Category Archives: Story Finish

Act 3 – the Story’s Crown

Today, we’re examining Act 3 of a story, with reference to The Dark Knight. We uncover five powerful principles to help you propel your own Act 3 to loftier heights. So, strap on your seatbelts because Gotham’s about to face its worst day of reckoning.

1. Intensity and Escalation

A memorable Act 3 rides on the energy of escalating intensity and tension. In The Dark Knight the third act hurls us into the crescendo of the conflict between Batman and the Joker. From the Joker’s explosive actions, the intensity is relentless. We are gripped by unfolding events as we try to steady ourselves before the next twist hits.

2. Character Transformation Arcs

Act 3 is the place where one or more character completes his or her transformation arc. Indeed, what is a hero without transformative sacrifice? Batman, fearing for Gotham’s future, makes a jaw-dropping decision. To preserve the hope that Dent’s law-and-order legacy represents, Batman covers for Harvey’s crimes, which allows for the establishing of the Dent Act that will impose harsh penalties upon criminals—this in an attempt to stem crime.

Additionally, we witness the outcome of Harvey Dent’s tragic physical change, from the man who was once Gotham’s ‘White Knight,’ to one who has been consumed by disfigurement and mental-illness as Two-Face. Act 3, you see, demands that characters confront their inner demons, and shows the consequences of failing to defeat them. The Dark Knight showcases this brilliantly, giving us a haunting look into Dent’s descent into schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder.

”Act 3 ought to leave the reader or audience with a feeling of completion in the work itself—even when the ending is inconclusive or ambivalent.”

3. Unpredictable Twists

Much of Act 3 turns on unpredictabile and electifying twists. Here too, The Dark Knight keeps us on the edge of our seats. Batman’s decision to take the fall for Dent’s crimes? That was unpredictable. As was the resolution to the explosive ferry scenes. The Joker’s chaotic plans as a whole, too, weave a tapestry of unpredictability, leaving us off-kilter and breathless with anticipation.

4. High Stakes and Consequences

When we enter Act 3 of a story we enter the realm of elevated stakes and irreversible consequences. Here, each action has a powerful impact. The repercussions of Batman’s sacrificial decision ripples through Gotham, leading to the establishment of the ‘Dent Act.’ The high-stakes are not just personal, they mould the future of an entire metropolis, leaving us questioning the very essence of heroism.

5. Climax, Denouement and Resonance

Finally, let’s talk about the climax, resonance and the denouement that must occur in every Act 3. In The Dark Knight, the climax of the conflict is the strongest it can be, seeing it is rooted in a dilemma for the protagonist—the Joker has kidnapped Harvey Dent and Bruce Wayne’s love interest, Rachel Dawes, which places Batman in an impossible dilemma: who to save.

Additionally, The Dark Knight‘s Act 3 doesn’t just end, it resonates with consequences beyond its immediate conclusion: The denouement that follows offers a satisfying, yet thought-provoking resolution. Commissioner Gordon’s speech, for example, reflects on the consequences of the chaos, providing some closure while leaving us with lingering questions. This is the hallmark of a well-crafted Act 3: a climax leading to a resolution that resonates beyond the diegetic confines of the story, ensuring that the tale lingers in our minds long after the final credits roll.

Well, there it is, five must-have principles for a strong act three: escalation, character transformation, unpredictability, high stakes, and a resonant denouement.

Which of these principles resonate most with your writing style?

Summary

The five must-have principles for a strong Act 3 are: escalation, character transformation, unpredictability, high stakes, and a resonant climax, resolution and denouement.

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The Midpoint – the Fulcrum of your Story

Midpoint Magic in The Dark Knight — Midpoint Magic in *The Dark Knight*

Today, we’re plunging deep into the narrative heart of a story—the Midpoint where your tale takes a sharp turn. We’ll study how this narrative beat divides Act 2 into two parts, A and B, drawing on the acclaimed film, The Dark Knight.

Before we fly right into the Batcave, let’s note that there are different types of midpoint, such as the False Victory, the False Defeat, the Setback, the Reversal, the Twist to name only a few. Sometimes, two or more will combine to produce a more complex midpoint.

In The Dark Night the midpoint is served with a twist. But, how exactly does the midpoint tie into the broader structure of the story? Well, let’s start by understanding that the midpoint is the scalpel that splits Act 2 into two related, but distinct sections.

”The midpoint divides Act 2 into two parts. It changes the direction of the story.”

