STORIES that have Driver of Decision:

A Doll’s House: Mrs. Linde decides to visit Nora; Nora decides to forge her father’s signature to obtain a bond; Krogstad decides to threaten Nora with exposure if she doesn’t help him keep his position; Nora decides to leave her husband; and so forth.

The Age of Innocence: The story is moved along by decisions: Ellen decides to leave her unfaithful husband and return to New York, which leads to her being snubbed; Mrs. Mingott decides to publicly support Ellen, so May and Newland immediately announce their engagement to unite both families behind Ellen; When leading society families decide to refuse invitations to a dinner party Mrs. Mingott holds for Ellen, Mrs. Archer and Newland go to the van der Luydens for help; Ellen decides to divorce her husband, so the family asks Newland to advise her against it, because it would mean total social disgrace for Ellen and the family as divorce is taboo in their Victorian society.

All About Eve: Karen decides to introduce Eve to Margo, and Eve’s story gains Margo’s sympathy; Margo decides to take Eve into her home as her secretary, and this allows Eve to begin her manipulations; Max Fabian’s decision to make Eve Margo’s new understudy, without clearing it first with Margo, causes Margo to blow-up at everyone–leading to Bill’s decision to break up with her.

Amadeus: From the outset, as the play is a memory, we see that Salieri made a decision to oppose Mozart. All the action follows, including Salieri’s decision to tell us the story as “Ghosts of the Future!” He also decides to attempt suicide. In the objective story, the Emperor decides to change his habit and visit a rehearsal of “Figaro.” This results in the Emperor restoring a dance which the Director of Opera to the court had removed. The Director, Rosenberg, becomes Mozart’s enemy. Also, Mozart decides to go against his father and marry Constanze, resulting in his father refusing further financial assistance.

Apt Pupil: Todd decides to blackmail Dussander; Dick Bowden allows his son to continue his relationship with “Arthur Denker” despite his poor grade report; Rubber Ed decides to look up Todd’s grandfather; and so forth.

Barefoot in the Park: Corie’s decision to take an apartment on the sixth floor leads to conflict with Paul:

Paul: (Breathing with great difficulty, looks back down the stairs.) It’s six flights…Did you know it’s six flights?

Corie: It isn’t. It’s five.

Paul: (Staggers up the step into the room, and collapses on the suitcase.) What about that big thing hanging outside the building?

Corie: That’s not a flight. It’s a stoop.

Mrs. Banks’ decision to drop in unexpectedly on the newlyweds increases the tension between Paul and Corie:

Mother: Well, I really had no intention of coming up, but I had a luncheon in Westchester and I thought, since it’s on my way home, I might as well drop in for a few minutes…

…I know you must be busy.

Paul: Well, as a matter of fact–

Corie: (Stopping him.) No, we’re not, are we, Paul?

(He kills her with a glance.)

Corie makes the decision to set her mother up with Victor Velasco–without Mrs. Bank’s knowledge–thus creating conflict:

Corie: Well, if I told you it was a blind date with Mr. Velasco upstairs, I couldn’t have blasted you out of the house.

Mother: A blind date…(Doesn’t quite get it yet.) With Mr. Velasco…(Then the dawn.) The one that…? (She points up, then panics.) Good God! (Takes a big gulp of her martini.)

Body Heat: Each major turn of events is preceded by a decision that determines the nature of subsequent actions: Ned’s decision to pursue Mattie from the outdoor concert precipitates Mattie’s seductive behavior (the ice cream incident) and her unexpected disappearance; the decision to kill Edmond Walker forces the subsequent preparations and execution of the murder; Ned’s decision not to reveal Mattie’s involvement with the “botched” will leads to the redistribution of the inheritance (in Mattie’s favor) and an intensified investigation into the suspicious nature of Edmond’s murder; Ned’s decision NOT to go into the boat house forces Mattie to be “blown up” by the booby trapped door; etc.

Boyz N The Hood: The story deals with the decisions kids must make while growing up in the hood, and how every decision they make impacts their lives.

Bull Durham: Annie decides who her lover/student will be this year. Crash decides to stay (or decides not to quit). The unseen team management is seen only in terms of their decisions (to hire Nuke and Crash, to fire Bobby, the player with the sixteen game losing streak).

Candida: “Candida” focuses on the decision Candida is asked to make, to stay with Morell or leave with Marchbanks:

Morell: We have agreed-he and I-that you shall choose between us now. I await your decision.

It is made clear, however, that Candida may decide on neither man:

Candida: Oh! I am to choose, am I? I suppose it is quite settled that I must belong to one or the other.

Morell: Quite. You must choose definitely.

Marchbanks: Morell: you dont understand. She means that she belongs to herself. (Shaw, 1895, p. 551)

Casablanca: Ugarte’s decision to entrust Rick with the Letters of Transit makes it difficult for Ilsa and Laszlo to obtain them; Rick’s nod of the head to let the band leader strike up “La Marseillaise” causes Strasser to close the club and threaten Laszlo; Laszlo’s altruistic decision to put Ilsa’s safety before his own impresses Rick so much that he helps the couple escape, putting himself at risk; etc.

Charlotte’s Web: Mr. Arable decides to spare the runt’s life and allow Fern to raise Wilbur; after Charlotte decides to help her best friend stay alive she implements a plan of action; Wilbur decides to take Charlotte’s egg sac back to the farm; and so forth.

Chinatown: Noah’s decision to use Jake to find his granddaughter forces the subsequent actions to take place; Hollis’ decision to oppose Noah leads to the breakup of their friendship and to Hollis’ eventual murder; Evelyn’s decision to trust Jake with the truth leads to her death; etc.

Four Weddings And A Funeral: The story is about commitments and marriages. The decisions to enter into each marriage drives the action forward.

The Fugitive: Dr. Kimble’s decision to report the failing results of RDU90 (Provasic) leads to his wife’s murder; the jury’s guilty verdict leads to Dr. Kimble’s death sentence; the guard’s decision to open the grating leads to the wreck; Dr. Kimble’s decision to return to Chicago leads to multiple chases and near misses; Dr. Nichols’ decision not to turn in Dr. Kimble leads to his being hounded by Gerard, etc.

The Glass Menagerie: Decisions drive actions in the story: Amanda’s decision to marry “father” has led to her abandonment; Laura’s decision to never return to Rubicam’s Business School drives Amanda to skip the D.A.R. meeting; Amanda’s decision to look for alternative means of supporting Laura drives her to telemarket subscriptions and Tom to bring home the gentleman caller; Tom’s decision to join the Merchant Marines leads to the power being turned off; Jim’s decision to keep his engagement a secret leads to the fiasco at the Wingfield’s; Tom’s decision to leave for good forces Amanda and Laura to support themselves; etc.

