Ian Dawson's Blog - Posts Tagged "antagonist"
Writing Tip of the Week: Story Structure – The Middle, Part One
Over the past two articles, we discussed what goes into creating the opening of your story.
Today, we’ll start to look at the Middle of the story. You can call it Act Two or even as some writers call it: The Muddle. This is where your hero’s path toward their goal should become increasingly challenging, where they begin to grow and change as a character, and the story continues to create conflicts for the main character.
The Stage Is Set
The Who, What, Where, When, and Why have all been established and your main character and their helpers have been launched from their ordinary existence into a new and challenging adventure. Your main character has a stated goal, and forces prevent them from quickly achieving what they want.
Once they cross over the threshold of Turning Point One, they have no entered a new phase of their journey. They may have to reassess how they are going about achieving their goal. They may realize that they can’t do things on their own and need some help. Maybe the antagonist has taken this moment to up the stakes just a little more, which only motivates the hero to keep going despite the odds.
At this point, you as a writer should know your main character fairly well. What they are willing to do and not do. How far they will go to get what they want. What decisions they will make – good or bad – that will impact them reaching their goal.
And The Hits Keep on Comin’
Obstacles. Lots of obstacles. The Middle of the story needs to present challenges and problems that make the hero challenge who they are and make them work to reach their goal. Think of this section of the story as the main obstacle course for your characters. They have to do things that they may not want to do, may not like, and may have to go outside their comfort zone to get to the next level to get one step closer to their goal.
Reality shows like American Ninja Warrior, Wipeout, and Holey Moley are examples of individuals having to traverse seemingly impossible odds to reach the intended goal and get the prize. Essentially, you are sending your characters through a similar maze filled with hazards, hits, and dangers that they must overcome in one way or another.
It’s okay for them to fail and have setbacks. In fact, that makes your hero more human if they don’t always get what they need or want on the first try. Creating a flawed character who doesn’t give up creates empathy and relatability between the character and the audience.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
The Middle is where the bulk of the character arc takes place, mainly since it’s also where the bulk of the story happens. Your main character started out one way when we first met them at the beginning of the story, but now as they face new odds and problems, we should begin to see them develop and grow.
A stagnant and unchanging character lacks relatability. If your character experiences some traumatic event that launches them into the story and has zero effect on them, it’s hard to relate to that character. Now, suppose they are repressing their anger, sadness, or despair, affecting their judgment and ability to problem-solve. This creates an internal conflict that will eventually manifest itself since they will have to overcome those things in order to reach their goal by the end of the story.
Think of Mando’s arc in season one of The Mandalorian. How does he change when he meets and interacts with The Child for the first time? What choices does he make that affect his character arc throughout the season? How do his choices and changes affect the story?
Think about how the events in Jurassic Park affect Alan Grant’s relationships with and views on children. How do his interactions and perspectives change from the start of the film to the finale?
Keep Things in Motion
A story should be in constant motion. Each scene or chapter leading into the next. The protagonist should always be doing something. They should always be active in what’s going on. It is their story, after all.
As you develop the Middle, think about how to map out the story so events keep moving forward. That goal is still out there. The antagonist still exists to prevent the protagonist from reaching their goal. How can you keep your hero moving toward their goal while hitting them with problems that prevent them from reaching it?
Each scene or chapter should give the audience a new piece of the puzzle. Some new information that keeps them reading or watching. The hero is handed a note and reads it. What does it say? We don’t find out until several chapters or scenes later, but our curiosity has been piqued.
Keep the audience interested, and they’ll stay to find out what happens next.
Staying Focused
During this time in the story, it can be easy to slowly go off course and get knee-deep in subplots or tangents. And while subplots are acceptable, it’s important not to lose sight of the real reason we’re in this story: to watch the hero go after their goal in the face of opposition.
Work through their story first. If you want to go back and add a subplot that ties into the main story afterward, go for it. Your main goal here is to develop the main character’s arc and their related story arc. It can be very tempting to go and take a detour with the main character’s best friend and see what shenanigans they’ll get themselves into. But unless that directly impacts the main story, hold off and see if that side trip is really necessary.
Think about movies you’ve seen where subplots pop up and then go nowhere, or they have no relation to the main story and just seem to be there to eat away screen time. Avoid these types of subplots and make sure that all roads point back to the hero.
In The Middle of Things
As I said before, the Middle is the longest part of any story. It can be almost an hour of what you see on the screen (and if it’s a long movie, even more). At the halfway point, there’s something known as the Mid-Point Sequence. The outcome affects what the hero does moving forward.
This is a big moment for the hero. After everything they’ve been through and worked through, things seem to be going their way for the most part. They still haven’t reached their goal, but now they are getting a better idea of how to get there.
This is also known as The Point of No Return. Once we get past the Mid-Point of the Middle, it’s now only a matter of time before the protagonist has to confront their antagonist head-on (literally or figuratively).
In Legally Blonde, the Mid-Point of the Middle comes when Elle gets chosen Callahan’s law internship. This is a big moment for Elle since she has been working to prove herself a viable Harvard law school student and future lawyer. Worth noting is that her antagonist, Warner, was also chosen along with his fiancée, Vivian (Selma Blair). I mention Vivian since she is an extension of the antagonist, and therefore can cause problems and issues for Elle on his behalf.
The sequence then leads to Elle, Warner, and Vivian arriving at the internship and finding out about the case they will be assisting on.
Elle is at the Point of No Return. She can’t back out now, and she can’t allow herself to fail without a fight.
Check out the clip below:
Legally Blonde Mid-Point
In two weeks, we’ll explore the second half of the Middle as we charge toward the End and the Climax of the story!
Happy writing!
Check out the articles on The Beginning, here:
Part One
Part Two
Today, we’ll start to look at the Middle of the story. You can call it Act Two or even as some writers call it: The Muddle. This is where your hero’s path toward their goal should become increasingly challenging, where they begin to grow and change as a character, and the story continues to create conflicts for the main character.
The Stage Is Set
The Who, What, Where, When, and Why have all been established and your main character and their helpers have been launched from their ordinary existence into a new and challenging adventure. Your main character has a stated goal, and forces prevent them from quickly achieving what they want.
Once they cross over the threshold of Turning Point One, they have no entered a new phase of their journey. They may have to reassess how they are going about achieving their goal. They may realize that they can’t do things on their own and need some help. Maybe the antagonist has taken this moment to up the stakes just a little more, which only motivates the hero to keep going despite the odds.
At this point, you as a writer should know your main character fairly well. What they are willing to do and not do. How far they will go to get what they want. What decisions they will make – good or bad – that will impact them reaching their goal.
And The Hits Keep on Comin’
Obstacles. Lots of obstacles. The Middle of the story needs to present challenges and problems that make the hero challenge who they are and make them work to reach their goal. Think of this section of the story as the main obstacle course for your characters. They have to do things that they may not want to do, may not like, and may have to go outside their comfort zone to get to the next level to get one step closer to their goal.
Reality shows like American Ninja Warrior, Wipeout, and Holey Moley are examples of individuals having to traverse seemingly impossible odds to reach the intended goal and get the prize. Essentially, you are sending your characters through a similar maze filled with hazards, hits, and dangers that they must overcome in one way or another.
It’s okay for them to fail and have setbacks. In fact, that makes your hero more human if they don’t always get what they need or want on the first try. Creating a flawed character who doesn’t give up creates empathy and relatability between the character and the audience.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
The Middle is where the bulk of the character arc takes place, mainly since it’s also where the bulk of the story happens. Your main character started out one way when we first met them at the beginning of the story, but now as they face new odds and problems, we should begin to see them develop and grow.
A stagnant and unchanging character lacks relatability. If your character experiences some traumatic event that launches them into the story and has zero effect on them, it’s hard to relate to that character. Now, suppose they are repressing their anger, sadness, or despair, affecting their judgment and ability to problem-solve. This creates an internal conflict that will eventually manifest itself since they will have to overcome those things in order to reach their goal by the end of the story.
Think of Mando’s arc in season one of The Mandalorian. How does he change when he meets and interacts with The Child for the first time? What choices does he make that affect his character arc throughout the season? How do his choices and changes affect the story?
Think about how the events in Jurassic Park affect Alan Grant’s relationships with and views on children. How do his interactions and perspectives change from the start of the film to the finale?
Keep Things in Motion
A story should be in constant motion. Each scene or chapter leading into the next. The protagonist should always be doing something. They should always be active in what’s going on. It is their story, after all.
As you develop the Middle, think about how to map out the story so events keep moving forward. That goal is still out there. The antagonist still exists to prevent the protagonist from reaching their goal. How can you keep your hero moving toward their goal while hitting them with problems that prevent them from reaching it?
Each scene or chapter should give the audience a new piece of the puzzle. Some new information that keeps them reading or watching. The hero is handed a note and reads it. What does it say? We don’t find out until several chapters or scenes later, but our curiosity has been piqued.
Keep the audience interested, and they’ll stay to find out what happens next.
Staying Focused
During this time in the story, it can be easy to slowly go off course and get knee-deep in subplots or tangents. And while subplots are acceptable, it’s important not to lose sight of the real reason we’re in this story: to watch the hero go after their goal in the face of opposition.
Work through their story first. If you want to go back and add a subplot that ties into the main story afterward, go for it. Your main goal here is to develop the main character’s arc and their related story arc. It can be very tempting to go and take a detour with the main character’s best friend and see what shenanigans they’ll get themselves into. But unless that directly impacts the main story, hold off and see if that side trip is really necessary.
Think about movies you’ve seen where subplots pop up and then go nowhere, or they have no relation to the main story and just seem to be there to eat away screen time. Avoid these types of subplots and make sure that all roads point back to the hero.
In The Middle of Things
As I said before, the Middle is the longest part of any story. It can be almost an hour of what you see on the screen (and if it’s a long movie, even more). At the halfway point, there’s something known as the Mid-Point Sequence. The outcome affects what the hero does moving forward.
This is a big moment for the hero. After everything they’ve been through and worked through, things seem to be going their way for the most part. They still haven’t reached their goal, but now they are getting a better idea of how to get there.
This is also known as The Point of No Return. Once we get past the Mid-Point of the Middle, it’s now only a matter of time before the protagonist has to confront their antagonist head-on (literally or figuratively).
In Legally Blonde, the Mid-Point of the Middle comes when Elle gets chosen Callahan’s law internship. This is a big moment for Elle since she has been working to prove herself a viable Harvard law school student and future lawyer. Worth noting is that her antagonist, Warner, was also chosen along with his fiancée, Vivian (Selma Blair). I mention Vivian since she is an extension of the antagonist, and therefore can cause problems and issues for Elle on his behalf.
The sequence then leads to Elle, Warner, and Vivian arriving at the internship and finding out about the case they will be assisting on.
