I am looking at the story form for The Fugitive. I do understand how Help is the problem in the story. Can’t wrap my head around how Hinder creates a solution. I am new and most likely still grasping the terminology. But any thoughts would help. thanks
Dr. Kimble hinders Dr. Nichols and his scheme by exposing the results tampering and doing so in public which forces Nichols’ hand. Hinder here as an obstruction to Nichols’ celebration and ultimately his plans to get away with everything.
1 Like
Perfectly explained!! Thank you, I get it now. But, it seems like the activity you described as Hinder describes the same activity that identifies Help. I think that’s where I get tripped up again. Isn’t revealing the tampered results considered the event that starts the story and identifies its problem as Help?
It’s been a while since I’ve watched it, but I believe Kimble’s wife’s death starts the story setting Kimble, who has subsequently been found guilty, on his quest to find out who and why. Why, as we learn, is to frame him and the motivation for that being the tampered results - something he’s not privy to until late in the film because that piece of information leads to who ultimately is responsible (you have to be careful with the chronological events of the story vs. the ordering in which they’re told which greatly influences their meaning and narrative). That being said, it’s the problem as it relates to the OS which is exemplified through various characters and/or demonstrated multiple times.
Forgive me for copying and pasting as it’s much easier - this is taken from the analysis which can be found here and explains how help is the problem in the OS (as you can see, it’s not necessarily limited to one instance).
Every time somebody tries to help it causes problems. Dr. Kimble lends his car (and keys) to his pal Dr. Nichols which sets him up for the murder rap; the help that Dr. Nichols gives Dr. Kimble by approving his access to the samples at the hospital sets Dr. Kimble up to be assassinated by the one-armed man; Helen Kimble’s call for help is misinterpreted as an identification of her husband as the killer; Dr. Kimble stays to try and help his wife survive instead of capturing the killer and while trying to resuscitate her, is scratched leaving his skin under her nails; the guard’s attempt to help the “sick” inmate results in the bus crash; Dr. Kimble’s efforts to help the guard (including getting him out of the wreck and later assisting at the hospital) gets him identified; the call for help that Dr. Kimble makes to his attorney gets his whereabouts identified; Dr. Kimble’s diagnosis of the injured child almost gets him caught by the police; the Chicago police’s helicopter cops’ attempts to shoot Kimble almost kill Gerard; etc.
Yes! Thank you this does help, seeing that there are several instances of the problem HELP being illustrated. I was definitely narrowing my focus too much. I needed this help, so thanks again!!