The Godfather: If it were not for decisions made in the Objective Story, the characters would not be forced to take the actions that they do. The “Turk,” Sollozzo’s move to hit Don Corleone is an action which is forced by the Don’s decision to not support his drug running scheme. The deliberations about how to deal with the “Turk” lead to Michael having to murder him. Sonny’s considerations about how the gang war should be fought leads to a prolonged conflict and his own death. The Don’s decision to end the war leads to Michael’s return to the States. Tessio’s decision to betray Michael leads to his own assassination. Michael’s decision to become the new “Godfather” leads to the “Baptism of blood” massacre. There are always a variety of ways for everyone to proceed towards their goals, and the characters constantly deliberate over them, forcing actions to follow.

The Graduate: Mrs. Robinson decides to seduce Ben; Ben later decides to take her up on her offer; Ben decides to acquiesce to a date with Elaine; Ben decides he’s going to marry Elaine; Elaine decides, at the altar, to leave her groom and run off with Ben.

The Great Gatsby: Although in love with the young soldier, Gatsby, in his absence Daisy decides to marry Tom:

“And all the time something within her was crying for a decision. She wanted her life shaped now, immediately-and the decision must be made by some force-of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality-that was close at hand.”

The Buchanans, Gatsby, Nick, and Jordan decide to go into town on the hottest day of the year, which results in confrontation and death:

“So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight.”

Once he is disillusioned, Nick decides he can no longer live in the East:

“After Gatsby’s death the East was haunted for me like that, distorted beyond my eye’s power of correction. So when the blue smoke of brittle leaves was in the air and the wind blew the wet laundry stiff on the line I decided to come back home.”

Harold and Maude: After the Chemistry lab explosion, Harold decided he liked being dead, and took up faking suicide; Mrs. Chasen tells Harold what she’s decided to do with his life:

MRS. CHASEN: I only have a few minutes, Harold, but I do want to inform you of my decision. […] In short, Harold, I think it is time you got married.

(Higgins, p. 11)

Mrs. Chasen decides the answers to the dating questionnaire herself; Confronting Maude in the nude, Harold starts to make his own decisions:

MAUDE: Do you disapprove?

HAROLD: Me! No. Of course not.

MAUDE: (she wants the truth) Really. Do you think it’s wrong?

HAROLD: (thinks, decides, reports his conclusion) No.

(Higgins, p. 34)

Maude decides to end her life, bringing the story to an end.

Heavenly Creatures: The Art class teacher decides to pair up Pauline with Juliet, which begins their bonding process; getting a diary for Christmas a second time, Pauline decides on a more selfish New Year’s resolution; Mrs. Hulme decides she’s more interested in Bill’s feelings than his wife’s, leading to their affair and her divorce; Mr. Hulme decides to go to England, and place Juliet in South Africa; Mrs. Rieper decides that Juliet and Pauline should spend their last three weeks together; etc.

Lawrence of Arabia: Dryden decides that Arab Bureau needs its own man on the spot, and sends Lawrence to Arabia; Lawrence decides to cross the Nefud and take Akaba, endearing him to both Arabs and British; Allenby decides to sit back and let Damascus fall apart, so he can step in and take the reins; etc.

The Philadelphia Story: Tracy has decided to marry Kittredge; Sidney Kidd decides to trade the story on Seth Lord for an account of Tracy Lord’s wedding; Tracy and the family decide to play along with the ruse; Dexter and Seth both decide to show up for Tracy’s wedding; Dexter and Mike decide to turn the tables on Kidd; Ultimately Tracy decides she doesn’t want to marry George after all.

The Piano Lesson: The story is moved along by decisions: Boy Willie decides to buy Sutter’s farmland and sell the piano to finance his own farm. He decides to pressure Berniece to sell the piano which causes her to fight him with accusations and finally threaten his life. Doaker decides to educate Boy Willie about the importance of the piano to the family, inciting Wining Boy to support Berniece which further divides the family. Avery’s decision to exorcise Sutter’s ghost causes a struggle against good and evil which forces Berniece to act to save her brother.

Platoon: Chris Taylor decides to drop out of college and enlist in the military for active duty in Vietnam; Sgt. Barnes decides to send Sgt. Elias’ squad out for an all night ambush resulting in Gardner’s death and Chris’ injuries. These two soldiers were new to the platoon and lacked the experience they needed and might have gained if Barnes hadn’t decided to send them out so soon; It’s decided that the platoon should move further on to a nearby village suspected of Viet Cong activity. The platoon commits war crimes against the village as a means of releasing frustration for the deaths of the members in their platoon. Elias’ decision to report Barnes’ criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. Sgt. Barnes’ decision to kill Elias and later, his decision to try and kill Chris, provokes Chris to kill him.

Pride and Prejudice: Mr. Darcy’s decision not to ask Elizabeth to dance at their first meeting is why she and her family and friends take an instant dislike to the man; Elizabeth’s refusal of Mr. Collins’ proposal gives leave for her best friend, Charlotte, to encourage his attentions; Elizabeth’s decision not to reveal Wickham’s true nature leads to her youngest sister committing folly; and so forth.

Reservoir Dogs: Joe decides to form a gang to pull the heist; Mr. Orange chooses to go undercover; Mr. Nice allows Mr. Blond to stay in the warehouse with the kidnapped cop. At film’s end, Mr. Orange decides to confess to Mr. White, who decides to kill him rather than giving himself up to the police.

Rosemary’s Baby: Rosemary and Guy’s decision to break their lease and take the apartment at the Branford is the initial catalyst for the story. Guy’s agreement to have dinner with the Castevets leads to the unspoken offer of trading his wife for his career. It is Guy’s decision to agree to the scheme that puts the plot in motion. At the climax of the story, it is Rosemary’s decision to become a real mother to her child that resolves the story problem.

Searching for Bobby Fischer: Josh decides to keep the chess piece instead of trading it for a baseball. He reluctantly decides to play and defeat his dad. Dad decides to seek classes for Josh. After initially refusing to accept Josh as a student, Bruce decides to teach Josh. Josh ultimately decides to compete at the championship for himself. He offers the draw to Jonathan.