Elle is at the Point of No Return. She can’t back out now, and she can’t allow herself to fail without a fight.
Check out the clip below:
Legally Blonde Mid-Point
In two weeks, we’ll explore the second half of the Middle as we charge toward the End and the Climax of the story!
Happy writing!
Check out the articles on The Beginning, here:
Part One
Part Two
Writing Tip of the Week: Story Structure – The Middle, Part Two
Two weeks ago, we talked about what goes into the first half of the Middle of a story. This week, we’ll explore what happens after the Mid-Point, what’s waiting for the main character, and other components as we make our way toward the End of the story.
Stronger, Harder, Faster
Your hero might have just achieved a big win, but that only means one thing: obstacles are only going to get more complicated from here. They may be halfway through their journey to achieve their goal, but that only means that the opposition will be in full force as it seeks to destroy the hero by any means necessary. This is where the hero really begins to be put to the test. Do they have what it takes to overcome the challenges and obstacles that await to get where they need to go?
This Is Jeopardy!
The stakes for the hero and their goal are about to increase in magnitude, which means that they will find themselves and others in greater danger if they don’t reach their goal. It’s time to throw some big-time problems and issues at the hero and see how they work to overcome them, how they fight to stay on track, and what they do when those around them are in peril. There’s no point in letting up now. Keeping the audience on the edge of their seat watching or reading as the hero traverses these challenges is important. Will they make it out okay? How will they change as a result of these new and heightened stakes?
The Antagonist Steps-Up Their Game
This is no time for the hero to become complacent. The antagonist certainly won’t. They know that their plans are now even closer to being thwarted and stopped, so they will be throwing everything they have at the hero to prevent them from reaching their goal. Whether it’s an army, henchmen, or a field of poppies that put travelers to sleep, the antagonist will do what it takes to slow down and hopefully stop the hero.
All is Lost
Things are looking up. Your hero has made great strides, overcome obstacles, made mincemeat out of the heightened stakes, and become a stronger person due to the problems they faced. The goal is closer now than it’s ever been. Time to celebrate? Hardly.
The antagonist has one more trick up their sleeve, and this is the moment – the major turning point – when all comes crashing down on the hero. They lose the deal. An attack takes out their defenses. The love interest discovers a truth they can’t handle and leaves. This moment is a true gut punch to the hero. A moment when everything they’ve worked toward seems to evaporate.
This is Turning Point Two. It’s the end of the Middle, and the beginning of the End.
Will the hero have what it takes to overcome and reach their goal?
In Legally Blonde, Elle is propositioned by Callahan, which is seen by Vivian who turns against Elle (they had become friends during the Middle phase of the story). Everything Elle’s done up to this point seems to be stripped away from her. Her confidence. Her abilities. Her relationships. Her very reason for being in the intern program is thrown into doubt as well.
Did Callahan pick her for the wrong reasons? Was she encouraged by him because he thought she would sleep with him to get ahead?
In the aftermath of this moment, Elle has to make choices that will make or break her and her goals.
Check out the clip below:
Legally Blonde - Turning Point 2
In two weeks, we’ll see how the hero works through this new and devastating moment and how they use what they learn to get to the End of their story.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
Check out Part One of of this post below:
Story Structure - The Middle, Part One Post
Stronger, Harder, Faster
Your hero might have just achieved a big win, but that only means one thing: obstacles are only going to get more complicated from here. They may be halfway through their journey to achieve their goal, but that only means that the opposition will be in full force as it seeks to destroy the hero by any means necessary. This is where the hero really begins to be put to the test. Do they have what it takes to overcome the challenges and obstacles that await to get where they need to go?
This Is Jeopardy!
The stakes for the hero and their goal are about to increase in magnitude, which means that they will find themselves and others in greater danger if they don’t reach their goal. It’s time to throw some big-time problems and issues at the hero and see how they work to overcome them, how they fight to stay on track, and what they do when those around them are in peril. There’s no point in letting up now. Keeping the audience on the edge of their seat watching or reading as the hero traverses these challenges is important. Will they make it out okay? How will they change as a result of these new and heightened stakes?
The Antagonist Steps-Up Their Game
This is no time for the hero to become complacent. The antagonist certainly won’t. They know that their plans are now even closer to being thwarted and stopped, so they will be throwing everything they have at the hero to prevent them from reaching their goal. Whether it’s an army, henchmen, or a field of poppies that put travelers to sleep, the antagonist will do what it takes to slow down and hopefully stop the hero.
All is Lost
Things are looking up. Your hero has made great strides, overcome obstacles, made mincemeat out of the heightened stakes, and become a stronger person due to the problems they faced. The goal is closer now than it’s ever been. Time to celebrate? Hardly.
The antagonist has one more trick up their sleeve, and this is the moment – the major turning point – when all comes crashing down on the hero. They lose the deal. An attack takes out their defenses. The love interest discovers a truth they can’t handle and leaves. This moment is a true gut punch to the hero. A moment when everything they’ve worked toward seems to evaporate.
This is Turning Point Two. It’s the end of the Middle, and the beginning of the End.
Will the hero have what it takes to overcome and reach their goal?
In Legally Blonde, Elle is propositioned by Callahan, which is seen by Vivian who turns against Elle (they had become friends during the Middle phase of the story). Everything Elle’s done up to this point seems to be stripped away from her. Her confidence. Her abilities. Her relationships. Her very reason for being in the intern program is thrown into doubt as well.
Did Callahan pick her for the wrong reasons? Was she encouraged by him because he thought she would sleep with him to get ahead?
In the aftermath of this moment, Elle has to make choices that will make or break her and her goals.
Check out the clip below:
Legally Blonde - Turning Point 2
In two weeks, we’ll see how the hero works through this new and devastating moment and how they use what they learn to get to the End of their story.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
Check out Part One of of this post below:
Story Structure - The Middle, Part One Post
Writing Tip of the Week: The Importance of Conflict in Your Story
Most of us go about our daily lives determined to avoid conflict. In the real world, it can be a real pain dealing with angry, disagreeable, and aggressive people, which can, in turn, negatively impact your day as a whole. If we find ourselves involved in a conflict, our primary goal is to end it or get away from it as fast as possible.
Obviously, there are those in the world that thrive on conflict and cause trouble for others, but for the most part, people like to have a semblance of peace in their day-to-day lives.
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, Conflict equals Drama, and it’s true. Conflict is a must-have in the fictional world of a novel, a TV show, or a movie. Conflict helps drive the story forward, reveal character, and create an intense dialogue between those in conflict.
Suppose a story lacks a conflict for your protagonist. In that case, it can drag, feel aimless, and even cause the reader or viewer to lose interest. So, let’s talk about conflict and how to keep things alive in your story.
How Big Should the Conflict Be?
Not all conflict revolves around world-ending superhero movie stakes. A conflict can be as simple as a disagreement between the main character and another character. It can also be during the final showdown between the protagonist and antagonist. It’s something that puts a wrench in the protagonist’s day, and it’s something they have to work to overcome to get to their sense of normalcy once again.
Let’s look at story conflict on a scale of 1 to 5. One is the bare minimum. Maybe it’s a couple who can’t agree where to go to dinner or siblings who can’t decide whether to get a cat or a dog. Simple, low-stakes conflicts that will probably have an amicable resolution sooner than later.
A five is a relentless assault on the main character that has no clear end in sight, and the antagonist has the upper hand from the start. Horror movies are often a 10. Superhero movies can be up in the 10s. Disaster movies as well. High-stakes and a lot to lose if the main character is defeated.
In the middle are stakes and conflicts that can mirror real life, raise stakes, and create consequences for the main character. They aren’t easy to resolve but have some kernel of hope of a win nesting inside them.
Think about what you’re currently writing. What are the main conflicts the protagonist faces? Are they Ones? Fives? In the middle? Then ask yourself if the conflict is big enough for your main character to fight to defeat whatever the conflict is. Will the struggle? Will they suffer in some way? Have setbacks? Will these conflicts help them grow as a character?
Don’t Fear Conflict
It’s okay for your main character to argue with someone. It’s okay for the protagonist to disagree with other characters. If your protagonist gets their way from chapter one to the final page, it’s going to be a dull and predictable story.
Hallmark movies have conflict. As you read this, Hallmark Channel has started airing Christmas movies 24/7. Never seen one? Watch one and jot down the main conflicts that the main character faces throughout the story. On our scale, they are probably 1s and 2s (if you want 3-level conflict, flip over to Lifetime), but there is still conflict present.
When we hear the word Conflict, we think of shootouts, explosions, fistfights, and screaming matches. But conflict can take many forms rooted in a more realistic world than Batman versus The Joker.
Sitcoms can create a conflict out of a minor situation and expand upon it for 22 minutes. One of my favorite shows, Frasier, does this beautifully. From minor disagreements, misunderstandings, past rivalries, and more, these smaller conflicts can be a well-spring of material that can be used that don’t have to result in Metropolis or Gotham City being destroyed.
And just because your main character argues with someone doesn’t make them unlikeable. It makes them appear more human, which is a good thing.
External & Internal Conflict
What's causing the conflict in the story? If it's something outside the main character's control, it's an External Conflict. It disrupts the protagonist's world that has to be resolved to return to their sense of normalcy.
Most stories revolve around External Conflicts. There's a threat, a natural disaster, an antagonist creating chaos. Whatever it is, it's outside the main character.
Internal Conflicts can be a direct result of an External Conflict. Still, these are things the main character is struggling to overcome that are causing issues within.
Maybe they were just served divorce papers. The divorce is an External Conflict, but the feelings the main character has are an Internal Conflict. The protagonist must resolve the External Conflict (why does the partner want a divorce? Where are they? How can we fix this problem?). At the same time, they must deal with the Internal Conflict (what did I do to lead up to this moment? How can I change and become better? Is there something wrong with me as a partner?).
All characters, like real people, need to have an External and Internal life, which assists in creating the External and Internal Conflicts that serve the story and help the character grow and change within and without.
As you work on your story, think about how the external events are affecting the main character internally. How are their thoughts, feelings, and fears impacting their ability to stop the External Conflict they've been thrown into?
Conflict as a Driving Force
Conflict creates problems for the protagonist. In turn, the active protagonist sets out to resolve and end the conflict. Other conflicts may pop up in the meantime that must be tamped down as the main character continues their pursuit toward their goal of ending the conflict.
The majority of main characters in mainstream entertainment want to end the conflict they’re dealing with and go back to their life before everything got out of control. Of course, in working to stop and resolve the conflict, they will grow as a person and learn from their experiences, which creates their Character Arc.
Viewing for Conflict
Grab a couple of your favorite movies, a few episodes of your favorite TV shows, a novel you’ve read before, a notebook and a pen, and analyze the conflicts in each. Make a note about the main conflict, how the main character sets out to resolve it, and how they evolve throughout the story to end the conflict.
