Inequity • [Element] • dyn.pr. Equity<–>Inequity • an unbalance, unfairness, or lack or equality • When a character focuses on Inequity he is evaluating in terms of what is wrong or unfair with a situation. No matter how much is working right or how much is good, it is the part that is out of balance that occupies his attention. A character with this trait will spot trouble before anyone else, but he will also never be satisfied unless absolutely everything is worked out • syn. imbalance, unfair, disparity, unequal, uneven, disproportionate

Induction • [Element] • dyn.pr. Deduction<–>Induction • a method of thought that determines possibility • Induction is the process of thought that determines where an unbroken line of causal relationships might lead. The purpose is to see if it is possible that something connects to something else. The character containing the Inductive characteristic has an advantage in taking seemingly unrelated facts and putting them in an order that establishes a potential causal relationship. This allows him to arrive at conclusions that “limit in” something as a possibility. The drawback is that the conclusion only illustrates one possibility out of an unknown number of possibilities. Unlike deduction, Induction does not rule out competing theories until only one remains. Rather, Induction simply determines that a particular theory is not ruled out. Problems occur when it is assumed that simply because a causal relationship might exist that it does exist. This leads to blaming and holding responsible both people and situations that were not actually the real cause. Only if all possible Inductions are compared can the likelihood of any single one be determined • syn. postulate, predicate, conjecture, infer, hypothesize, determine possibility

Inaction • [Element] • dyn.pr. Protection<–>Inaction • intentionally taking no action • Inaction does not mean simply sitting still. An Inactive character might choose to allow a course of action by not interfering. Or it might refuse to move out of harm’s way, thereby forming a resistance to the progress that drives the harm. Both of these are efficient tools for altering the course of an interaction. However, the Inactive characteristic may also drag its feet in all areas and form a resistance to both good and bad things so that its influence simply hinders everything but changes nothing. • syn. passive reaction, inactive response, achieve through not doing

Hunch • [Element] • dyn.pr. Theory<–>Hunch • a conclusion based on intuition • A Hunch is an understanding based on insufficient circumstantial evidence. The phrase “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” describes the concept. The advantage is that when evidence mounts, even without direct connections, one may draw an analogy that has a substantial likelihood of being correct as in “I’ve seen that pattern before!” Of course, a Hunch is merely a suspicion. The danger is acting upon it as if it were fact. • syn. intuition, premonition, impression, suspicion

Hope • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Dream<–>Hope • a desired future that falls within reasonable expectations • Hope is based on a projection of the way things are going. When one looks at the present situation and notes the direction of change, Hope lies somewhere along that line. As an example, if one is preparing for a picnic and the weather has been sunny, one Hopes for a sunny day. If it was raining for days, one could not Hope but only Dream. Still, Hope acknowledge that things can change in unexpected ways. That means that Hoping for something is not the same as expecting something. Hope is just the expectation that something will occur unless something interferes. How accurately a character evaluates the potential for change determines whether he is Hoping or dreaming. When a character is dreaming and thinks he is Hoping, he prepares for things where there is no indication they will come true. • syn. desired expectation, optimistic anticipation, confident aspiration, promise, encouraging outlook

Hinder • [Element] • dyn.pr. Hinder<–>Help • undermining another’s effort • The Hinder characteristic strives to undermine another’s efforts. This might be seen as a negative, as it often is. But sometimes a character functions to hinder an “evil” character, disrupting his plans. Hinder merely indicates the effect on the plans not whether that is a good or bad thing. • syn. retard, obstruct, impede, fetter, undermine, block, burden, encumber, thwart

Help • [Element] • dyn.pr. Hinder<–> Help • direct assistance to another’s effort • The Help characteristic assists another’s efforts. This can be a real boon to someone struggling to achieve. Sometimes, however, someone doesn’t want any help. He either wants to do it on his own or what he is trying to do has been misread by the character representing the Help characteristic who is actually hindering him. Did you hear the one about the Boy Scout who helped the little old lady across the street and then she bashed him with her handbag because she had been waiting for a bus? • syn. aid, assist, support, bolster, abet

Guardian • [Archetype] • An Archetypal Character representing the qualities of Conscience and Help • This Archetypal character acts as teacher/helper to everyone including the Protagonist. As Conscience, he provides the audience with the story’s assessment of what is good and bad in the world it describes. In his Dynamic Pair relationship, the Guardian counterbalances the efforts of the Contagonist to hinder progress and tempt the Protagonist from the proper path. Since, according to Archetypal convention, the Protagonist must ultimately face the Antagonist without assistance, both the Guardian and Contagonist must be dramatically nullified before the climax of the story so that they cannot interfere. This often occurs as a separate confrontation between them, just prior to the Protagonist meeting the Antagonist, or it may occur concurrently, but concludes before the actual climax of the story is reached.

Growth • [Character Dynamic] • The development of a Main Character toward something starting or stopping • The meaning of Growth is different for Change and Steadfast Main Characters. Change Characters grow by starting or stopping some quality they lack or possess. Steadfast Characters grow by redoubling their resolve while working toward or holding out for something to start or stop.

A Change Main Character who Starts adds a quality he previously did not possess. A Change Main Character who Stops eliminates a quality he originally possessed. At first it might seem as if the Start Character has a hole in his heart and the Stop Character has a chip on his shoulder, but just because a Character Changes doesn’t mean he should have. It may well be that if a Change Character Starts, he adds a bad quality that will undermine his efforts, or if he Changes by Stopping, he will lose a quality that was essential. For a Change Main Character, Start and Stop merely describes how his character is altered, not whether or not it was a positive growth.

A Steadfast Main Character sticks with his guns and tries to outlast the problems he encounters. If he is at odds with current troubles which he would like to stop, then he is a Steadfast Stop Character. On the other hand, if he is trying to hold out until something positive begins, he is a Steadfast Start Character. As with the Change Character, the Steadfast Character may or may not be correct in his appraisal that he can outlast or even should try to outlast his problems. It may well be that the problems can only be resolve if the Main Character Changes, in which case holding out for either Start or Stop is fruitless.

Of course, whenever something begins, it can be seen that something else has ended. The real question for an author is, how do you want your audience to see things, as half full or half empty?