as a character containing the Certainty characteristic, yet will still only take “calculated” risks. It is always playing the odds and changes direction in mid-stride if the odds change. This allows it to steer clear of many dangers but also tends to make it fickle. • syn. likelihood, prospective, predictable, promising
From the Dramatica Dictionary
Proaction • [Element] • dyn.pr. Reaction<–>Proaction • taking initiative action • The Proactive characteristic will urge a character to begin problem solving on his own. This character will be a self-starter who is up and at it the moment he realizes a potential problem exists. Sometimes, however, a potential problem may not actually materialize and would have disappeared in short order by itself. Proaction may actually cause the problem to occur by irritating the situation. Worse yet, the character representing Proaction may act before the true nature of the problem is seen, leading him to cause damage to innocent or non-responsible parties, sometimes actually aiding the real source of the problem. • syn. to initiate action, execute, undertake, commit, implement
From the Dramatica Dictionary