Now, look at your story and see where conflict can be increased and the stakes raised for your main character. What is your protagonist’s goal? How do they initially plan to resolve the conflict that has presented itself and upturned their calm state of being? How will they change as they work to resolve the conflict? Will they become a better or worse person by the story’s end?
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
Obviously, there are those in the world that thrive on conflict and cause trouble for others, but for the most part, people like to have a semblance of peace in their day-to-day lives.
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, Conflict equals Drama, and it’s true. Conflict is a must-have in the fictional world of a novel, a TV show, or a movie. Conflict helps drive the story forward, reveal character, and create an intense dialogue between those in conflict.
Suppose a story lacks a conflict for your protagonist. In that case, it can drag, feel aimless, and even cause the reader or viewer to lose interest. So, let’s talk about conflict and how to keep things alive in your story.
How Big Should the Conflict Be?
Not all conflict revolves around world-ending superhero movie stakes. A conflict can be as simple as a disagreement between the main character and another character. It can also be during the final showdown between the protagonist and antagonist. It’s something that puts a wrench in the protagonist’s day, and it’s something they have to work to overcome to get to their sense of normalcy once again.
Let’s look at story conflict on a scale of 1 to 5. One is the bare minimum. Maybe it’s a couple who can’t agree where to go to dinner or siblings who can’t decide whether to get a cat or a dog. Simple, low-stakes conflicts that will probably have an amicable resolution sooner than later.
A five is a relentless assault on the main character that has no clear end in sight, and the antagonist has the upper hand from the start. Horror movies are often a 10. Superhero movies can be up in the 10s. Disaster movies as well. High-stakes and a lot to lose if the main character is defeated.
In the middle are stakes and conflicts that can mirror real life, raise stakes, and create consequences for the main character. They aren’t easy to resolve but have some kernel of hope of a win nesting inside them.
Think about what you’re currently writing. What are the main conflicts the protagonist faces? Are they Ones? Fives? In the middle? Then ask yourself if the conflict is big enough for your main character to fight to defeat whatever the conflict is. Will the struggle? Will they suffer in some way? Have setbacks? Will these conflicts help them grow as a character?
Don’t Fear Conflict
It’s okay for your main character to argue with someone. It’s okay for the protagonist to disagree with other characters. If your protagonist gets their way from chapter one to the final page, it’s going to be a dull and predictable story.
Hallmark movies have conflict. As you read this, Hallmark Channel has started airing Christmas movies 24/7. Never seen one? Watch one and jot down the main conflicts that the main character faces throughout the story. On our scale, they are probably 1s and 2s (if you want 3-level conflict, flip over to Lifetime), but there is still conflict present.
When we hear the word Conflict, we think of shootouts, explosions, fistfights, and screaming matches. But conflict can take many forms rooted in a more realistic world than Batman versus The Joker.
Sitcoms can create a conflict out of a minor situation and expand upon it for 22 minutes. One of my favorite shows, Frasier, does this beautifully. From minor disagreements, misunderstandings, past rivalries, and more, these smaller conflicts can be a well-spring of material that can be used that don’t have to result in Metropolis or Gotham City being destroyed.
And just because your main character argues with someone doesn’t make them unlikeable. It makes them appear more human, which is a good thing.
External & Internal Conflict
What's causing the conflict in the story? If it's something outside the main character's control, it's an External Conflict. It disrupts the protagonist's world that has to be resolved to return to their sense of normalcy.
Most stories revolve around External Conflicts. There's a threat, a natural disaster, an antagonist creating chaos. Whatever it is, it's outside the main character.
Internal Conflicts can be a direct result of an External Conflict. Still, these are things the main character is struggling to overcome that are causing issues within.
Maybe they were just served divorce papers. The divorce is an External Conflict, but the feelings the main character has are an Internal Conflict. The protagonist must resolve the External Conflict (why does the partner want a divorce? Where are they? How can we fix this problem?). At the same time, they must deal with the Internal Conflict (what did I do to lead up to this moment? How can I change and become better? Is there something wrong with me as a partner?).
All characters, like real people, need to have an External and Internal life, which assists in creating the External and Internal Conflicts that serve the story and help the character grow and change within and without.
As you work on your story, think about how the external events are affecting the main character internally. How are their thoughts, feelings, and fears impacting their ability to stop the External Conflict they've been thrown into?
Conflict as a Driving Force
Conflict creates problems for the protagonist. In turn, the active protagonist sets out to resolve and end the conflict. Other conflicts may pop up in the meantime that must be tamped down as the main character continues their pursuit toward their goal of ending the conflict.
The majority of main characters in mainstream entertainment want to end the conflict they’re dealing with and go back to their life before everything got out of control. Of course, in working to stop and resolve the conflict, they will grow as a person and learn from their experiences, which creates their Character Arc.
Viewing for Conflict
Grab a couple of your favorite movies, a few episodes of your favorite TV shows, a novel you’ve read before, a notebook and a pen, and analyze the conflicts in each. Make a note about the main conflict, how the main character sets out to resolve it, and how they evolve throughout the story to end the conflict.
Now, look at your story and see where conflict can be increased and the stakes raised for your main character. What is your protagonist’s goal? How do they initially plan to resolve the conflict that has presented itself and upturned their calm state of being? How will they change as they work to resolve the conflict? Will they become a better or worse person by the story’s end?
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
Writing Tip of the Week: Purposeful Characters
No matter what type of fiction you’re writing, characters are essential to the story. They engage the reader, generating empathy, sympathy, and connection. Your characters must serve a purpose within the framework of your story’s world.
As writers, it takes time to craft, shape, and mold our protagonist, antagonist, and other characters into the overall story arc that we have created. We shouldn’t be wasting creative energy creating superfluous characters who have no reason to be in the story.
Here are some tips to help you eliminate aimless and purposeless characters from your story.
Take Inventory
Who’s who, and why are they there? If you are in the beginning stages of writing your story, take time to establish your main characters, secondary characters, and background characters on a spreadsheet or piece of paper. Do they serve an essential function in the story?
If you have already written your story, take inventory of your characters as you read through. Do they all serve a purpose? Is there anyone that doesn’t belong or isn’t really essential to the story?
By creating a spreadsheet, you can list who the characters are, their role, and how they tie into the story. If you find characters that serve no critical function or role, you may want to cut them because…
More Characters = More Problems
Taking on an ambitious fiction project can be exciting. Still, you also have to make sure that everyone you introduce has a reason for existing and serves an essential role in your story. The more characters you bring into the mix, the harder it can be to keep track and keep things focused.
Limiting the number of characters can help keep the story and its conflict focused, so you don’t get lost in the weeds, which reminds me…
Where’s the Focus?
Your story has a main storyline with a protagonist working toward a goal amidst numerous obstacles. That should be your primary focus as you write. Find yourself deviating too much into subplots and side quests with other characters? It may be time to either rethink the protagonist or move those other characters into their own story.
If the subplots tie directly back to the main character and their story, that’s fine. But if you do notice that what they’re doing has zero impact on the main narrative, it’s time to cut it.
Superfluous Characters
Are there characters you’ve created that don’t really go anywhere or serve any real purpose within the story? Maybe you wrote an elaborate backstory for a Starbucks barista that the main character encounters on their journey. But, if they are in one chapter and never seen or mentioned again, you may want to trim out how they saved their grandma and her cat from a space heater fire in the fifth grade.
However, if the barista’s backstory serves a key role in the story later on, and the character comes back to help save the day, they serve a purpose. Just make sure that if you put in the time to provide lots of detail on a specific character, the reader has a reason to be given that information.
Elevate or Eliminate?
If your creative mind has crafted a complex side character who initially has no real purpose in the overall story, you have a few options:
• You can cut them out of this story and move them to one where they can play a more significant role.
• You can elevate them and combine their character and attributes with a less-than-stellar secondary character who may need some extra life.
• Or you can see how this character’s current role can be elevated through further interactions with the protagonist and the main story.
There are ways to make it work, but the character can’t detract or deviate from the main story.
Should My Protagonist Have a Pet?
I’ve seen this brought up before, and it’s an interesting question. The answer is simple: only if you are willing to have the main character’s dog or cat be a part of the story. You can’t just introduce the reader to the protagonist’s dog in one chapter and never mention them again. Once you commit to your main character being a pet owner, you have chosen to keep that pet as a part of the story.
So, if your main character travels the world on quests, it’s probably best to keep the pets out of things. Otherwise, readers may wonder, “Who’s watching Rex? Is the dog okay? I know cats are independent, but she’s been gone for three weeks!”
Read, Read, Read
Skim through novels and see how different authors set up and establish their various characters. Some will be more detailed than others, but the key to this research is to identify how main characters, secondary characters, and others are described throughout the story.
Whether you’re writing a short story or short film, a novel or a screenplay, knowing who your characters are and their purpose is essential to keeping the story moving and the reader or viewer engaged.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
As writers, it takes time to craft, shape, and mold our protagonist, antagonist, and other characters into the overall story arc that we have created. We shouldn’t be wasting creative energy creating superfluous characters who have no reason to be in the story.
Here are some tips to help you eliminate aimless and purposeless characters from your story.
Take Inventory
Who’s who, and why are they there? If you are in the beginning stages of writing your story, take time to establish your main characters, secondary characters, and background characters on a spreadsheet or piece of paper. Do they serve an essential function in the story?
If you have already written your story, take inventory of your characters as you read through. Do they all serve a purpose? Is there anyone that doesn’t belong or isn’t really essential to the story?
By creating a spreadsheet, you can list who the characters are, their role, and how they tie into the story. If you find characters that serve no critical function or role, you may want to cut them because…
More Characters = More Problems
Taking on an ambitious fiction project can be exciting. Still, you also have to make sure that everyone you introduce has a reason for existing and serves an essential role in your story. The more characters you bring into the mix, the harder it can be to keep track and keep things focused.
Limiting the number of characters can help keep the story and its conflict focused, so you don’t get lost in the weeds, which reminds me…
Where’s the Focus?
Your story has a main storyline with a protagonist working toward a goal amidst numerous obstacles. That should be your primary focus as you write. Find yourself deviating too much into subplots and side quests with other characters? It may be time to either rethink the protagonist or move those other characters into their own story.
If the subplots tie directly back to the main character and their story, that’s fine. But if you do notice that what they’re doing has zero impact on the main narrative, it’s time to cut it.
Superfluous Characters
Are there characters you’ve created that don’t really go anywhere or serve any real purpose within the story? Maybe you wrote an elaborate backstory for a Starbucks barista that the main character encounters on their journey. But, if they are in one chapter and never seen or mentioned again, you may want to trim out how they saved their grandma and her cat from a space heater fire in the fifth grade.