The Sun Also Rises: The decision the objective characters make to go to Pamplona for the festival of the bulls precipitates the action that follows. During the week’s frantic festivities, events come to a head. For example, Brett takes up with the young bullfighter, Romero, and ultimately leaves town with him; Robert Cohn, pugnacious and wildly jealous, hits Jake and Mike and beats up Romero.

Taxi Driver: Travis’ decision to become a taxi driver, especially one who will work anywhere, exposes him to lowlife “scum”:

PERSONNEL OFFICER: We don’t need any misfits around here, son.

TRAVIS: You kiddin? Who else would hack through Bed-Sty or Harlem at night?

PERSONNEL OFFICER: You want to work uptown nights?

TRAVIS: I’ll work anywhere, anytime. I know I can’t be choosy.

(Schrader, p. 5)

Travis’ decision to pursue Betsy leads him to volunteer; Betsy’s decision to go to a porno movie with Travis makes her reject him, which in turn ramps up his alienation; Iris’ choosing of Travis’ taxi to seek refuge in brings her and Sport to Travis’ attention; Sport’s decision to pay Travis with the “dirty” $20 bill leads Travis to pay back the “wages of sin” with death; etc.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Atticus decides to take Tom Robinson’s case even though he is certain to lose; the jury decides Tom Robinson is guilty of raping Mayella although evidence points to the contrary; Aunt Alexandra decides to move into the Finch household and exert her influence over the children; Heck Tate decides against arresting Boo Radley for Bob Ewell’s death “‘It ain’t your decision, Mr. Finch it’s all mine'” (Lee, 1960, p. 303); and so forth.

The Verdict: As a courtroom drama, the direction of the case follows various decisions and ultimately comes down to a single decision — the verdict.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: The decision to have the guests over drives the initial actions of the story; Martha’s decision to tell Honey about their “son” forces George to change tactics and begin to intentionally play games with them (formally it was only between he and Martha); Martha’s decision to ignore George’s warning and tell them about his being a “big . . . fat . . . FLOP!” drives George to smash the bourbon bottle; George’s decision to ignore Martha’s passes at Nick and to read a book drives Martha to follow through with her threats and go to bed with Nick; etc.

Washington Square: Morris Townsend decides on Catherine Sloper as his heiress, and begins to court her; Aunt Penniman decides to lend her help to the courtship; Catherine decides Morris is the man for her and attempts to convince her father as such; Doctor Sloper decides Morris is not fit to be his daughter’s husband and begins to wage a campaign against the scoundrel; and so forth.

When Harry Met Sally: Harry and Sally decide to share a ride to New York; Helen decides to leave Harry; Sally decides she wants more out of the relationship with Joe than he is willing to give; Jess and Marie decide they like each other better than their blind dates; and so forth.

The Wild Bunch: Harrigan decides to wait until the Wild Bunch come out of the railroad office and catch them in the act, thus causing the townspeople’s slaughter; Thornton makes a decision to hunt down Pike rather than face jail; Pike allows Angel to take a case of guns, leading to his capture by Mapache; The Wild Bunch decide to go for the gold and get guns for Mapache; Pike decides to rescue Angel from Mapache’s men; etc.

Excerpted from
Dramatica Story Development Software

STORIES that have Driver of Action:

A Clockwork Orange: Actions put the characters in their respective positions in the story. Alex’s avoidance of school, beating of the tramp, attack on Billy Boy’s gang, rape of Mr. Alexander’s wife, and murder of the Cat Lady are what move the story toward his having to face the repercussions of these actions in the form of Mr. Deltoid, tramps attacking him, the authorities, prison, and Mr. Alexander’s attempt at revenge.

All That Jazz: How well the dancers perform determines who will be chosen for a part in NY/LA: “If you just stay in line for a minute, we’ll make our decisions. Look, there are only twelve jobs . . . (Aurthur and Fosse 7); Joe’s abuse of drugs and alcohol, combined with working and playing at a breakneck pace, contributes to his heart attack. Once this happens, he and the producers of NY/LA decide it’s time he recover in the hospital; Joe’s extramarital affairs forced his wife to divorce him; because of Joe’s indisposition, Jonesy decides to sound out Lucas as a possible replacement; and so forth.

Being There: When the Old Man dies, Chance is forced out of the only home he has ever known. Once on the outside, he is hit by a limousine, resulting in its owner, Eve Rand, taking responsibility for Chance’s recovery and well-being; and so forth.

Blade Runner: The story starts with Leon shooting blade runner Holden, demonstrating his ruthlessness; Gaff arrives to recruit Deckard; Deckard tests Rachael, showing how advanced replicants have become; Pris ambushes Sebastian to gain his trust; etc.

Braveheart: The murder of Murron forces William to decide to give up his neutrality and fight. William’s victory at Stirling forces the Scottish nobles to decide to present this commoner with a knighthood. Wallace’s sacking of York forces Longshanks to decide to send Princess Isabella to negotiate with Wallace, while he sends Irish, Welsh, and his own troops in France to fight the Scottish at Falkirk. Mornay and Lochlan’s desertion forces William to decide to take revenge.

Bringing Up Baby: In the first scene, a telegram arrives telling David of the arrival of the intercostal clavicle. On the golf course, Susan mistakenly plays David’s ball, forcing David to run after her to rectify the situation. At Aunt Elizabeth’s house, George the dog runs off with David’s bone, forcing David to decide between finding the bone, or going back to Alice without it. Baby is accidentally let out of the stall and runs away, and David must choose between not caring or dealing with Susan’s threat of telling Aunt Elizabeth everything.

The Client: The mob attorney’s suicide sets off everybody’s deliberations on what happened and how much Marcus knows. Ultimately, the senator’s body must be moved or discovered (action) to draw the story to a conclusion, and Marcus must disappear via the Witness Protection Program (action) regardless of what he decides to say about what he knows (decision).

The Crucible: The inciting incident in The Crucible is Parris surprising his daughter, niece, and other girls dancing “like heathen in forest” (Miller 10). He decides to send for Reverend Hale in the hope that he will confirm there are no unnatural causes at work in Salem; after his wife is taken away to jail, Proctor decides to take Mary Warren with him to court to prove the girls are liars, when this action fails, he decides to admit to being a lecher to prove the accusations Abigail has made against his wife are only an attempt to secure Proctor for herself; when Danforth forces Proctor to sign his name to the confession, Proctor decides to keep his integrity and protect other innocent people by ripping it up and going to his death; and so forth.

El Mariachi: Moco’s failed knock-off attempt of Azul, and Azul’s subsequent escape from jail, renews the hatred between the two men and begins a war that El Mariachi finds himself unwittingly caught up in.

