Must the Protagonist solve the story problem? The Climactic Moment

questions
#1

I’m stuck. Other theories have said that the protagonist (hero) has to solve the story Goal or he’s not the hero and the story has been fudged.

In Dramatica we have MC=Protagonist, MC=Antagonist, Protagonist=IC, and a bunch of other options connected to these key players.

Please explain to me where the “Hero Solving the Problem” fits into Dramatica.

In The Great Gatsby, where the MC is Nick, Gatsby’s cousin, and the Protagonist and IC is Gatsby. The problem is not solved because the Protagonist does not achieve that goal. So failure.

Here’s what I found in definitions:

  1. “Goal • The central objective of a story • A Goal is that which the Protagonist of a story hopes to achieve.”
  2. “Problem • The underlying cause of the story’s difficulties • Of all the Elements, there is a single one that describes the essence of the story’s problem. The inclusion of this element in an Overall Story Character identifies him as the Main or Influence Character. This is because it makes that character the only one who can solve both the Overall and Relationship problems in a single stroke by addressing the problem (changing).”

Explain the difference please. What will the climactic scene be? A combination of all four signposts? The Protagonist trying for OS Goal? The MC finding resolution of character arc?

#2

In Dramatica we have MC=Protagonist, MC=Antagonist, Protagonist=IC, and a bunch of other options connected to these key players.

Form a structural point MC and Protagonist are not equal. The Protagonist (and all other archetypes in Dramatica) is a function and shows how a “single human mind” tries to pursuit the story goal by considering to solve the overall problem of the story.

If the goal of a story is “get the treasure”, then the problem which needs to be solved to get the treasure could be “how to find it?”.

The OS throughline is the perspective where the audience sees the Protagonist taking charge solving the overall story problem.

But there are also obstacles for the Protagonist to get the goal which are represented by another function. The Antagonist tries to stop the Protagonist or makes him reconsider avoiding to get what everyone wants - the goal.

Examples:
(OS Activity, Goal of Learning) learn to accept where you come from (Lady Bird)
(OS Psychology, Goal of Conceptualizing) figure out how to keep money found in a crashed plain (Simple Plan)
(OS Universe, Goal of Future) find evidence for a conspiracy so you won’t end up in jail (The Fugitive)
(OS Mind, Goal of Preconscious) overcome animal instincts (Zootopia)

The MC throughline is the “I have a personal problem” perspective and the perspective from which the audience experiences the story.

If the MC is also the Protagonist in a story (in a lot of stories the case) then the MC needs to change and solve his personal problem first (e.g. from too much self-ware to more aware, …) before s/he as Protagonist can solve the overall story problem and achieve the goal.

In short…
OS = The Protagonist is in charge to solve the big problem for everyone in the Story to get the goal
MC =”I have a personal problem” perspective which needs to be solved by the MC before the overall goal can be reached

What will the climactic scene be?

The climatic scene answers two questions:

  1. Could the Protagonist solve the overall story problem? (find a way to get the treasure)
  2. Could the story goal be reached? (get the treasure)

For all OS characters with the Protagonist in charge:
Outcome Success: They found a way to get the treasure
Outcome Failure: They found a way but couldn’t find the treasure. Or They didn’t found a way and couldn’t find the treasure.

For the MC … whether the goal was achieved or not…
Judgement Good with a Resolve of Change: Change of MC at the End of the story is GOOD (shows more feelings now)
Judgement Bad with a Resolve of Change: Change of MC at the End of the story is BAD (shows even lees feelings now)
Judgement Good with a Resolve of Steadfast: No Change of MC at the End of the story is GOOD (sticks with his values)
Judgement Bad with a Resolve of Steadfast: No Change of MC at the End of the story is BAD (stays corrupt)

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