However, if the barista’s backstory serves a key role in the story later on, and the character comes back to help save the day, they serve a purpose. Just make sure that if you put in the time to provide lots of detail on a specific character, the reader has a reason to be given that information.
Elevate or Eliminate?
If your creative mind has crafted a complex side character who initially has no real purpose in the overall story, you have a few options:
• You can cut them out of this story and move them to one where they can play a more significant role.
• You can elevate them and combine their character and attributes with a less-than-stellar secondary character who may need some extra life.
• Or you can see how this character’s current role can be elevated through further interactions with the protagonist and the main story.
There are ways to make it work, but the character can’t detract or deviate from the main story.
Should My Protagonist Have a Pet?
I’ve seen this brought up before, and it’s an interesting question. The answer is simple: only if you are willing to have the main character’s dog or cat be a part of the story. You can’t just introduce the reader to the protagonist’s dog in one chapter and never mention them again. Once you commit to your main character being a pet owner, you have chosen to keep that pet as a part of the story.
So, if your main character travels the world on quests, it’s probably best to keep the pets out of things. Otherwise, readers may wonder, “Who’s watching Rex? Is the dog okay? I know cats are independent, but she’s been gone for three weeks!”
Read, Read, Read
Skim through novels and see how different authors set up and establish their various characters. Some will be more detailed than others, but the key to this research is to identify how main characters, secondary characters, and others are described throughout the story.
Whether you’re writing a short story or short film, a novel or a screenplay, knowing who your characters are and their purpose is essential to keeping the story moving and the reader or viewer engaged.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
Antagonist April: Week #1 – What is an Antagonist? – Part One
It’s Antagonist April, and all this month, I’ll be doing a deep dive into those characters that give our heroes and main characters opposition to their goals. This week, we’ll explore the characteristics of an antagonist.
Let’s get started!
What is an Antagonist?
Whether they’re called an antagonist, a villain, the opposition, the enemy, or an adversary, this character in your story is against whatever goal your protagonist or main character wishes to achieve. The antagonist “holds back the ruthlessly onrushing protagonist,” making their lives and plans more difficult throughout the story (Egri 116).
This particular character is an essential narrative component, helping to drive the conflict and the story forward. In fact, “[s]tructurally the opponent always holds the key, because your hero learns through his opponent. It is only because the opponent is attacking the hero’s greatest weakness that the hero is forced to deal with it and grow” (Truby 88).
If things go smoothly and without any problems, then you don’t have a story that will grab a reader’s attention. There has to be something present that pushes back on the main character, and that opposing force helps them reassess, reevaluate, and develop as a character throughout the story. Essentially, this happens because “the values of the opponent come into conflict with the values of the hero” (Truby 90). This clash in values creates the conflict that results in drama, and that dramatic engine helps drive the story forward.
Think about your favorite movie. Who is the main character? What is their goal? Who in the story opposes that goal and wants to prevent them from reaching it? That is your antagonist. They can be overtly oppositional or covertly oppose the hero. Still, their presence is needed to keep the story moving and the main character in a constant uphill battle to reach their intended goal.
A story’s antagonist is a force to be dealt with, and “by ‘forces of antagonism’ we mean the sum total of all forces that oppose the character’s will and desire” (McKee 317-318). It cannot be avoided; it must be faced by the hero and defeated by the end of the story. This is why an antagonist has to be presented as a formidable foe since “a strong enemy forces a hero to rise to the challenge” (Vogler 72). If the antagonist has no power or control over the main character’s world, situation, or goals, then they are not a viable opposing force.
This is why “[t]he Adversary must appear to be the most powerful character in the story” (Edson 57). They have to have a clear edge and advantage over the hero for there to be stakes for the hero to traverse and overcome. Classic Disney villains possess this quality and have all the power, control, and abilities that the hero of the story lacks.
Now that we know who they are, let’s discuss the various types of antagonists that exist.
Types of Antagonists
“The Principle of Antagonism: A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them” (McKee 317). Not all stories require a Marvel-style villain or a James Bond-level threat. Some stories have a human opposition that’s real and not out to take over the world.
Versus
These are the antagonists in comic book movies, action movies, or Bond films. They are oppositional forces that are clear-cut and easy to see for the adversaries that they are. In these cases, “[i]f the antagonist is evil, or capable of cruel and criminal actions, he or she is called the villain” (Abrams 225).
Sports films like The Rocky movies and other sports stories also utilize this type of antagonist structure. The opposing team or person may not be a villain, but their actions could be seen as unethical or tainted by negative qualities in the eyes of the hero.
Environmental, Social, Governmental
The antagonist is an oppositional force that is part of a larger system. However, it should be noted that “like every other type of story, man-against-nature movies work best when there’s also a human Adversary present” (Edson 60). So, even if the main driver of the story is a volcano, the hero has to have a human antagonist present to oppose them.
In the 1997 film Volcano, while the L.A.-based disaster is at the forefront, our main character – OEM Director Mike Roark – still has to deal with the oppositional opinions and ideas of seismologist Dr. Amy Barnes as the disaster unfolds.
When it’s a story dealing with a natural disaster, I feel that the opposing forces can disagree on how to deal with the situation, which could result in the antagonist’s demise in some disaster-related way. This is evident in the 1996 film Twister, where the storm-chasing opposition, led by Dr. Jonas Miller, is “in it for the money, not the science,” a sentiment that ultimately gets him killed thanks to his arrogance.
Societal antagonism can rear its ugly head in the form of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other society-based ills. While these can be overarching backdrops for a story, these need to have a singular adversary for the hero to confront. In the 2007 film, Hairspray, Tracy Turnblad fights against a whitewashed system that refuses to allow integration on a local TV show. Her opposition is Velma Von Tussle, who represents the bigoted and racist views of 1962 society in human form in the story.
It’s the same with government systems. The main character may be fighting the system, but the system needs a representative antagonist for the hero to confront and fight against. In the 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne’s antagonist is Warden Norton, the human face of the prison system that Andy must fight against - and ultimately escape - in the story.
In the societal and governmental areas, you want “one single, powerful character who’s every bit as committed to preventing the Hero from reaching her goal as the Hero is to accomplishing it” (Edson 56).
Realistic
While antagonists can often be bigger than life, imposing forces of evil and destruction, some antagonists are more realistic in their scope. Sometimes “[a]ntagonists may not be quite so hostile – they may be Allies who are after the same goal but who disagree with the hero’s tactics” (Vogler 71). A father who wants his son to forget about rockets and focus on his future in the coal mines, like in the 1999 film October Sky. The father wants what’s best for his son and wants him to have a realistic outlook on his future. This is in opposition to what the son wants, which in turn creates a realistic conflict.
This is why it’s good to remember that “[a]n Adversary is the main opposing force, but [they are] not necessarily a bad or evil person” (Edson 61). They might strongly disagree with the main character’s goals. They may want the main character to pursue something else, not do something they feel is problematic or even have had a tragedy in their past that influences their opposition.
Whew, that was a lot to cover! But we’re only getting started. I’ll be back on Wednesday as we continue to explore antagonists all month! See you then!
Sources:
Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Harcourt Brace, 1999.
Edson, Eric. The Story Solution. Michael Wiese Productions, 2011.
Egri, Lajos. The Art of Dramatic Writing. Simon & Schuster, 2004.
McKee, Robert. Story. Harper Collins, 1997.
Truby, John. The Anatomy of Story. Faber and Faber, 2007.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
Let’s get started!
What is an Antagonist?
Whether they’re called an antagonist, a villain, the opposition, the enemy, or an adversary, this character in your story is against whatever goal your protagonist or main character wishes to achieve. The antagonist “holds back the ruthlessly onrushing protagonist,” making their lives and plans more difficult throughout the story (Egri 116).
This particular character is an essential narrative component, helping to drive the conflict and the story forward. In fact, “[s]tructurally the opponent always holds the key, because your hero learns through his opponent. It is only because the opponent is attacking the hero’s greatest weakness that the hero is forced to deal with it and grow” (Truby 88).
If things go smoothly and without any problems, then you don’t have a story that will grab a reader’s attention. There has to be something present that pushes back on the main character, and that opposing force helps them reassess, reevaluate, and develop as a character throughout the story. Essentially, this happens because “the values of the opponent come into conflict with the values of the hero” (Truby 90). This clash in values creates the conflict that results in drama, and that dramatic engine helps drive the story forward.
Think about your favorite movie. Who is the main character? What is their goal? Who in the story opposes that goal and wants to prevent them from reaching it? That is your antagonist. They can be overtly oppositional or covertly oppose the hero. Still, their presence is needed to keep the story moving and the main character in a constant uphill battle to reach their intended goal.
A story’s antagonist is a force to be dealt with, and “by ‘forces of antagonism’ we mean the sum total of all forces that oppose the character’s will and desire” (McKee 317-318). It cannot be avoided; it must be faced by the hero and defeated by the end of the story. This is why an antagonist has to be presented as a formidable foe since “a strong enemy forces a hero to rise to the challenge” (Vogler 72). If the antagonist has no power or control over the main character’s world, situation, or goals, then they are not a viable opposing force.
This is why “[t]he Adversary must appear to be the most powerful character in the story” (Edson 57). They have to have a clear edge and advantage over the hero for there to be stakes for the hero to traverse and overcome. Classic Disney villains possess this quality and have all the power, control, and abilities that the hero of the story lacks.
Now that we know who they are, let’s discuss the various types of antagonists that exist.
Types of Antagonists
“The Principle of Antagonism: A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them” (McKee 317). Not all stories require a Marvel-style villain or a James Bond-level threat. Some stories have a human opposition that’s real and not out to take over the world.
Versus
These are the antagonists in comic book movies, action movies, or Bond films. They are oppositional forces that are clear-cut and easy to see for the adversaries that they are. In these cases, “[i]f the antagonist is evil, or capable of cruel and criminal actions, he or she is called the villain” (Abrams 225).
Sports films like The Rocky movies and other sports stories also utilize this type of antagonist structure. The opposing team or person may not be a villain, but their actions could be seen as unethical or tainted by negative qualities in the eyes of the hero.
Environmental, Social, Governmental
The antagonist is an oppositional force that is part of a larger system. However, it should be noted that “like every other type of story, man-against-nature movies work best when there’s also a human Adversary present” (Edson 60). So, even if the main driver of the story is a volcano, the hero has to have a human antagonist present to oppose them.
In the 1997 film Volcano, while the L.A.-based disaster is at the forefront, our main character – OEM Director Mike Roark – still has to deal with the oppositional opinions and ideas of seismologist Dr. Amy Barnes as the disaster unfolds.