Hamlet: Claudius’ murder of the king drives Hamlet to despair; The Ghost’s appearance drives Hamlet to seek revenge; Hamlet’s killing of Polonius drives Claudius to plot Hamlet’s death; Ophelia’s accidental drowning (and Polonius’ murder) drives Laertes to seek Hamlet’s death; and so forth.

I Love Lucy: Lucy decides how and when to tell Ricky the news after a visit to the doctor determines her pregnancy; after hearing about the problems that have arisen in his absence, Ricky decides to go back to work early; Ethel decides to reveal Lucy’s secret to Fred even after Lucy asks her not to; Fred decides to make a gift of his baseball treasures to the unborn child upon hearing the news; and so forth.

Klute: Klute starts the action by going to New York to find Tom; Bree closes the door in Klute’s face; Klute stalks and tape-records Bree; Visiting the junkie Arlyn makes Bree run back to Frank and drugs; The stalker looks through the skylight and plays Bree’s voice over the phone, sending her in fear to Klute; Klute fabricates a story about a little black book, setting a trap for Cable; etc.

Lolita: Until Humbert first lays eyes on Lolita, he has decided not to rent a room from Charlotte: “Let’s get out of here at once, I firmly said to myself . . .” (Nabokov 37). He instantly changes his mind when he sees Lolita out on the “Piazza.” “Without the least warning, a blue sea-wave swelled under my heart and, from a mat in a pool of sun, half-naked, kneeling, turned about on her knees, there was my Riviera love peering at me over dark glasses” (Nabokov 38).

Othello: When Othello promotes Cassio over Iago, the ensign vows to get revenge; after Othello secretly marries Desdemona, Brabantio determines Othello is using witchcraft on his daughter; Desdemona defends her husband and her father decides to disown her; when the Turks send an armada against Venetian held Cyprus, the senate decides to send Othello to lead its defense; Cassio gets into a drunken brawl while he’s in charge of the guard and Othello decides to demote him; Iago lies to Othello about Desdemona’s unfaithfulness and the general decides to murder her.

Quills: Dr. Royer-Collard is hired to restore Charenton to its former glory; Her reputation ruined, Renee Pelagie decides to beg and bribe the doctor to stop her husband from writing his stories; Each time The Marquis comes up with a new way to put his stories into circulation, the doctor and Abbe must decide on a different course of action to stop him; and so forth.

Rain Man: When the EPA fails the Lamberghinis, Charlie decides to lie to his customers and give them a discount on the cars. When Mr. Mooney, the lawyer, reads the will giving Sanford Babbitt’s fortune to someone else, Charlie decides to find the beneficiary. When Dr. Bruner does not give Charlie his share of the inheritance, Charlie decides to “ransom” Raymond. After Charlie refuses to return Raymond to Walbrook, Susanna decides to leave Charlie. After Raymond throws a tantrum when expected to fly in an airplane, Charlie decides to drive to Los Angeles. After the bank seizes Charlie’s cars, he decides to use Raymond to win money in Las Vegas.

Rear Window: Jeff’s running out onto the racetrack put his leg in a cast and made him house bound; Thorwald’s going out in the rain at 1:55 a.m. makes Jeff suspicious, as does almost everything he does; Thorwald’s packing makes Jeff intensify his efforts; Lisa’s waving of the wedding ring alerts Thorwald to the fact he’s being watched; etc.

Rebel Without a Cause: Jim’s drunkenness lands him jail; Buzz cannot get out of his car in time to prevent his driving over the cliff which results in his death; Plato’s death brings the Stark family together; and so forth.

Revenge of the Nerds: In this story, actions lead to decisions. The Alpha-Beta house burns down, so they have to determine where to stay; the football team throws the freshmen out of their dorm, so the nerds have to decide where to live. It is also the action of the Alpha Betas trashing the nerds’ house which forces Lewis to face his moment of truth and decide to remain steadfast and show up at the rally to support Gilbert.

Romeo and Juliet: The “three civil brawls” (1.1.91) the Capulets and Montagues have engaged in force Prince Escalus to determine: “If you ever disturb our streets again,/Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” (1.1.98-99), thus driving the story forward. Gibbons asserts: “In Romeo and Juliet the play’s decisive events occur with instantaneous suddenness: servants brawl on sight, the lovers fall in love at first sight, the shock of the tragic catastrophe converts the parents suddenly and completely from hate to love” (70).

The Silence of the Lambs: “BILL SKINS FIFTH” reads the newspaper headline on Crawford’s corkboard, and on Bill’s wall. This action leads the FBI to seek Lecter’s help; Miggs’ attack on Clarice evokes sympathy in Lecter and his decision to help her; Lecter’s clue about covetousness and his writing on the map leads Clarice to reinvestigate the Ohio murder; the moth landing on spools of thread in Gumb’s house leads Clarice to try to arrest him; Gumb’s cocking of his revolver warns Clarice and forces her to shoot him.

The Simpsons Christmas Special: Bart gets a tattoo, and it can only be removed if the procedure is paid for up front. Marge has no choice but to use the Christmas savings to pay for it. Mr. Burns denies his employees their annual Christmas bonus, compelling Homer to decide if he should come clean with his family, or find another way to raise the money.

All Good Things (Star Trek: The Next Generation): Picard is thrown back and forth through time and must therefore come up with a plan to deal with it.

Star Wars: It is the Empire’s creation of the Death Star that forces the Rebellion to confront the Empire directly; it is the Empire’s boarding of the CouncilorÕs ship that forces Leia to send the plans with R2D2 & C3P0; it is R2D2’s run into the desert with the vital holographic message that joins Luke and Obi Wan and convinces Obi Wan to end his days as a hermit; it is the Stormtroopers barbecuing of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru that sways Luke’s decision to join forces with Obi Wan; it is the presence of the Stormtroopers in the Cantina that influences Han to take Obi Wan’s group to the Alderaan system; etc.

Sula: After Sula swings Chicken Little into the water leading to his accidental drowning, Nel and Sula decide to keep mum; Nel decides to end her friendship with Sula after discovering Sula and Jude naked; after Sula overhears Hannah confess to her friends she loves her daughter but does not like her, Sula determines she no longer can count on others; after the psychological battering of the war and its resultant terrors; Shadrack decides to devote only one day a year to fear; Plum’s drug addiction causes his mother to decide to end his life; and so forth.