In The Dark Knight the midpoint occurs when Harvey Dent turns himself in as Batman to the police, before Bruce Wayne can own up to it, while Bruce stays silent. This allows the Joker, with typical chaotic brilliance, to take center stage and shatter Bruce’s plans. To make matters worse, Dent, who now has his reputation as a law-and-order DA torn to shreds, will undergo a horrific facial disfigurement and personality change, which will add to Batman’s problems, altering the course of the story.

The midpoint, which has trapped Batman in a moral dilemma, then, simultaneously propels us from the first half of Act 2 to the second, marking a shift in the narrative’s trajectory. Before this moment, Batman’s mission revolved around dismantling the mob’s power and fostering Harvey Dent as Gotham’s symbol of justice. The beats leading up to this were a series of triumphs—Batman’s victories and the public’s growing faith in Harvey Dent.

But Gotham has now been thrust into disarray. Dent is no longer an ally. Batman loses control of the situation, the mob embraces chaos, and the Joker grabs the spotlight, pushing the city close to the brink. Batman’s goal has changed. It’s no longer just about cleaning up the mob; it’s about controlling the chaos, and later, deciding who to rescue—Harvey or Rachel. This shift sets up the escalating conflict that defines the chaotic energy that is unleashed in second half of the film. The Midpoint, centered around Harvey Dent’s surprising admission, and Wayne’s telling silence, has changed the trajectory of the story.

Summary

The Midpoint transitions the 1st half of Act 2 to the 2nd half, while changing the trajectory of the story.

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Oppenheimer – the morality of scientific progress

Today, we delve into the acclaimed film Oppenheimer, a masterpiece that takes us on a gripping journey through the life of its complex protagonist, J. Robert Oppenheimer.

As the film progresses, we get to know Oppenheimer as a brilliant physicist, driven by a passion for scientific discovery. At the start, his character effervesces confidence and intellectual brilliance, arrogance even, seen through his charismatic interactions with fellow scientists, and his passionate and ambitious pursuit of groundbreaking research.

Oppenheimer’s early character arc reveals a deep commitment to his work, a side dish of womanising, a more than a passing interest in communism, and a seeming indifference to the moral implications of scientific progress.

As the story unfolds, however, we begin to notice a shift in his priorities and demeanour. The death of his one-time lover, too, seems to affect him deeply. The conflict within him begins to emerge after he is tasked with heading the project to develop the atomic bomb during World War II. This once confident scientist is suddenly faced with the ethical dilemma of helping to bring about the creation of a weapon capable of destroying the world.

”Oppenheimer is a man haunted by the moral ambiguity of his actions that changed the world forever.”

We witness Oppenheimer beginning to wrestle with his conscience, questioning the moral consequences of his actions. This is the beginning of a profound transformation of his character arc.

As the war progresses, so does Oppenheimer’s internal conflict. The weight of his choices on his conscience starts to affect him physically and emotionally. This is seen in his strained relationships and haunted expressions.

As his character arc approaches its completion, we witness Oppenheimer grappling with the consequences of his choices. This once-confident scientist is now a man burdened by the moral complexities of his actions. We are left with a nuanced and thought-provoking portrayal of someone whose pursuit of knowledge has led him down the path to moral ambiguity.

The climax of Oppenheimer’s character arc occurs when he fully confronts the devastating impact of the creation he has helped to develop. The contrast between his initial enthusiasm for scientific progress and the brutal reality of nuclear devastation creates a tremendous narrative tension.

Summary

The film Oppenheimer, then, adroitly explores the complexities of its protagonist’s character arc. As writers, we can draw inspiration from Oppenheimer’s transformative journey to help us write rich, true-to-life characters who reflect on the results of choices they make in the pursuit of knowledge and progress.

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Act 2 in stories – the nitty gritty

What are the sorts of narrative beats that go into Act 2 of a story? To illustrate, let’s dip into the Oscar-winning film, No Country for Old Men. This thriller directed by Joel and Ethan Coen is a masterclass in tense, exciting storytelling. The film’s Act 2 is a great example of how to write this most important part.

ACT STRUCTURE

Before we wade deeper in, let’s establish exactly what the second act is. In a typical three-act structure, Act 1 introduces the characters and the world, Act 2 is where the majority of the story and its conflicts and complications unfold, and Act 3 brings it all to a climax and resolution. Think of Act 2 as the stuffing in your turkey.

THE GOAL AND THE PROTAGONIST

Act 2 has the protagonist face mounting challenges as he or she attempts to reach the ultimate goal. Take Llewellyn Moss, for example. He stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong, and his goal becomes survival, and pursuit of a suitcase filled with two million dollars.

