Superman and Dehumanity Part II — On Drama

Continued from Previous.

Can a Dehumanist concoct, without betraying his principles, a satisfying dramatic story? The short answer is no. The long answer requires we discover the nature of dehumanism and of drama.

What is Drama?

The muse of philosophy who broods on Mount Helicon must forgive me if I describe what is a sprawling mansion of many chambers with the briefest of blueprints. Again I warn the reader that we are speaking in the most rough-hewn generalities, and that the presences of many exceptions and qualifications (of which, dear reader, I doubt not you are as well aware as I) does not unmake nor invalidate the general result.

To be a satisfying drama, certain basic elements must be present, either in large or in small:

A protagonist with a goal or dream or need or mission, who is facing…An obstacle (it can be a person, as an evil villain, or a situation, as life in an evil village) presenting a real challenge, perhaps an overwhelming challenge, blocking the protagonist’s achievement of this goal. Facing this challenge initiates…Rising action, perhaps with unexpected yet logical plot-turns to astonish the reader’s expectations, leading to…A climax, a crescendo or catharsis, which in turn brings about…A resolution that not only…Makes intellectual sense, with no plot threads forgotten and no plot holes showing but also…Makes moral and emotional sense, it shows the cosmos the way it is or the way it should be, but also…Makes thematic sense, such that it can be used as an example, or a model, or a reflection of life or some aspect of life.

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