Sunset Boulevard: The story is moved along by actions: When the finance men try to repossess Joe’s car he runs from them, gets a flat tire, and hides in Norma’s driveway. When he tells Norma that he’s a writer, she decides to hire him to rewrite her script. Betty reads some of Joe’s work and decides there’s one story worth developing. She begs Joe to work with her on it, and he decides to sneak out on Norma to write the story with her. When Norma discovers that Joe is writing a script with Betty, she decides to break up the partnership. Joe walks out on Norma, so she decides if she can’t have him, no-one else will.

Tootsie: When George informs Michael that no one will hire him, Michael decides to prove him wrong, and dresses in drag to get the soap opera job. When Dorothy threatens Ron on the set, Rita decides to give her an audition. Michael stands up Sandy for a dinner date and she decides to stand sentry at his apartment. Julie invites Dorothy to her father’s farm for the weekend, and Michael decides to go despite Jeff’s warnings. After Dorothy tries to kiss her, Julie decides to end their relationship. When Julie rejects Dorothy, Michael decides to shed his disguise and reveal himself on live television.

Toy Story: All the precipitous events of the story are things that “happen” which force the characters to deliberate on how they should respond–Andy’s birthday party occurs early, Buzz Lightyear “lands” on Andy’s bed, the decorative motif of Andy’s room changes (note the lyrics of the song “STRANGE THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO ME”), Buzz is thrown out the window by accident, Sid pulls Buzz and Woody out of the claw machine, “moving day” arrives, etc. (The mother’s “decision” to move is not part of the movie, nor is her “decision” to buy the Buzz Lightyear toy.) The final “action” that resolves the Objective Story is the sudden appearance of Buzz and Woody next to Andy in the car.

Unforgiven: Quick Mike’s slashing of Delilah, and Little Bill’s mild punishment for this heinous action prompts Alice to offer a reward; Kid Schofield’s arrival and the dying of the hogs pushes Munny into pursuit of the reward; Munny’s killing Davey sets Little Bill on their trail; Little Bill’s torturing to death of Ned makes Munny come after him; etc.

Witness: Jacob’s death causes Rachel to visit her sister for advice, placing her and Samuel at the train station; Samuel’s exploring puts him in a position to witness the murder; the killing of the undercover cop causes Book to investigate; Samuel’s identifying McFee puts him in danger; Book’s punching out the redneck exposes him as non-Amish; etc.

X-Files: Beyond the Sea: The teenagers are kidnapped and Mulder and Scully investigate the case; when Boggs sends for Mulder, he and Scully question him; Boggs describes where the victims are being held which leads to Scully finding evidence that advances the investigation and raises questions as to Boggs’ involvement in the kidnapping; after Mulder is shot Scully threatens Boggs; when Boggs withholds valuable information, Scully decides to approach the warden on his behalf.

Excerpted from
Dramatica Story Development Software

STORIES that have Mental Sex of Female:

A Doll’s House: Nora effectively assesses what she needs to do to maintain the balance in her marriage.

All About Eve: Margo uses holistic problem solving: When she first becomes suspicious of Eve’s motives, Margo smokes a cigarette and thinks about all that’s been happening; she asks Birdie’s opinion of Eve; her intuition kicks in before Bill’s party, and Margo predicts “a disaster in the air.” After her blowup at the audition, Bill asks her what is wrong:

MARGO: I — I don’t know, Bill. Just a feeling, I don’t know. . .

Bull Durham: Annie deals with everything in a holistic way. She doesn’t see problems and solutions per se, but rather processes and balances. Much of her coaching refers to imbalances between the two halves of the brain, and imbalances in the mind-body connection.

The Client: From the first time she appears in the story, Reggie uses female problem solving techniques. Mark says he doesn’t want “some woman lawyer” because his mother’s divorce lawyer was so bad. Reggie asks what “her” name was, and Mark says “it was a man.” Reggie says, “Exactly.” Reggie uses the balance between surpluses and deficiencies to solve a problem. She lets Mark figure out that the deficiency he was ascribing to female lawyers was unfair. U.S. Attorney Foltrigg and his staff believe that they can manipulate Mark into divulging information while they are alone with him, but Reggie has Mark “wired.” The advantage or “surplus” the men feel they have is turned into a disadvantage or “deficiency.” Reggie discovers that Mark has lied to her, creating a deficiency. She tries to balance the inequity by demanding the truth from him. Instead, he runs away, thus creating more of a deficiency. To satisfy the growing inequity, her only recourse is to follow him.

The Glass Menagerie.

I Love Lucy: Lucy evaluates her environment in terms of time, especially when it comes to telling Ricky about their baby in a timely manner.

Lawrence of Arabia: Lawrence sees the larger picture of the Middle East situation, and attempts to unite the territorial tribes and achieve post-war self-determination; he intuitively understands that if they cross the Nefud, Auda’s Howeitat will join them, especially if promised gold; he tries to hold together the quarrelsome tribes in his Arab National Council, and get them to cooperate in keeping Damascus functioning as a city; etc.

The Piano Lesson: Berniece uses female problem solving techniques. She tries to uncover Boy Willie’s motive behind his unexpected visit. She sets conditions upon having Boy Willie and Lymon in her house. She considers her family’s history surrounding the piano and concludes that it cost too much in suffering to give up.

Platoon: Throughout the film, Chris’ ability and attempts to understand the big picture of war illustrate how he views situations from a holistic, female mental sex standpoint. As an example, he is able to home in on who it is that is called to war, and who is excused:

KING: How the fuck you get over here man, you look like you educated…

CHRIS: I volunteered.

KING: You what? Say ‘gain.

CHRIS: Yeah, I dropped out of college and told ’em I wanted infantry, combat, and Nam…

He grins, finding their reactions funny. It’s also the first time we’ve seen Chris crack a smile.

CRAWFORD: You volunteered for this shit, man?

KING: You a crazy fucker, givin’ up college, man.

CHRIS: Didn’t make much sense. Wasn’t learning anything… (hesitate) And why should just the poor kids go to the war – and the college kids get away with it.

King and Crawford share a smile.

KING: What we got here a crusader?

CRAWFORD: Sounds like it. (Stone, P. 24)

Even though he didn’t see Barnes actually shoot Elias, or has any physical proof of the crime, Chris still knows Barnes murdered Elias. Chris’ beliefs are derived from the tense, volatile relationship between Elias and Barnes, and the horrible scene where Elias runs from the jungle only to get killed by the enemy soldiers pursuing him. This sight directly contradicts Sgt. Barnes questionable account of how he earlier found Elias dead in the jungle, prompting the following exchange of dialogue between Chris and other platoon members:

CHRIS: He killed him. I know he did. I saw his eyes when he came back in…

RHAH: (puffing on his bowl) How do you know the dinks didn’t get him. You got no proof man.