To complicate matters, Moss is relentlessly pursued by the menacing Anton Chigurh, played by Javier Bardem. This pursuit becomes the driving force in the story, creating tension and suspense. As Moss creeps ever closer to the elusive suitcase, Chigurh remains just a step behind.

SUBPLOTS, THEMES AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

The second act also introduces or develops the subplot. In No Country for Old Men, the aging Sheriff, Ed Tom Bell, is played by Tommy Lee Jones. His character arc and his attempts to solve the case adds story depth and vulnerability to his character.

The film uses Bell’s character to explore deeper themes like the nature of evil, advancing years, and the changing world around him. His monologues and interactions with other characters in Act 2 give us insight into his struggle to adapt to the violence he faces.

THE MIDPOINT

Act 2 usually contains a midpoint that shifts the story in a significant way. In No Country for Old Men, the midpoint is the tense hotel showdown between Moss and Chigurh. It’s a pivotal moment where the stakes are raised, and the narrative takes a darker turn.

THE CLIMAX OF ACT 2

As Act 2 nears its conclusion, the tension escalates, readying us for the final climax that is to occur in Act 3. Moss and Chigurh’s confrontation at the Mexican border is a tense scene that encapsulates the culmination of their character arcs and conflicts.

So, there you have it, the essence of writing the second act of a story, skillfully exemplified in No Country for Old Men: Keep your protagonist’s goals and challenges in focus, introduce subplots for depth, and remember to showcase character development, conflict, and escalating tension. As you continue your writing journey, study and dissect films and books that you love to gain inspiration and insight into the craft of writing this crucial act.

Summary

Act 2 escalates the conflicts and tensions that are hinted at in Act 1. It forms the meat of the story, and prepares us for the climax of Act 3.

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Five Techniques for Great Exposition

Ever wondered how to inject great exposition seamlessly and unobtrusively into your story? Here are five techniques to help you do just that!

TECHNIQUE 1: Emotion as Camouflage.

One way to camouflage information is by pulling at your audience’s heartstrings. This is how Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind does it, and does it brilliantly. The film introduces us to Joel and Clementine, who have had their painful memories erased. As their memories are rubbed out one by one, emotions take center stage, rendering the exposition less intrusive.

EXAMPLE SCENES: We see Joel and Clementine being initially happy together. Then, as they begin to argue and confront the erasure process, we learn about their troubled history. Their emotional rollercoaster uncovers their past without the need for dry exposition.

You see, emotion is an effective way to capture the audience’s attention while you convey essential information. Additionally, transmitting backstory through your characters’ feelings and reactions avoids spoon-feeding your audiences.

TECHNIQUE 2: Layer Information.

Next, let’s look at how to Layer information. It might sound complex, but it’s a game-changer for exposition. Here again, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a masterclass in how to use this technique. The film employs a Multiform or non-linear narrative structure, presenting fragments of the story out of order.

To apply this to your own writing, reveal exposition in drips and drabs, and out of chronological order, if suitable. This approach keeps your audience engaged, eager to connect the dots in an attempt to comprehend the bigger picture. Indeed, this layered approach to writing exposition increases our need to figure out what is happening in the story—it becomes the very point of the tale. It hides in plain sight the fact that the entire story is about making sense of the backstory.

EXAMPLE SCENES: In the movie, we see glimpses of Joel and Clementine’s relationship at different stages, forcing us to piece together the story’s puzzle. This non-linear approach beautifully unpacks their past, making it more captivating and suspenseful.

TECHNIQUE 3: Use Objects as Memory Triggers, symbols and metaphors.

Remember that old trinket you found in your attic, which suddenly brought back a flood of memories? In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, objects serve as memory triggers. Joel revisits key moments by interacting with his fading memories.

EXAMPLE SCENE: When Joel finds a forgotten Valentine’s card, it takes him back to a cherished moment with Clementine. The card becomes a powerful symbol, unlocking emotions and memories that had been erased.

Employ objects in your own stories to trigger the memories of characters and reveal exposition. Objects offer a unique and relatable way to convey the past and connect your readers and audiences to the characters on a deeper level.

TECHNIQUE 4: Keep exposition short.

Brevity is key. Consider the film Arrival, where the backstory of the extraterrestrial visitors unfolds through subtle clues and linguistic exploration of alien modes of communication, encouraging your audience to use its imagination and critical thinking to make sense of the story.

“Exposition, although necessary in providing essential information to readers and audiences, ought to be rendered deftly to avoid appearing heavy-handed and on-the-nose.”