When it’s a story dealing with a natural disaster, I feel that the opposing forces can disagree on how to deal with the situation, which could result in the antagonist’s demise in some disaster-related way. This is evident in the 1996 film Twister, where the storm-chasing opposition, led by Dr. Jonas Miller, is “in it for the money, not the science,” a sentiment that ultimately gets him killed thanks to his arrogance.
Societal antagonism can rear its ugly head in the form of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other society-based ills. While these can be overarching backdrops for a story, these need to have a singular adversary for the hero to confront. In the 2007 film, Hairspray, Tracy Turnblad fights against a whitewashed system that refuses to allow integration on a local TV show. Her opposition is Velma Von Tussle, who represents the bigoted and racist views of 1962 society in human form in the story.
It’s the same with government systems. The main character may be fighting the system, but the system needs a representative antagonist for the hero to confront and fight against. In the 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne’s antagonist is Warden Norton, the human face of the prison system that Andy must fight against - and ultimately escape - in the story.
In the societal and governmental areas, you want “one single, powerful character who’s every bit as committed to preventing the Hero from reaching her goal as the Hero is to accomplishing it” (Edson 56).
Realistic
While antagonists can often be bigger than life, imposing forces of evil and destruction, some antagonists are more realistic in their scope. Sometimes “[a]ntagonists may not be quite so hostile – they may be Allies who are after the same goal but who disagree with the hero’s tactics” (Vogler 71). A father who wants his son to forget about rockets and focus on his future in the coal mines, like in the 1999 film October Sky. The father wants what’s best for his son and wants him to have a realistic outlook on his future. This is in opposition to what the son wants, which in turn creates a realistic conflict.
This is why it’s good to remember that “[a]n Adversary is the main opposing force, but [they are] not necessarily a bad or evil person” (Edson 61). They might strongly disagree with the main character’s goals. They may want the main character to pursue something else, not do something they feel is problematic or even have had a tragedy in their past that influences their opposition.
Whew, that was a lot to cover! But we’re only getting started. I’ll be back on Wednesday as we continue to explore antagonists all month! See you then!
Sources:
Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Harcourt Brace, 1999.
Edson, Eric. The Story Solution. Michael Wiese Productions, 2011.
Egri, Lajos. The Art of Dramatic Writing. Simon & Schuster, 2004.
McKee, Robert. Story. Harper Collins, 1997.
Truby, John. The Anatomy of Story. Faber and Faber, 2007.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
Antagonist April: Week #1 – What is an Antagonist? – Part Three
It’s Antagonist April, and all this month, I’ll be doing a deep dive into those characters that give our heroes and main characters opposition to their goals. This week, we’ll explore the characteristics of an antagonist.
Let’s continue!
Help Wanted
Last time, we discussed how a narrative “requires that the Adversary be an actual person” (Edson 57). More importantly, this needs to be a singular entity that directly opposes the main character. That doesn’t mean, however, that the antagonist doesn’t have help. If the hero can have allies, so can the villain.
We see this all the time in action movies and superhero movies. The adversary sends out his legions of henchpersons and minions to eliminate, stop, kill, seduce, or maim the hero. Of course, we know as viewers that these attempts are in vain; the protagonist will eventually come face-to-face with the antagonist, and a final battle will ensue.
When these characters aren’t just nameless, faceless drones, the story and their interactions with the main character are more interesting. These antagonist-related characters are an extension of their boss, so while they have the same enemy - the protagonist - their tactics can vary to give them their own personalities and depth.
And speaking of tactics…
Antagonist Tactics
An antagonist will use every resource, ally, and weapon available to them to stop the hero from achieving their goal. Depending on the genre and situation, the sky’s the limit on how much opposition can be thrown at the protagonist throughout the story.
Just as the protagonist is active in pursuing a goal, the antagonist must also be active in their opposition. Pick any action movie and list all the active verbs that can be used to describe the antagonist’s tactics.
Some basic ones could be: to stop, to kill, to pursue, to seduce, to assault, to eliminate, to destroy, to prevent, to coerce, to convince, to arrest, to capture, to chase, to imprison, to invade, to evade, to hide, to attack, etc.
The more tactics the antagonist employs, the greater the danger for the protagonist as they work to achieve their goal. Don’t make things easy for your hero. Make them work for what they want. Make sure the opposition doesn’t let up and gives them a fight.
Week #1 Wrap-Up
As week one of Antagonist April comes to an end, it should be noted that “[t]he importance of the antagonist is constant across genres, but the nature of the antagonist depends on the level of realism associated with particular genres” (Dancyger & Rush 78). While these characters should be present to create conflict, make sure that the opposition serves the story and genre you’ve chosen.
We’ve covered a lot over the last three days. We learned what an antagonist is and the types of antagonists. We talked about why it’s important to only have one main antagonist in your story, how things aren’t always straightforward regarding antagonists being all bad, and the need to humanize the opposition through empathy and sympathy. Finally, we covered the role antagonist allies can play and the various tactics an antagonist can use in a story.
I’ve had a lot of fun, and I hope you have, too! Next week, we’ll discuss creating an antagonist for your stories and give you some tools to make that happen.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next week!
Sources:
Dancyger, Ken & Jeff Rush. Alternative Scriptwriting. Focal Press, 2007.
Edson, Eric. The Story Solution. Michael Wiese Productions, 2011.
Let’s continue!
Help Wanted
Last time, we discussed how a narrative “requires that the Adversary be an actual person” (Edson 57). More importantly, this needs to be a singular entity that directly opposes the main character. That doesn’t mean, however, that the antagonist doesn’t have help. If the hero can have allies, so can the villain.
We see this all the time in action movies and superhero movies. The adversary sends out his legions of henchpersons and minions to eliminate, stop, kill, seduce, or maim the hero. Of course, we know as viewers that these attempts are in vain; the protagonist will eventually come face-to-face with the antagonist, and a final battle will ensue.
When these characters aren’t just nameless, faceless drones, the story and their interactions with the main character are more interesting. These antagonist-related characters are an extension of their boss, so while they have the same enemy - the protagonist - their tactics can vary to give them their own personalities and depth.
And speaking of tactics…
Antagonist Tactics
An antagonist will use every resource, ally, and weapon available to them to stop the hero from achieving their goal. Depending on the genre and situation, the sky’s the limit on how much opposition can be thrown at the protagonist throughout the story.
Just as the protagonist is active in pursuing a goal, the antagonist must also be active in their opposition. Pick any action movie and list all the active verbs that can be used to describe the antagonist’s tactics.
Some basic ones could be: to stop, to kill, to pursue, to seduce, to assault, to eliminate, to destroy, to prevent, to coerce, to convince, to arrest, to capture, to chase, to imprison, to invade, to evade, to hide, to attack, etc.
The more tactics the antagonist employs, the greater the danger for the protagonist as they work to achieve their goal. Don’t make things easy for your hero. Make them work for what they want. Make sure the opposition doesn’t let up and gives them a fight.
Week #1 Wrap-Up
As week one of Antagonist April comes to an end, it should be noted that “[t]he importance of the antagonist is constant across genres, but the nature of the antagonist depends on the level of realism associated with particular genres” (Dancyger & Rush 78). While these characters should be present to create conflict, make sure that the opposition serves the story and genre you’ve chosen.
We’ve covered a lot over the last three days. We learned what an antagonist is and the types of antagonists. We talked about why it’s important to only have one main antagonist in your story, how things aren’t always straightforward regarding antagonists being all bad, and the need to humanize the opposition through empathy and sympathy. Finally, we covered the role antagonist allies can play and the various tactics an antagonist can use in a story.
I’ve had a lot of fun, and I hope you have, too! Next week, we’ll discuss creating an antagonist for your stories and give you some tools to make that happen.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next week!
Sources:
Dancyger, Ken & Jeff Rush. Alternative Scriptwriting. Focal Press, 2007.
Edson, Eric. The Story Solution. Michael Wiese Productions, 2011.
Antagonist April: Week #2 – Developing An Antagonist – Part One
It’s Antagonist April, and all this month, I’ll be doing a deep dive into those characters that give our heroes and main characters opposition to their goals. This week, we’ll discuss developing a compelling antagonist for your story.
Let’s get started!
Backstory
A strong narrative “requires that the Adversary be an actual person,” and it’s essential for you as the writer to know who they are and where they came from (Edson 57). This may be information that only you know; past experiences, traumas, or victories this individual had in their life before the story you’re writing. But these elements help add dimension to your antagonist. These aspects can assist you in deciding how the antagonist approaches problems, makes decisions, and how they react to a variety of situations.
You don’t have to travel back to when they were born, but if there are events in the antagonist’s childhood that explain why they are the way they are, then jotting those moments down can be helpful.
By giving your antagonist a past, you lift them out of the realm of a one-dimensional villain. There’s something in their background that affected them to the point that they have decided that your protagonist is their current opponent. The person who’s preventing them from getting what they want.
Taking the time to think through a bullet-pointed timeline of the antagonist’s life can also come in handy if they need to explain themselves at any point during the story. There has to be some legitimate reason – in their mind – why they are doing what they’re doing. Having those moments decided ahead of time gives you a story from their past to utilize.
In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos has a moment like this with Doctor Strange.
https://youtu.be/-VtzR9l3QJw
In this brief conversation, Thanos reveals aspects of his backstory that inform his quest to acquire the Infinity Stones and eliminate half of all life in the universe. Notice how Thanos perceives himself versus how Doctor Strange perceives Thanos and his plan.
What’s My Motivation?
What is the reason the antagonist is doing what they’re doing? Why do they oppose the hero and their goals? Something happened in the antagonist’s life, either in the past or currently, that has driven them to the point where they must stop the main character at all costs. It could be something the protagonist did to them (Changing Lanes). It could be a plan the antagonist had in place that the protagonist tries to stop (Die Hard). No matter what it is, the antagonist must be motivated in their actions against the hero. There has to be a WHY!
While they can have the motivation to stop the main character, there has to be something larger in the antagonist’s world that they want to achieve. This is the element that the protagonist’s actions are preventing.
What motivates them? Greed? Power? Revenge? Those are fine motivations. But suppose we don’t know why they are motivated toward these goals. In that case, the character lacks any real weight, dimension, or interesting qualities.
Let’s look at Syndrome from The Incredibles. When he was younger and went by the name Buddy (aka Incrediboy), he wanted to help Mr. Incredible. Instead, he was told to “fly home.”
https://youtu.be/-f4oNHyHXpc
This rejection by his favorite superhero motivated Buddy to become Syndrome. His backstory influenced his motivation to transform into a supervillain determined to exterminate all superheroes from existence except himself. His final goal and motivation are given in the video below:
https://youtu.be/ea8ebpKM2JU
Notice that Syndrome and Thanos both have motivations based on past events that influence their behavior and goals in the present. This is why taking the time to create a backstory for your antagonist can often assist you in crafting a strong motivation for them as the opposition in your story.