CHRIS: Proof’s in his eyes. When you know you know. You were there Rhah – I know what you were thinking. I say we frag the fucker. Tonight. (Stone, p. 85)

Another instance that illustrates how Chris looks at the war from an overall, holistic standpoint is in the last conversation he has with King:

CHRIS: Y’ever get caught in a mistake, King, and you just can’t get out of it?

KING: Way out of anything, man. Just keep your pecker up and your powder dry, things change. How many days you short?

CHRIS: Not just me… it’s the way the whole thing works. People like Elias get wasted and people like Barnes just go on making up rules any way they want and what do we do, we just sit around in the middle and suck on it! We just don’t add up to a rat’s ass.

KING: Whoever said we did, babe. Make it outta here, it’s all gravy, every day of the rest of your life – gravy…(Stone, p. 95)

Pride and Prejudice: An example of Elizabeth using a female problem solving technique is illustrated when she cannot fathom why Mr. Darcy would interfere with the romance between Mr. Bingley and her sister, Jane. She looks at the issue holistically, reviewing all the possible objections he could have against her sister and her family, as well as taking into account the possibility that Mr. Darcy may wish to have his friend marry Darcy’s younger sister, Georgiana. Elizabeth also determines that the fine points Jane has to offer Mr. Bingley more than make up for any deficiency Mr. Darcy may have perceived. Elizabeth is left to conclude Mr. Darcy’s objections to the match “had been partly governed by this worst kind of pride, and partly by the wish of retaining Mr. Bingley for his sister” (Austen 159).

Rear Window: Jeff tries to hold together his theory of Thorwald as a murderer in the face of opposition from Stella, Lisa, and especially Doyle. He’s more interested in the why and when of the murder, leaving the how to Stella and Doyle to consider, and piecing his ideas together to form the big picture.

Rosemary’s Baby: The female mental sex character resolves problems by comparing surpluses to deficiencies, and then taking steps to create a balance. When Guy first refuses to go to the Castevets for dinner, even though Rosemary makes it clear that she promised Mrs. Castevet, she begins reasoning out loud why they should stay home–creating a surplus of reasons acquiesce to Guy’s wishes. She doesn’t push Guy, but eventually he says, “Let’s go.” When her pregnancy becomes a seeming never-ending agony, and no one will listen to her, she throws a party where her friends can assess her shocking physical and emotional condition and push her to see a new doctor. When she grows weary of Minnie’s meddling, she accepts Minnie’s “herbal” drink, but then pours it down the drain. Thus she is dealing with the immediate surplus, but not yet taking steps to resolve the whole problem. When she discovers the truth about her baby, she is armed with a butcher knife as if she is willing to strike at one of the perpetrators, or even her baby. But she is confronted with a different inequity: the need of her baby. The story ends with Rosemary “becoming” the mother to her child, having seen the real deficiency in the situation, the baby’s lack of a mother.

Searching for Bobby Fischer: As a seven year old child, Josh employs both methods of problem solving, but he tends to favor a more holistic approach. Early in the story, Josh is so reluctant to beat his father at chess, he doesn’t even want to play him. His reluctance demonstrates his desire to hold the relationship together. He doesn’t want to change the status quo–the relationship he has with his dad. He is sensitive to inequities, as demonstrated by his sensitivity to the imbalance between winning and losing, and his sensitivity toward the people around him.

Sula: Nel uses Sula to creates balance within herself and environment.

Washington Square: Catherine is able to evaluate people in a holistic manner, for example:

“To her mind there was nothing of the infinite about Mrs. Penniman; Catherine saw her all at once . . .” (James 10)

The Wild Bunch: When his “family” members squabble amongst themselves, Pike gives them pep talks in an effort to hold the Wild Bunch together:

SYKES: That was a mighty fine talk you gave the boys ’bout stickin’ together. That Gorch was near killin’ me — or me him —

(Green and Peckinpah, p. 33)

With Thornton closing in, and his own men ready for fight or flight, Pike looks at the bigger picture:

LYLE: We kin stay right up here and kick hell out of ’em.

PIKE: No water.

DUTCH: Make a run for the border?

PIKE: They’d be after us every step of the way — I know Thornton. No, I’m tired of being hunted — we go back to Agua Verde and let the general take care of those boys.

LYLE: You’re crazy!… Back with those greasers!

PIKE: He’s so tickled with the guns he’ll be celebrating for a week and happy to do us a favor. Thornton ain’t going after us in there. While they’re busy picking over old Freddy’s pockets, we’ll take the back trail off this mountain and head for town.

(Green and Peckinpah, p. 99)

NOTE: The obstacle character, Deke Thornton, also has a female mental sex. He too, tries to hold together his group of misfits, but by using threats. He’s able to grasp the bigger picture of how things work, which allows him to work for Harrigan and to join Sykes at story’s end. He can intuit what Pike is thinking at any given time, as they share the same problem solving techniques.

Witness: When Amish elders object to harboring Book–because if he dies, the policemen will come, investigate, disrupt, cause publicity, etc.,–Rachel looks at the bigger picture. She responds that they must make it so that they never find his body, without going into details of how they would accomplish that.

Excerpted from
Dramatica Story Development Software

STORIES that have Mental Sex of Male:

A Clockwork Orange: Alex evaluates matters primarily by cause and effect. When Alex wants something, he simply goes out and gets it. If he needs money, he steals it; if he wants to let out aggression, he beats people up; if he wants sex, he rapes; if his droogs do not listen to him, he teaches them a lesson; wanting to leave prison, he sees the Ludovico treatment as the way out, not as the process it places him in.

The Age of Innocence: Newland moves to solve problems by using linear thinking. When he realizes at the opera that May and her family support Ellen, he immediately goes to the box and suggests announcing his and May’s engagement that very evening to add his family’s support as well; when Mrs. Mingott’s dinner invitations are turned down, he goes to the van der Luydens and convinces them to support Ellen; after Newland learns that Ellen is visiting nearby in Portsmouth, he immediately voices a plan to buy a new horse so that he can travel to see Ellen; he then tracks her down and finds her in Boston.

All That Jazz: Joe evaluates problems in terms of cause and effect. For example, when he comes across organs preserved in formaldehyde, he jokes:

Listen . . . I told you guys you should take better care of yourselves. Too much booze . . . too much smoking . . . too much screwing around . . . it’ll get ya every time. (Aurthur and Fosse 120)

Amadeus: Salieri solves his problems using cause and effect techniques. Once he has perceived Mozart as the problem, he methodically begins his years long campaign of destruction. And he is sure that it will result in resolving the problem.