TECHNIQUE 5: Distract through action:

As writers we know all about, Show-don’t–tell. This means that instead of merely informing the audience through direct dialogue, we should also strive to unveil our backstory through the actions and behavior of our characters.

In the film Unforgiven, a retired gunfighter, William Munny, now a down-and-out hog farmer, accepts a contract to kill a couple of ‘no good cowboys’, who cut up the face of a prostitute in the town of Big Whiskey. Munny is shown to be jaded, unable even to stay on a horse or hit a target with his gun. By contrast the sheriff, Little Bill Daggett, the man Munny is up against, is a tough, formidable opponent who seems more than a match for the hog farmer. The looming clash between the two men—the core tension in the story, is set up through a masterful use of exposition rendered through small acts that reveal much of what we need to know about the plot and characters.

So there you have it then, five powerful techniques seen operating in three successful films.

Summary

Write great exposition by using emotion, layering information, using objects as memory triggers, being brief, and revealing backstory through action. These techniques will help to make your exposition more engaging, emotionally resonant, and memorable.

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Dissecting Story Secrets

The power of Secrets in the movie, Knives Out. — The power of Secrets in the movie, *Knives Out*.

I believe that secrets in storytelling are some of the most potent narrative components at the writer’s disposal. Secrets shape character and plot. Additionally, they are prodigious subtext generators.

Let’s look into how secrets conspire to keep readers and audiences engaged,

How Secrets Affect the Plot

In Knives Out, the central plot revolves around the mysterious death of wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey. As the story unfolds, we discover that each family member has something to hide. It’s the nurse, Marta Cabrera, however, who holds the biggest secret: she accidentally administered a lethal dose of medication to Harlan, thinking it was harmless.

This secret sets the entire plot in motion. It leads to the investigation by the gifted detective Benoit Blanc, who begins to unveil a series of family secrets, lies, and betrayals. Without Marta’s secret, the murder mystery at the heart of the tale would not exist.

Generating Subtext

Knives Out excels in generating subtext through the characters’ secrets. Each family member hides his or her motives, manipulations, and true feelings about Harlan’s will. Ransom Drysdale, for instance, pretends to be close to his grandfather while secretly plotting to get his hands on the inheritance.

These secret agendas create a rich tapestry of subtext, helping the audience to piece together the puzzle of the characters’ true intentions. We’re constantly on edge while we try to decipher their motivations, thanks to the secrets they harbour.

“Secrets are prodigious generators of subtext.”

Developing Character

Beyond impacting the plot and creating subtext, secrets play a powerful role in character development. Take Marta Cabrera for example. Her secret—her overwhelming guilt, changes her from a passive character into an active one. She becomes not just a nurse, but a central figure in the investigation.

As Marta grapples with her secret, we witness her character arc, seeing her evolve from simply being an observer to someone who actively pursues the truth, despite the risks. This transformation would not be possible without the secret she carries, making her one of the most compelling characters in the film.

Keeping Readers and Audiences Engaged

Another significant thing a character’s secret does for a story is to keep the audience engaged and invested. In Knives Out, the audience is constantly guessing, intuiting, theorising, in an attempt to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. The secrets serve as bait, luring viewers into the intricate web of deceit and suspense.

As the film progresses, we do not remain as passive observers, we become active participants in solving the mystery. Our emotional investment in uncovering the truth keeps us locked-in from beginning to end, underscoring the power of secrets in storytelling.

Summary

Knives Out masterfully demonstrates how well-constructed character secrets shape the plot, add subtext, aid in character development, and keep audiences and readers engaged.

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Four keys to writing epic characters

Vivid, unforgettable characters lie at the heart of any great story. Here are the four keys to unlocking them.

1: Powerful Desires/Goals/Needs

Giving your characters, especially your protagonists, powerful desires, goals, and needs will drive any story forward. One of the best examples of this is found in the iconic movie The Shawshank Redemption. Andy Dufresne’s relentless and persistent desire to escape from the Shawshank Prison drives the entire plot, keeping us engaged from start to finish.

We see this at work in countless of novels, too. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet’s desire for love and independence in a society that pressures women into marriage motivates the entire story.

2: Secrets

Secrets add depth and intrigue to your characters, making readers and viewers eager to discover the truth. In the film The Dark Knight Harvey Dent’s character harbours a hidden darkness which transforms him into Two-Face, with dramatic consequences.

And who can forget, George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, a series in which Jon Snow is a character with a mysterious lineage that sustains speculation and curiosity throughout the story.