We’re getting started! I’ll be back on Wednesday as we continue to explore antagonists all month! See you then!
Source:
Edson, Eric. The Story Solution. Michael Wiese Productions, 2011.
Let’s get started!
Backstory
A strong narrative “requires that the Adversary be an actual person,” and it’s essential for you as the writer to know who they are and where they came from (Edson 57). This may be information that only you know; past experiences, traumas, or victories this individual had in their life before the story you’re writing. But these elements help add dimension to your antagonist. These aspects can assist you in deciding how the antagonist approaches problems, makes decisions, and how they react to a variety of situations.
You don’t have to travel back to when they were born, but if there are events in the antagonist’s childhood that explain why they are the way they are, then jotting those moments down can be helpful.
By giving your antagonist a past, you lift them out of the realm of a one-dimensional villain. There’s something in their background that affected them to the point that they have decided that your protagonist is their current opponent. The person who’s preventing them from getting what they want.
Taking the time to think through a bullet-pointed timeline of the antagonist’s life can also come in handy if they need to explain themselves at any point during the story. There has to be some legitimate reason – in their mind – why they are doing what they’re doing. Having those moments decided ahead of time gives you a story from their past to utilize.
In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos has a moment like this with Doctor Strange.
https://youtu.be/-VtzR9l3QJw
In this brief conversation, Thanos reveals aspects of his backstory that inform his quest to acquire the Infinity Stones and eliminate half of all life in the universe. Notice how Thanos perceives himself versus how Doctor Strange perceives Thanos and his plan.
What’s My Motivation?
What is the reason the antagonist is doing what they’re doing? Why do they oppose the hero and their goals? Something happened in the antagonist’s life, either in the past or currently, that has driven them to the point where they must stop the main character at all costs. It could be something the protagonist did to them (Changing Lanes). It could be a plan the antagonist had in place that the protagonist tries to stop (Die Hard). No matter what it is, the antagonist must be motivated in their actions against the hero. There has to be a WHY!
While they can have the motivation to stop the main character, there has to be something larger in the antagonist’s world that they want to achieve. This is the element that the protagonist’s actions are preventing.
What motivates them? Greed? Power? Revenge? Those are fine motivations. But suppose we don’t know why they are motivated toward these goals. In that case, the character lacks any real weight, dimension, or interesting qualities.
Let’s look at Syndrome from The Incredibles. When he was younger and went by the name Buddy (aka Incrediboy), he wanted to help Mr. Incredible. Instead, he was told to “fly home.”
https://youtu.be/-f4oNHyHXpc
This rejection by his favorite superhero motivated Buddy to become Syndrome. His backstory influenced his motivation to transform into a supervillain determined to exterminate all superheroes from existence except himself. His final goal and motivation are given in the video below:
https://youtu.be/ea8ebpKM2JU
Notice that Syndrome and Thanos both have motivations based on past events that influence their behavior and goals in the present. This is why taking the time to create a backstory for your antagonist can often assist you in crafting a strong motivation for them as the opposition in your story.
We’re getting started! I’ll be back on Wednesday as we continue to explore antagonists all month! See you then!
Source:
Edson, Eric. The Story Solution. Michael Wiese Productions, 2011.
Antagonist April: Week #2 – Developing An Antagonist – Part Two
It’s Antagonist April, and all this month, I’ll be doing a deep dive into those characters that give our heroes and main characters opposition to their goals. This week, we’ll discuss developing a compelling antagonist for your story.
Let’s continue!
The Arc of the Antagonist
Once you’ve established where they came from and their motivations, you have to decide where the antagonist is in their life when they enter your story. Much like the protagonist, they are doing something else before they come across their current situation and are determined to reach a goal by the end of the story.
Both characters, of course, are out to prevent the other from achieving their primary goal. And, like the protagonist, the antagonist should be “as complex and as valuable as the hero” (Truby 89). So, while your main focus when writing your story should be on your hero and their actions, motivations, goals, and arc from start to finish, it’s also essential to give time to the antagonist and see what’s going on with them as the story unfolds.
After all, if they are human, they are experiencing emotions, feelings, setbacks, and victories, too. For readers to connect with the antagonist on some level, we have to be given insights into them as the story unfolds.
Look at Scar’s arc in The Lion King. His backstory – being second-born and having a nephew in line for the throne – motivates his desire to wipe out Mufasa (and Simba, too) so he can become king of Pride Rock. And his plan actually works! But he’s an ineffective leader. Once Simba returns from his self-imposed exile, Scar must face the consequences of his actions and is ultimately vanquished.
When it comes to “[a] novel, play, or any type of writing, really is a crisis from beginning to end growing to its necessary conclusion” (Egri 117). Giving readers a strong hero is important, but the opposition has to be equally as compelling and interesting to keep the story moving. You want to keep the audience in suspense, unsure how that hero will defeat their adversary or if evil will win in the end.
Think about other films or books where the antagonist has a strong story arc. These are usually the ones we remember best and have become a part of pop culture.
The Elevated Antagonist
What makes us like a villain? What makes them intriguing to us? What aspects of who they are can make us sad to see them go?
They aren’t just cookie-cutter, boilerplate bad guys. There’s something more to them. Something about them that connects with the audience. They make us laugh. They have a way of speaking or emoting that captivates us. We know they are the antagonist of the movie or book, and we know that we should be rooting against them. But when they’re around, we can’t look away.
The antagonist’s stance is “powerful and compelling, but ultimately wrong,” but that doesn’t mean they have to be a one-dimensional character (Truby 90). Finding ways to draw the audience into their world and humanizing them is a great way to give this character something more.
As you develop their backstory, jot down other activities they enjoy. Do they cook? Garden? Play board games? Do they enjoy dad jokes? Puns? One-liners? These are all things that can influence who they are and give readers a stronger sense of who they are as people.
The villain in your story “can only be humanized by making them vulnerable” (Vogler 74). Maybe they’re lonely and long for love, friendship, or happiness. Could you give us a relatable connection to them? It can still inform their actions and motivations even if it’s not mentioned outright.
Who are some antagonists that you have connected with and why?
There’s more to come! Antagonist April continues on Friday and all month long. See you then!
Sources:
Egri, Lajos. The Art of Dramatic Writing. Simon & Schuster, 2004.
Truby, John. The Anatomy of Story. Faber and Faber, 2007.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
Let’s continue!
The Arc of the Antagonist
Once you’ve established where they came from and their motivations, you have to decide where the antagonist is in their life when they enter your story. Much like the protagonist, they are doing something else before they come across their current situation and are determined to reach a goal by the end of the story.
Both characters, of course, are out to prevent the other from achieving their primary goal. And, like the protagonist, the antagonist should be “as complex and as valuable as the hero” (Truby 89). So, while your main focus when writing your story should be on your hero and their actions, motivations, goals, and arc from start to finish, it’s also essential to give time to the antagonist and see what’s going on with them as the story unfolds.
After all, if they are human, they are experiencing emotions, feelings, setbacks, and victories, too. For readers to connect with the antagonist on some level, we have to be given insights into them as the story unfolds.
Look at Scar’s arc in The Lion King. His backstory – being second-born and having a nephew in line for the throne – motivates his desire to wipe out Mufasa (and Simba, too) so he can become king of Pride Rock. And his plan actually works! But he’s an ineffective leader. Once Simba returns from his self-imposed exile, Scar must face the consequences of his actions and is ultimately vanquished.
When it comes to “[a] novel, play, or any type of writing, really is a crisis from beginning to end growing to its necessary conclusion” (Egri 117). Giving readers a strong hero is important, but the opposition has to be equally as compelling and interesting to keep the story moving. You want to keep the audience in suspense, unsure how that hero will defeat their adversary or if evil will win in the end.
Think about other films or books where the antagonist has a strong story arc. These are usually the ones we remember best and have become a part of pop culture.
The Elevated Antagonist
What makes us like a villain? What makes them intriguing to us? What aspects of who they are can make us sad to see them go?
They aren’t just cookie-cutter, boilerplate bad guys. There’s something more to them. Something about them that connects with the audience. They make us laugh. They have a way of speaking or emoting that captivates us. We know they are the antagonist of the movie or book, and we know that we should be rooting against them. But when they’re around, we can’t look away.
The antagonist’s stance is “powerful and compelling, but ultimately wrong,” but that doesn’t mean they have to be a one-dimensional character (Truby 90). Finding ways to draw the audience into their world and humanizing them is a great way to give this character something more.
As you develop their backstory, jot down other activities they enjoy. Do they cook? Garden? Play board games? Do they enjoy dad jokes? Puns? One-liners? These are all things that can influence who they are and give readers a stronger sense of who they are as people.
The villain in your story “can only be humanized by making them vulnerable” (Vogler 74). Maybe they’re lonely and long for love, friendship, or happiness. Could you give us a relatable connection to them? It can still inform their actions and motivations even if it’s not mentioned outright.
Who are some antagonists that you have connected with and why?
There’s more to come! Antagonist April continues on Friday and all month long. See you then!
Sources:
Egri, Lajos. The Art of Dramatic Writing. Simon & Schuster, 2004.
Truby, John. The Anatomy of Story. Faber and Faber, 2007.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
Antagonist April: Week #3 – Antagonist Case Study #1, Veronica Corningstone (Anchorman)
It’s Antagonist April, and all this month, I’ll be doing a deep dive into those characters that give our heroes and main characters opposition to their goals. This week, we’ll analyze the roles of three antagonists in the films, starting with Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
Let’s get started!
ANTAGONIST’S NAME: Veronica Corningstone
RELATIONSHIP TO PROTAGONIST: Veronica is initially seen by Ron Burgundy as a potential love interest, but he quickly finds out that Veronica will be part of his news team, which is a no-no in Ron’s male-dominated new world.
THE ANTAGONIST’S ARC:
• Ron first meets Veronica at a pool party, where his attempts to hit on her are met with her being wholly unimpressed and walking away.
o This sets up an awkward and sexist dynamic between Ron and Veronica before her position at the TV station is revealed.
• When Veronica arrives at the station and is introduced to everyone, the men – especially Ron’s news team – are not happy (“It’s anchorman, not anchorlady, and that is a scientific fact!).
o What makes this film such an interesting cultural satire is that the sexist men are seen as the film's protagonists. In contrast, the woman is seen as the Opposing Force there to upset their established dynamic. If this were a drama, we would probably be following Veronica’s journey, and Ron would be the story’s antagonist.
• Veronica gives us insight into her mindset dealing with the sexism she faces at each station: “Women ask me how I put up with it. Well, the truth is, I don’t really have a choice. This is definitely a man’s world. But while they’re laughing and grab-assing, I’m chasing down leads and practicing my nonregional diction. Because the only way to win is to be the best. The very best.”
o We now know what Veronica’s motivation is regarding her career and why she’s willing to deal with the sexism that dominates her chosen field. Along with that motivation, we are shown her goal: “to be the best. The very best.” We know that Ron and his team are already beloved by San Diego – especially Ron – so what will Veronica have to do to achieve the same level of respect and love from the community?