Apt Pupil: Todd has a linear way of thinking, as illustrated when Rubber Ed asks how it all happened, “‘Oh, one thing just followed another,’ Todd said…’That’s really how it happened. One thing just…followed another'” (King, 1982, p. 285).

Barefoot in the Park: Paul solves problems by taking steps, for example, he comes to the realization that his controlling behavior is responsible for his imminent divorce. He decides to lose control by getting “Lousy, stinkin’ drunk!” and taking on Corie’s madcap ideas:

Paul: Hey, Corie….Let’s do that thing you said before….Let’s wake up the police and see if all the rooms come out of the crazy neighbors…I want to be a nut like everyone else in this building.

Being There: Chance uses the male problem solving technique of cause and effect. For example, when faced with threatening gang members, he attempts to turn them off with a television remote control.

Blade Runner: Deckard follows clues leading to the replicants in a linear problem-solving technique, and also uses binary reasoning:

DECKARD: Replicants are like any other machine. They can be a benefit or a hazard. If it’s a benefit, it’s not my problem.

(Fancher and Peoples, p. 12A)

Body Heat: Ned sees each problem as a separate hurdle to jump–each with its own issues, costs, and benefits. As such, Ned is completely blinded to the “bigger picture” of Mattie’s con and consistently falls prey to her manipulations.

Boyz N The Hood: Tre tends to view problems in a linear way, without considering the big picture. In his relationship with Brandi, he wants to take the immediate step of having sex with her, without regard to the consequences that could adversely affect their relationship. For example, Brandi could become pregnant, impeding their college plans and creating a financial struggle to maintain an income necessary to provide for a child. When Tre seeks revenge for the death of his friend, he does not immediately recognize the action will also put himself in danger.

Braveheart: Wallace throws his whole effort into vanquishing the cause of Scotland’s (and his own personal) misery–English rule and Longshanks’ treachery.

Bringing Up Baby: David is not one to see the big picture. He has a tendency to look only at the effects and causes of his circumstances and doesn’t appreciate the process until it is all over. He looks at the effects of Susan’s actions and blames her for all of his problems. He does not understand, nor have patience, for Susan’s decidedly non-linear way of thinking.

Candida: Morell thinks linearly; when his marriage is threatened he considers nothing but the threat itself; if he had put the threat in perspective of his happy marriage, he would realize the danger never existed.

Casablanca: A linear thinker, Rick jumps to the conclusion that Ilsa left him in Paris because she loved Laszlo more. When he decides to help Laszlo and Ilsa, he takes a logical series of actions that ensure they will be able to escape without interference from the police or the Nazis.

Charlotte’s Web: Wilbur evaluates problems in terms of cause and effect; for example, when he escapes his pen, it causes an uproar.

Chinatown: Jake looks for clues to see where they will lead him. Though this helps him locate and identify Evelyn’s daughter/Noah’s granddaughter, he misses the big picture (the intermingled relationships) that a person using female mental sex problem solving techniques might have picked up.

The Crucible: John focuses on what is the specific cause of a problem, without considering all other possibilities.

Proctor: . . . I know the children’s sickness has naught to do with witchcraft.

Hale: Naught to do–?

Proctor: Mr. Parris discovered them sportin’ in the woods. They were startled and took sick.

Hale: Who told you this?

Proctor: Abigail Williams.

Hale: . . . Abigail Williams told you it had naught to do with witchcraft! Why–why did you keep this?

Proctor: I never knew until tonight that the world is gone daft with nonsense. (Miller 68)

El Mariachi: El Mariachi understands his problem of being pursued is caused by a case of mistaken identity.

Four Weddings And A Funeral: Charles tries to solve problems by looking at causes and their effects. Unfortunately for him, there isn’t always a clear cut relationship between the two which makes solving his problems very difficult. For example, when he first discovers that Carrie is engaged to Hamish, he immediately (in his conversation with Matthew) tries to figure out what he’s been doing wrong.

The Fugitive: Dr. Kimble is trying to find out who was responsible for his wife’s murder, and the reasons behind the heinous act, by locating the information that leads back to the killer.

The Godfather: Michael uses a linear, cause and effect manner of looking at problems. He sees the relations of all the families as different links in one hierarchy of power, completely ignoring the holistic effects the families’ methods have on the women and children who are, in his eyes, “not involved.” His keen sense of logic is what allows him to see that he is the perfect candidate to kill the “Turk.” He sees a very binary relationship between people who are “in” the family vs. people who aren’t, warning Fredo never to take sides against the family. He is also able to ultimately convince himself that his “business” has nothing to do with his wife and that because she is “not involved” she should not ask him about it.

The Graduate: Ben tends to solve problems from a very linear, cause and effect perspective, without paying much attention to the big picture.

The Great Gatsby: Nick uses the problem solving technique of cause and effect.

Hamlet: Hamlet tends to use male mental sex problem solving techniques as illustrated in his attempts to gather evidence that “there is something more deeply amiss than his mother’s overhasty marriage to her deceased husband’s brother. . .” (Bevington xx).

Harold and Maude: When Harold sees the effect his supposed death has on his mother, he causes it to happen again and again in a bid to get her attention; to avoid being drafted, he causes his uncle to think he has psychotic tendencies.

Heavenly Creatures: Pauline applies cause and effect reasoning to her encounter with the child psychologist, having him killed by Diello in her imaginary world; with Juliet, she’s worked out the Borovnian “entire royal lineage for the last five centuries”; desperate to go overseas, Pauline takes steps to make in happen–stealing silverware for the fare, applying for a passport, etc.; distressed over the one obstacle standing in her way, Pauline causes an effect–her mother’s death–having carefully worked out the steps of the murder plan.

Klute: Klute uses the linear reasoning techniques of the policeman that he is, tracking down anyone known to have contact with Tom and gathering evidence.

Lolita: Humbert uses the male mental sex problem solving technique of cause and effect. For example, he impresses upon Lolita exactly what will happen to her if she tells anyone the true nature of their relationship:

“. . . A nice grim matron . . . the reformatory, the juvenile detention home . . . By rubbing all this in, I succeeded in terrorizing Lo . . .” (Nabokov 138-9).