3. Contradictions:

Giving your characters contradictions, introduces complexity and conflict into their psychology, which renders them more interesting and relatable. In Fight Club, the narrator appears as an office worker by day and a rebellious anarchist by night, embodying the complex duality within all of us.

“Use the four keys to help you write great characters that endure.”

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch showcases a deep contradiction—fighting tooth and nail as a lawyer for justice in a deeply prejudiced, divided society while simultaneously finding the space and resources to be a loving father. His integrity and vulnerability make him one of the most beloved literary characters of all time.

4: Vulnerabilities

The final characteristic is vulnerability. A character’s vulnerability allows us to connect with him or her on a deep, emotional level. In Inside Out, Joy learns that it’s okay to show vulnerability by feeling sadness. This vulnerability is a crucial moment in her development as a person.

In the Harry Potter books, Harry’s vulnerability stems from his fear of rejection after years of mistreatment by the Dursleys. This helps not only make him a hero but a relatable and endearing character, too.

Use these traits in film and literature to breathe life and fire into your characters.

Summary

The four keys to writing epic characters are: Powerful goals and desires, secrets, contradictions, and vulnerabilities.

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How to use the five senses in stories

In chapter 5 of Writing Fiction, the Practical Guide from New York’s Acclaimed Creative Writing School, Chris Lombardi offers us sage advice on how to catapult our readers and audiences into our fictional worlds through the evocation of the five senses.

Lombardi explains that we read and write with our brains, but we live life through our bodies. We therefore need to convey the experience of our fictional worlds through our five senses. Yes, our running to catch the bus consists of a series of internal events such as irritation at having to catch a bus in the first place, and the worry that we’ll miss it, but these internal states are motivated by the senses—the feel and sound of shoes striking the pavement, the sucking in of breath, the sight of the retreating bus, the smell of its exhaust and the roar of its engine. Experience of the world, in other words, is fed to us through our sense faculties. Our stories should do no less.

Lombardi presses the point: “To bring a reader into your fictional world, you need to offer data for all the senses. You want to make your readers see the rain’s shadow, taste the bitterness of bad soup, feel the roughness of unshaved skin, smell the spoiled pizza after an all-night party, hear the tires screech during the accident. Note that I’ve referred to all five senses. Don’t be tempted to focus only on sight, as many beginning writers do. It may be the sound after the party that your character really remembers. You may find that the feel of the fabric of a character’s dress tells more about her upbringing than her hairstyle does.”

“The skillful use of the five senses is one of the hallmarks of a good writer.”

The following passage from Amy Tan’s novel, “Rules of the Game” is a great example of the senses at work:

“We lived on Waverly Place, in a warm, clean, two-bedroom flat that sat above a small Chinese bakery, specializing in steamed pastries and dim sum. In the early morning, when the alley was still quiet, I could smell fragrant red beans as they were cooked down to a pasty sweetness. By daybreak, our flat was heavy with the odor of fried sesame balls and sweet curried chicken crescents. From my bed, I would listen as my father got ready for work, then locked the door behind him, one-two-three clicks.”

We see, hear, smell, feel, and even taste this world. It’s almost as if we are physically there.

But could we use a sense other than sight and hearing in a screenplay, too? Indeed we could, if a little more indirectly: We could write into the screenplay’s action block a character wrinkling her nose at the sight of some unsightly food on a plate with steam rising from it, we could have a character’s hand stroking the fur of a cat, a horse, a velvet dress, we could describe a closeup shot of a child grimacing at the taste of a spoon brimming over with cod liver oil pressed into his mouth.

You get the idea.

As an exercise write about a character on a dare from his friends to find a perfumed handkerchief hidden somewhere in a spooky, abandoned house. The character is blindfolded and has only a cane to help him/her navigate the interior. Write the scene for a novel or screenplay using only the sensory description of hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Omit any description of sight to force you to concentrate on the remaining senses.

Summary

Use the five senses in writing novels and screenplays to catapult your readers into the physical world of your story.

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Symbols – your secret power

Symbols in The Joker — Symbols in *The Joker*

What are symbols, and how can we use them to prolong longevity, add resonance and depth to our stories?

In his book, Man and his Symbols the renowned psychologist, Carl Gustav Jung wrote: ‘What we call a symbol is a term, a name, or even a picture that may be familiar in daily life, yet that possesses specific connotations in addition to its conventional and obvious meaning. It implies something vague, unknown, or hidden from us. A word or image stripped of its connotative aspect is a mere sign—it denotes or points to an object or event that has no added significance than its function—such as a chair, a table, and the like.”