• After being ordered to cover the story of a cat fashion show, which she is opposed to doing, she runs a gauntlet of sexist pick-up attempts by Ron’s news team. She handles each sleazy attempt with ease and uniquely rebuffs each man.
o It’s a nice run of scenes that shows that Veronica isn’t a woman who is easily distracted by or privy to their usual chauvinistic tactics. Here she shows that she is not a woman to be messed with and demands a level of respect that the men seem incapable of showing to her.
• It is Ron’s attempt to hit on her that causes a visceral reaction from Veronica. She makes it clear to him: “You are pathetic. This has to be the feeblest pick-up attempt that I have ever encountered. I expected it from the rest of them but not from you.” But Ron turns things around and gets Veronica to take a tour of San Diego with him.
o Both Ron and Veronica have differing motivations for this outing together, Veronica making it clear that it’s not a date, while Ron clearly thinks otherwise.
• [While it’s not a scene with Veronica, it is a scene of foreshadowing of what’s to come involving her and Ron. At the end of a newscast, someone accidentally wrote a question mark at the end of Ron’s outro, making him say, “I’m Ron Burgundy?” The station head makes a point to tell the control booth (and the viewer), “For the last time, anything you put on that prompter, Burgundy will read.”]
• The next set of scenes shows us that Veronica is better educated and more aware of the world than Ron is.
o Since she is the antagonist, it is important that she be more skilled and better equipped than the hero, which she clearly is. But he has the skill of playing the jazz flute that impresses her.
o In this scene, Ron reveals his life’s goal: “To one day become a network anchor.” And it seems that he and Veronica “share the same dream.” Now we know that the protagonist and antagonist have a similar goal, which means they will both eventually end up in conflict to achieve this goal.
o In the end, Ron and Veronica wind up sleeping together and going to Pleasure Town. Veronica clarifies afterward that “it’s very important that I be viewed as a professional” and that “we should keep it fairly quiet around the station.”
• Ron, of course, yells at the top of his lungs at the station the next day that “Veronica Corningstone and I had sex, and now we are in love!” and on the air when he tells the viewers, “we are currently dating and that she is quite a handful in the bedroom.”
• Both moments tee up Veronica’s anger toward Ron in the following scene, where she is upset about his declaration on the air. She is concerned about this hurting her goal to become a network anchor, fearing that people will only see her as Ron’s “bimbo gal pal.”
o Ron woos her back and earn her forgiveness. They remain a couple.
• In Ron’s sudden absence at the station, Veronica makes her case to the station head and demands to anchor the news. She gets her chance and nails it, resulting in a rift between her and Ron when he finds out. In his mind, her goal of becoming an anchor “was a joke,” which leads to their break up.
o This is a big moment in the story and when the conflict between Ron and Veronica really heats up. Now, they are at war with each other.
• Veronica is announced as co-anchor of the news, which infuriates Ron even more, causing his childish behavior to escalate against her. Luckily, Veronica overcomes his immaturity and continues to thrive.
o Veronica’s oppositional behavior toward the sexism in the office has a strong effect on the other women working there, which causes the men to become more frustrated with her. Veronica is not just an Oppositional Force in Ron’s life but a Change Agent against societal norms. Neither bodes well for our chauvinist hero.
• When Veronica demands to use the tape machine Ron uses to watch his Emmy acceptance speech, the two get into a fight in front of the entire newsroom. Her final insult against Ron telling him his hair looks stupid leads to a literal fight between the two.
• In the next scene, Helen asks Veronica if she’s ever considered “fighting fire with fire.” Then she proceeds to tell Veronica that Ron “will read anything that is put on that Teleprompter.”
o As we discussed, this was foreshadowed earlier to establish that this was true. Now, we see this insight possibly being used as a weapon by our antagonist against the hero.
• And that’s what Veronica does, sabotaging this Teleprompter and causing Ron to say, “Go fuck yourself, San Diego” instead of “You stay classy, San Diego.”
o It’s a huge blow against the protagonist by the antagonist, resulting in his immediate firing from the station and destroying his reputation in the city. For the time being, it looks like the antagonist has won.
o Veronica does regret what she did afterward. However, her sabotage still gets her to her goal of being the lead news anchor for the station.
• When the panda, Ling Wong, goes into labor at the zoo, Veronica goes to cover the story and ends up being pushed into the Kodiak bear paddock by a rival news anchor. Trapped and unable to yell for help out of fear of waking the hibernating bears, Veronica is eventually rescued by Ron, his news team, and Ron’s dog Baxter.
THE ANTAGONIST’S FATE: Veronica and Ron end up a couple once again, and she winds up co-anchoring the network news with him. Both achieve their goals.
COMMENTS: Veronica’s role as the antagonist in the story is clever. She’s not evil; she’s the opposition primarily because she’s a woman in a male-dominated field. This helps add to the conflict between her and Ron due to their office romance and her desire to anchor the network news.
Their fates ending up in the same place – as a couple and as co-anchors – shows the protagonist’s growth as a character and also shows that the antagonist has reached their goal as well. Both are happy at the story’s end.
Come back Wednesday as we look at the antagonist for the film Dante’s Peak! See you then!
Let’s get started!
ANTAGONIST’S NAME: Veronica Corningstone
RELATIONSHIP TO PROTAGONIST: Veronica is initially seen by Ron Burgundy as a potential love interest, but he quickly finds out that Veronica will be part of his news team, which is a no-no in Ron’s male-dominated new world.
THE ANTAGONIST’S ARC:
• Ron first meets Veronica at a pool party, where his attempts to hit on her are met with her being wholly unimpressed and walking away.
o This sets up an awkward and sexist dynamic between Ron and Veronica before her position at the TV station is revealed.
• When Veronica arrives at the station and is introduced to everyone, the men – especially Ron’s news team – are not happy (“It’s anchorman, not anchorlady, and that is a scientific fact!).
o What makes this film such an interesting cultural satire is that the sexist men are seen as the film's protagonists. In contrast, the woman is seen as the Opposing Force there to upset their established dynamic. If this were a drama, we would probably be following Veronica’s journey, and Ron would be the story’s antagonist.
• Veronica gives us insight into her mindset dealing with the sexism she faces at each station: “Women ask me how I put up with it. Well, the truth is, I don’t really have a choice. This is definitely a man’s world. But while they’re laughing and grab-assing, I’m chasing down leads and practicing my nonregional diction. Because the only way to win is to be the best. The very best.”
o We now know what Veronica’s motivation is regarding her career and why she’s willing to deal with the sexism that dominates her chosen field. Along with that motivation, we are shown her goal: “to be the best. The very best.” We know that Ron and his team are already beloved by San Diego – especially Ron – so what will Veronica have to do to achieve the same level of respect and love from the community?
• After being ordered to cover the story of a cat fashion show, which she is opposed to doing, she runs a gauntlet of sexist pick-up attempts by Ron’s news team. She handles each sleazy attempt with ease and uniquely rebuffs each man.
o It’s a nice run of scenes that shows that Veronica isn’t a woman who is easily distracted by or privy to their usual chauvinistic tactics. Here she shows that she is not a woman to be messed with and demands a level of respect that the men seem incapable of showing to her.
• It is Ron’s attempt to hit on her that causes a visceral reaction from Veronica. She makes it clear to him: “You are pathetic. This has to be the feeblest pick-up attempt that I have ever encountered. I expected it from the rest of them but not from you.” But Ron turns things around and gets Veronica to take a tour of San Diego with him.
o Both Ron and Veronica have differing motivations for this outing together, Veronica making it clear that it’s not a date, while Ron clearly thinks otherwise.
• [While it’s not a scene with Veronica, it is a scene of foreshadowing of what’s to come involving her and Ron. At the end of a newscast, someone accidentally wrote a question mark at the end of Ron’s outro, making him say, “I’m Ron Burgundy?” The station head makes a point to tell the control booth (and the viewer), “For the last time, anything you put on that prompter, Burgundy will read.”]
• The next set of scenes shows us that Veronica is better educated and more aware of the world than Ron is.
o Since she is the antagonist, it is important that she be more skilled and better equipped than the hero, which she clearly is. But he has the skill of playing the jazz flute that impresses her.
o In this scene, Ron reveals his life’s goal: “To one day become a network anchor.” And it seems that he and Veronica “share the same dream.” Now we know that the protagonist and antagonist have a similar goal, which means they will both eventually end up in conflict to achieve this goal.
o In the end, Ron and Veronica wind up sleeping together and going to Pleasure Town. Veronica clarifies afterward that “it’s very important that I be viewed as a professional” and that “we should keep it fairly quiet around the station.”
• Ron, of course, yells at the top of his lungs at the station the next day that “Veronica Corningstone and I had sex, and now we are in love!” and on the air when he tells the viewers, “we are currently dating and that she is quite a handful in the bedroom.”
• Both moments tee up Veronica’s anger toward Ron in the following scene, where she is upset about his declaration on the air. She is concerned about this hurting her goal to become a network anchor, fearing that people will only see her as Ron’s “bimbo gal pal.”
o Ron woos her back and earn her forgiveness. They remain a couple.
• In Ron’s sudden absence at the station, Veronica makes her case to the station head and demands to anchor the news. She gets her chance and nails it, resulting in a rift between her and Ron when he finds out. In his mind, her goal of becoming an anchor “was a joke,” which leads to their break up.
o This is a big moment in the story and when the conflict between Ron and Veronica really heats up. Now, they are at war with each other.
• Veronica is announced as co-anchor of the news, which infuriates Ron even more, causing his childish behavior to escalate against her. Luckily, Veronica overcomes his immaturity and continues to thrive.
o Veronica’s oppositional behavior toward the sexism in the office has a strong effect on the other women working there, which causes the men to become more frustrated with her. Veronica is not just an Oppositional Force in Ron’s life but a Change Agent against societal norms. Neither bodes well for our chauvinist hero.
• When Veronica demands to use the tape machine Ron uses to watch his Emmy acceptance speech, the two get into a fight in front of the entire newsroom. Her final insult against Ron telling him his hair looks stupid leads to a literal fight between the two.
• In the next scene, Helen asks Veronica if she’s ever considered “fighting fire with fire.” Then she proceeds to tell Veronica that Ron “will read anything that is put on that Teleprompter.”
o As we discussed, this was foreshadowed earlier to establish that this was true. Now, we see this insight possibly being used as a weapon by our antagonist against the hero.