Othello: Othello moves to solve his problems by using linear thinking. When Brabantio accuses Othello of using witchcraft to seduce Desdemona, Othello suggests that she be summoned to give evidence of their courtship. When he’s disturbed by the commotion during the celebration, Othello demands the witnesses identify those responsible, weighs the evidence, and metes out a punishment. When Iago accuses Desdemona of adultery, Othello asks for proof. Having been presented with “evidence” Othello accepts it on face value, without considering why Iago is defaming Desdemona, or contemplating the larger issues surrounding the accusation.

The Philadelphia Story: Tracy is a goal setter. She immediately looks at causes and effects, and tries to solve problems in a very linear manner.

Quills: Abbe de Coulmier evaluates events as cause and effect. He sees each problem he has with The Marquis as a new issue, to be handled separate and apart from the last. This problem solving method fails, as The Marquis is able to counter his efforts with his own holistic methods.

Rain Man: Charlie, using linear thinking, attacks his problems straight on. He puts one business fire out at a time; when the EPA officials bug him, he considers paying them off; when his buyers want to back out of the deal, he gives them a discount; when his loan is due, he gets an extension; when his inheritance is given away, he finds out who got it and tries to make a deal. When Dr. Bruner doesn’t give Charlie his half of the inheritance, he keeps Raymond, something they want, until he gets what he wants.

Rebel Without a Cause: Jim tends to use the technique of binary reasoning to problem solve. As an example, he demands yes or no answers from his parents. He also looks at problems in terms of cause and effect. For example, he believes his mother runs the family because his father won’t stand up to her.

Reservoir Dogs: When Mr. White is confronted with a problem, his solution is to pull out his gun and eliminate the cause. He comforts the injured Mr. Orange by telling him not to worry, “it takes days to bleed to death” from gunshots to the stomach.

Revenge of the Nerds: Lewis’s first way of understanding anything is structural and he is able to objectify any problem or idea. He sees getting a house as a set of steps which he tackles one at a time. When he seduces Betty by pretending to be her boyfriend in a mask, he sees it as an act of obtaining her, rather than a process of deceiving her.

Romeo and Juliet: Romeo uses cause and effect problem solving techniques. As an example, in his first scene with Benvolio, he explains Rosaline’s cold heart is the cause of his morose behavior–he does not look beyond this to determine the real reason for his unhappiness–that he has not yet found true love.

The Silence of the Lambs: Clarice methodically follows up each clue provided by Hannibal Lecter and others to gather evidence that eventually leads her to Buffalo Bill.

The Simpsons Christmas Special: Homer uses the male problem solving techniques of cause and effect. As an example, he thinks by taking a part-time job, he will earn enough money to buy gifts. He is quite dismayed later to discover the big picture–gross pay minus many deductions equals minimal net pay.

All Good Things (Star Trek: The Next Generation): Picard chooses to “CAUSE AND EFFECT” by solving the problem of the paradox and saving mankind.

Star Wars: Luke is extremely goal (and results) oriented.

The Sun Also Rises: Jake is goal oriented, as exemplified by his focus on the possibility of winning Brett. He doesn’t see the big picture–that is, he can’t see that his physical impairment will never change and that she will never be able to accept it. He tries to pull it all together by always being available to her and her needs, and by continually pleading with her to stay with him.

Sunset Boulevard: Joe tends to solve problems by using linear thinking: When his car is about to be repossessed, Joe tries to sell a story to a producer, when that effort fails he asks for money from everyone he knows to make the payments; when he feels suffocated by Norma on New Year’s Eve, he leaves to find a happier party; when offered a chance to work on one of his stories that might sell, Joe sneaks out of Norma’s house to develop the idea; when he decides that he’s no good for Betty, he disgusts her into forgetting about him and marrying a better man.

Taxi Driver: When Travis decides to act on the idea of “True Force” that’s been building up in his brain, he gets “organezized” and breaks the job down into steps: he buys an arsenal of guns; he does physical exercise; he practices at the shooting range; he clips articles on Palantine; he practices drawing his weapons; he cuts his hair into a Mohawk; etc.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Scout considers each problem she comes up against as a separate issue, not realizing the connections that make up a bigger picture.

Tootsie: Michael tends to solve his problems using linear thinking: He needs money to produce Jeff’s play and tells his agent he’ll do anything to get it, even appear in commercials. When he’s told he’s unemployable as a actor, he poses as an actress to get an audition for “Southwest General.” After he lands the job, Michael devises a step-by-step morning routine to transform himself into Dorothy, and creates an allergy story to avoid the studio makeup person. When informed that his soap opera character is a wimp, Michael solves the problem by improvising Dorothy’s lines on the spot–without consulting the show’s producer or writers.

Toy Story: Woody is almost entirely focused on the effects he wants to achieve and how to directly cause them; “balance,” “surplus,” and “deficiency” rarely enter his considerations. His very linear approach is most dramatically demonstrated when he thinks, “Hmm, if I cause Buzz to disappear behind the desk, Andy will have to pick me to go to Pizza Planet, and I’ll win his favor back.” He then attempts a very simple cause-and-effect operation to use RC Car to push Buzz off the desk, but fails to see the relationships among the objects on the desk that will make his plan go awry. He also fails to consider how his actions will tip the delicate balance of public opinion against him. Later, however, when he pulls the mutant toys together and lays out a very linear, step-by-step strategy to save Buzz from Sid, his Male approach is very effective.

Unforgiven: Munny uses cause and effect, linear reasoning. Having trouble with animals, he figures that:

MUNNY: Now this here horse is gettin’ even on me… hold on gal… for the sins of my youth… before I met… your dear-departed mother… I was weak an’ givin’ to mistreatin’ horses an’ such. An’ this here horse… an’ that ole pig, too, I guess… is my comeuppance for my cruelty…

(Peoples, p. 21)

When he can’t hit a coffee can with the pistol, he switches to a shotgun; told that Little Bill caused Ned’s death, Munny eliminates him.

The Verdict: Frank tries to determine the cause of Ms. Kay’s condition by examining the effects.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: George formulates a plan to end one particular game (the fantasy of their son) and takes steps to bring it to fruition.

When Harry Met Sally: Harry does not need to be fulfilled mentally when seeking a solution to a problem. He needs only to be satisfied.

X-Files: Beyond the Sea: Scully approaches problems using linear thinking: She decides that since her father never told her he was proud of her being in the FBI, he must not have been; follows clues to an abandoned warehouse and finds evidence; decides that with only three days left to save the teenagers, they must deal with Boggs to get information; reasons that because Mulder was shot, Boggs must have orchestrated the attack.

Excerpted from
Dramatica Story Development Software