The strength of symbols, especially symbols that emerge from the unconscious to manifest as Archetypes, is that they endure. To put it in another way, as primordial remnants bubble up from the human unconscious, they are expressed by the conscious mind as universally applicable archetypal symbols. They do so by cleaving to specific actions, events and objects in myths and stories.

“Symbols, when rendered adroitly, promote the longevity of any story.”

To generate symbols in your own tales, start with story and character: 1. Ask, what is the genre of your story? 2. What is the key idea, theme, and moral premise of your story? 3. What goals and struggles are your characters engaged in?

The answers to these questions will direct you to the sorts of symbols you need to use. A note of caution here. Your symbols shouldn’t attract attention to themselves—they shouldn’t be too obvious. They need to grow on us as vessels of meaning. They also need to be specific and to generate emotion. The key here is to work out how they relate to the characters and to each other: Are these symbols actual objects that would feature effortlessly in the characters’ everyday lives? Again, subtlety is key.

Here’s how Todd Phillip uses character symbols in his film, The Joker:

The film opens with Arthur Fleck applying his clown make-up. We don’t immediately ascribe symbolic significance to this. Arthur is merely preparing to do his job as a clown. But as the story progresses the clown imagery deepens in meaning, driven by story questions: Why is it that after Arthur loses his job, he continues to wear his clown make-up? Is it that it offers him an escape from his dreary reality? Does it have deeper psychological connotations—indicate his rejecting his identity due to some past trauma that makes him wish that he was someone else?

“Well crafted symbols are universal and eternal.”

The figure of the clown now comes to symbolise the breakdown of social structures in Gotham—the conflict between the rulers and the ruled. The mob dons clown dress and rises up against the authorities, with the Joker, as inspiration. A clown suit and mask are no longer symbols of fun and laughter—the Joker has become the symbol of something dark and dangerous—the symbol of chaos.

Symbolism can also emerge from setting, providing context, atmosphere and bolstering the theme. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Mordor, as opposed to the idyllic life of the Shire, is shown to be a place of hellfire and horror—the entire landscape is symbolic of the evil represented by Sauron.

And of course, the rings themselves are highly symbolic, with the last ring being especially significant. Having been forged by Sauron on Mount Doom it represents pure evil. But the ring also symbolises desire and greed. We see this clearly in Bilbo and Gollum’s desire to posses it.

The ring also symbolises temptation. Even honourable characters such as Gandalf and Boromir are tempted by its beguiling power. This temptation gains in resonance by reminding us of the original temptation in the garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the apple of good and evil.

When deploying symbols remember to show rather than tell, to point them towards your key ideas and themes, to select symbols that give rise to emotion, and to avoid being heavy-handed in their use.

Summary

Use symbols to add resonance, meaning and depth to your stories.

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What is the meaning of your story?

300: Courage and self-sacrifice of the few ultimately leads to the survival of the many. — 300: The courage and self-sacrifice of the few leads to the survival of the many.

How do we inject meaning into our stories? Do we even care about meaning, over and above writing a rollicking good tale? We should. There is a specific meaning to every story, whether we intend it or not. Let me explain.

If we have a theme or moral premise in mind—such as greed leads to unhappiness, or unfettered technology leads to the destruction of the natural world, then we can point our story in that direction through the actions of our characters and their consequences. But even if we haven’t thought about the theme at all, choosing instead to concentrate on the surface layer of the tale—its plot, meaning will nevertheless arise in the story by virtue of what happens to the characters who hold certain views.

“The winner of the conflict between the protagonist and antagonist ‘proves’ the theme or moral premise, which in turn provides the meaning of the tale.”

If, say, our protagonist espouses self-sacrifice and nobility as virtues and he defeats the antagonist who espouses selfishness and vengeance, then you as a writer are saying that self-sacrifice and nobility trumps selfishness and vengeance. If the antagonist defeats the protagonist then your claim is that selfishness and vengeance defeats self-sacrifice and nobility. You are saying that the world is a place where the ruthless and self-serving win—a Godless world devoid of transcendent values.

If that’s what you mean to say, well and good—it’s your story after all. But if you haven’t thought about the ending of your story as the place where the final clash occurs— where one character who represents one set of values defeats another who represents contrary values, then you risk saying something you never intended. Like a ship without a radder your story could end up on the rocks.

Summary
The meaning of a story is coiled up inside its theme or moral premise. It manifests through who wins or loses in the story.

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