• And that’s what Veronica does, sabotaging this Teleprompter and causing Ron to say, “Go fuck yourself, San Diego” instead of “You stay classy, San Diego.”
o It’s a huge blow against the protagonist by the antagonist, resulting in his immediate firing from the station and destroying his reputation in the city. For the time being, it looks like the antagonist has won.
o Veronica does regret what she did afterward. However, her sabotage still gets her to her goal of being the lead news anchor for the station.
• When the panda, Ling Wong, goes into labor at the zoo, Veronica goes to cover the story and ends up being pushed into the Kodiak bear paddock by a rival news anchor. Trapped and unable to yell for help out of fear of waking the hibernating bears, Veronica is eventually rescued by Ron, his news team, and Ron’s dog Baxter.
THE ANTAGONIST’S FATE: Veronica and Ron end up a couple once again, and she winds up co-anchoring the network news with him. Both achieve their goals.
COMMENTS: Veronica’s role as the antagonist in the story is clever. She’s not evil; she’s the opposition primarily because she’s a woman in a male-dominated field. This helps add to the conflict between her and Ron due to their office romance and her desire to anchor the network news.
Their fates ending up in the same place – as a couple and as co-anchors – shows the protagonist’s growth as a character and also shows that the antagonist has reached their goal as well. Both are happy at the story’s end.
Come back Wednesday as we look at the antagonist for the film Dante’s Peak! See you then!
Antagonist April: Week #3 – Antagonist Case Study #2, Dr. Paul Dreyfus (Dante's Peak)
It’s Antagonist April, and all this month, I’ll be doing a deep dive into those characters that give our heroes and main characters opposition to their goals. This week, we’ll analyze the roles of three antagonists in the films. Today, it’s Dante’s Peak.
Let’s continue!
ANTAGONIST’S NAME: Dr. Paul Dreyfus
RELATIONSHIP TO PROTAGONIST: Paul is Harry Dalton’s boss at the United States Geological Survey. He sends Harry on the assignment to check out the seismic activity around Dante’s Peak.
THE ANTAGONIST’S ARC:
• We’re introduced to Paul via answering machine, asking Harry Dalton for his opinion about “something in the Northern Cascades.” He orders him to “get down here as soon as you get this message,” which tells us he’s the boss in this dynamic.
• Once in the office, Paul tells Harry about “activity around Dante’s Peak.”
o These two scenes are the only ones we get with Paul for some time in the film. Our protagonist is now sent on his mission to see if there’s any voracity to the activity and if Dante’s Peak is in danger of eruption.
o Paul leaves the story at the seven-minute mark and returns around the 21-minute mark.
• After Harry sees a number of potential issues regarding the volcano, he calls for a city council meeting. In the middle of the meeting, while Harry asks them to consider “the possibility of an evacuation,” Paul shows up and takes Harry aside. Paul asserts his authority: “I sent you up here to have a look around, not to scare the city council.” After Harry explains why he made the decision, Paul continues to push back: “There are dozens of reasons that would account for what happened. Anything from a mild earthquake to a slight seismic shift, and not one of those reasons means that the mountain will blow up next week or next month, or the next 100 years.”
o While the city council opposes Harry’s proposition, Mayor Wando is on his side, making her an ally. Since Paul is Harry’s boss, his authority is given more weight by the city council when he reassures them that “if the time comes to call for an alert, if the time comes, it will be based upon scientific evidence, and not upon anyone’s opinion.”
o Paul has now publicly embarrassed Harry, dismissing his initial views and opinions about Dante’s Peak, which makes them even more at odds with each other. Paul’s role is to be skeptical of Harry, which is why he’s the story’s antagonist. He even tells the city council about previous evacuations that have ruined cities, which makes them even more upset toward Harry and the Mayor.
• When Paul runs into Harry at the local bar, Paul further explains, “Until you understand that there are delicate politics involved, not to mention economics, you’re only going to do these people more harm than good.” Paul once again asserts his authority and makes it clear to Harry who’s in charge now.
• When Harry and some of his team members are up on the mountain, they experience an earthquake, and a rockslide injures one of them. Paul is back at home base. When he reconnects with Harry, Harry makes it clear that they should put the town on alert. Ever the skeptic, Paul rebuffs him, telling Harry that he doesn’t “want to cause a panic over minor tectonic quakes.” Paul doesn’t want to scare everyone “over guesswork and hunches,” he then tells Harry, “Another 48 hours will tell the tale, and you get a grip.”
o The conflict between our hero and the opposition escalates further, their views on handling the situation vary widely. It’s important to keep in mind that Paul is Harry’s boss, which is why Harry doesn’t try and override him.
• After a week of no major activity from Dante’s Peak, Paul says, “first thing in the morning, we are out of here.”
• Paul’s opinions quickly change that final night when Harry appears at his hotel room and shows him “scientific evidence” that the town’s water supply is now contaminated by sulfur dioxide, which is “the same thing [Harry] saw in the Philippines on Mount Pinatubo before she blew.”
o Now shown proof that Harry has been right all along, Paul now works in tandem with Harry to figure out what to do next when it comes to evacuating the town. He even tells Harry to “call the mayor. Have her put the town on alert.”
o It should be noted here that had he listened to Harry in the first place, they could have avoided the chaos that eventually occurs (but that would make the film less exciting).
• Once the chaos begins, Paul attempts to reach Harry via radio, where he tells him: “Harry, listen. For whatever it’s worth, you were right and I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
o This is the last conversation between the two characters, and the antagonist admits defeat. The skeptic is now a believer on the hero’s side.
• Ultimately, Dante’s Peak was what Paul was skeptical about, so the eruption and aftermath cause Paul’s demise.
THE ANTAGONIST’S FATE: Paul’s attempt to save the van as the bridge breaks apart cause his ability to escape to safety untenable, and he washes away downriver (listen closely, and you can hear the classic Wilhelm scream when he falls into the water).
COMMENTS: Paul’s role as a skeptic questioning Harry’s finding around Dante’s Peak makes him the antagonist. Unlike Harry, he has to work within the politics of the job, ensuring not to cause unneeded alarm to the citizens and bureaucrats of the community.
Ultimately, his skepticism is found to be incorrect, and the resulting eruption of the volcano leads to death, destruction, and Paul’s demise.
Come back Friday as we look at the antagonist for the film The Banshees of Inisherin! See you then!
Let’s continue!
ANTAGONIST’S NAME: Dr. Paul Dreyfus
RELATIONSHIP TO PROTAGONIST: Paul is Harry Dalton’s boss at the United States Geological Survey. He sends Harry on the assignment to check out the seismic activity around Dante’s Peak.
THE ANTAGONIST’S ARC:
• We’re introduced to Paul via answering machine, asking Harry Dalton for his opinion about “something in the Northern Cascades.” He orders him to “get down here as soon as you get this message,” which tells us he’s the boss in this dynamic.
• Once in the office, Paul tells Harry about “activity around Dante’s Peak.”
o These two scenes are the only ones we get with Paul for some time in the film. Our protagonist is now sent on his mission to see if there’s any voracity to the activity and if Dante’s Peak is in danger of eruption.
o Paul leaves the story at the seven-minute mark and returns around the 21-minute mark.
• After Harry sees a number of potential issues regarding the volcano, he calls for a city council meeting. In the middle of the meeting, while Harry asks them to consider “the possibility of an evacuation,” Paul shows up and takes Harry aside. Paul asserts his authority: “I sent you up here to have a look around, not to scare the city council.” After Harry explains why he made the decision, Paul continues to push back: “There are dozens of reasons that would account for what happened. Anything from a mild earthquake to a slight seismic shift, and not one of those reasons means that the mountain will blow up next week or next month, or the next 100 years.”
o While the city council opposes Harry’s proposition, Mayor Wando is on his side, making her an ally. Since Paul is Harry’s boss, his authority is given more weight by the city council when he reassures them that “if the time comes to call for an alert, if the time comes, it will be based upon scientific evidence, and not upon anyone’s opinion.”
o Paul has now publicly embarrassed Harry, dismissing his initial views and opinions about Dante’s Peak, which makes them even more at odds with each other. Paul’s role is to be skeptical of Harry, which is why he’s the story’s antagonist. He even tells the city council about previous evacuations that have ruined cities, which makes them even more upset toward Harry and the Mayor.
• When Paul runs into Harry at the local bar, Paul further explains, “Until you understand that there are delicate politics involved, not to mention economics, you’re only going to do these people more harm than good.” Paul once again asserts his authority and makes it clear to Harry who’s in charge now.
• When Harry and some of his team members are up on the mountain, they experience an earthquake, and a rockslide injures one of them. Paul is back at home base. When he reconnects with Harry, Harry makes it clear that they should put the town on alert. Ever the skeptic, Paul rebuffs him, telling Harry that he doesn’t “want to cause a panic over minor tectonic quakes.” Paul doesn’t want to scare everyone “over guesswork and hunches,” he then tells Harry, “Another 48 hours will tell the tale, and you get a grip.”
o The conflict between our hero and the opposition escalates further, their views on handling the situation vary widely. It’s important to keep in mind that Paul is Harry’s boss, which is why Harry doesn’t try and override him.
• After a week of no major activity from Dante’s Peak, Paul says, “first thing in the morning, we are out of here.”
• Paul’s opinions quickly change that final night when Harry appears at his hotel room and shows him “scientific evidence” that the town’s water supply is now contaminated by sulfur dioxide, which is “the same thing [Harry] saw in the Philippines on Mount Pinatubo before she blew.”
o Now shown proof that Harry has been right all along, Paul now works in tandem with Harry to figure out what to do next when it comes to evacuating the town. He even tells Harry to “call the mayor. Have her put the town on alert.”
o It should be noted here that had he listened to Harry in the first place, they could have avoided the chaos that eventually occurs (but that would make the film less exciting).
• Once the chaos begins, Paul attempts to reach Harry via radio, where he tells him: “Harry, listen. For whatever it’s worth, you were right and I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
o This is the last conversation between the two characters, and the antagonist admits defeat. The skeptic is now a believer on the hero’s side.
• Ultimately, Dante’s Peak was what Paul was skeptical about, so the eruption and aftermath cause Paul’s demise.
THE ANTAGONIST’S FATE: Paul’s attempt to save the van as the bridge breaks apart cause his ability to escape to safety untenable, and he washes away downriver (listen closely, and you can hear the classic Wilhelm scream when he falls into the water).
COMMENTS: Paul’s role as a skeptic questioning Harry’s finding around Dante’s Peak makes him the antagonist. Unlike Harry, he has to work within the politics of the job, ensuring not to cause unneeded alarm to the citizens and bureaucrats of the community.
Ultimately, his skepticism is found to be incorrect, and the resulting eruption of the volcano leads to death, destruction, and Paul’s demise.
Come back Friday as we look at the antagonist for the film The Banshees of Inisherin! See you then!
