Re-Analysis of The Sixth Sense

analysis
#61

There really isn’t that much difference between Linear/Action and Holistic/Decision, save the unique ability/critical flaw. The signposts are slightly different, but I think a case could be made for either/or based on how they’re aligned (for instance, in the L/A output, Signpost 3, Developing a Plan, seems like it’s Malcolm asking Cole what he thinks these ghosts want, then trying to help them which is where the little girl comes in. Signpost 4 is then Changing One’s Nature which I can see as well. Destiny as Malcolm’s critical flaw is something I’m having a hard time thinking about, though.

When it comes to drivers, I’m thinking of the climax where Malcolm learns his fate and I’m seeing action in starting the story - he gets shot/Vincent shoots himself, and then action leading to the resolution: his talking to his wife and her subsequent dropping of his ring. Those actions lead to his realization and ultimate decision to essentially “let go”, stop haunting her and move on.

#62

Another vote for Action Driver: Malcolm is stuck until he helps Cole – it’s how he recovers from failing Vincent. Just like how the dead girl is stuck until she gets her father to see the VHS. This is an action – no way to be confused with a decision.

#63

The Overall Story Goal is Understanding. In the original analysis this was seen to be What’s the Matter with Cole? Assuming we still agree that is the Overall Story Goal, with the therapist as the Protagonist, then whether or not these characters are stuck doesn’t have much to do with the Overall Story.

The Overall Story is all about the investigation into this kid. When does that start? It starts when the therapist–a ghost–decides to take the case. I used to think it started when Vincent shot Malcom but that doesn’t really begin the inequity of the Overall Story. It provides Backstory for it and for the Main Character Throughline but I’m pretty sure that’s it.

I’m not sure of the Act change from Signpost 1 to Signpost 2 though I believe it may be “turned down” in the mix because we’re just moving from Doing to Obtaining. Is this when the therapist challenges him on being serious or not or is that later? I can’t remember? Is this when the kid decides to do what the bully tells him to do? Not sure.

I do know the HUGE act change happens in the middle when the child decides to reveal his secret. Not only is it a huge point in the storyform (moving from Obtaining to Learning) but it also forces the immediate action of the therapist running down into his basement and listening to old audio tapes. This is a new Act change where the Protagonist Learns by dealing with issues of Sense (turning up the volume), and re-evaluating Perception with Actuality. Without that decision to reveal that action would not have happened. One leads to the other and contributes to the story of the investigation.

I’m not sure of the act change from Signpost 3 to Signpost 4 but again, it may be a series of decisions or deliberations. My “sense” is that it may have something to do with the child deciding to stay put in the tent when the girl arrives so that he and the therapist can then Understand what is going on with these ghosts and this child.

The final concluding event can be seen as the child being chosen as the lead in the play. This would never have happened in the beginning and is shown to be a resolving event. The kids surrounding the child have chosen to accept him because one would assume that the child has found a way to deal with the ghosts without freaking out all the time. He and the therapist finally Understand.

That would be my argument for a Decision driven story.

#64

I can totally see what Jim is saying - part of me keeps going back to the type of story it is and whether or not the OS is what we think it’s about. Is it really about a therapist understanding what’s the matter with Cole - which he ultimately does - or is the OS about a kid helping a ghost complete unfinished business and move on? The latter isn’t “apparent” for 99% of the movie, but the OS involving everyone could just as easily be called “finding peace” (the “finding” emphasis on understanding/enlightenment). Malcolm tries to. His wife wants it. Cole wants it. Cole’s mother does, too, etc.

The hangup is tying all the characters to the OS. If it’s What’s the matter with Cole, then how does Malcolm’s wife and surrogate boyfriend fit into it? As far as they’re concerned, he doesn’t exist and isn’t a part of their world. They are there, however, because of Malcolm’s being dead. Everybody else in the story seems to have a clear connection to Cole though.

#65

I think Jim has convinced me it’s Driver: Decision.

The Dr. decides to take on Cole as a patient.
[something]
The child decides to tell the doctor his secret.
The child – after running from the tent – decides to go back to talk to the girl.
The child is chosen for the play & The child decides to tell his mother what his secret is. (Thus wrapping up the bully storyline and the parental concert storyline.)

I’ve been focusing on Malcolm because (Oops) this is one of those stories that has the MC wrap up their storyline after the OS is wrapped up, and it feels different.

As for the Malcolm’s wife and her new Boyfriend… I know it seems like they have to be connected to the OS, but in reality they don’t have to be. Some stories treat the throughlines (or just the MC throughline?) as completely isolated. The Devil Wears Prada is like this too – Andy Sachs has a bunch of friends who carry the MC Concern on their backs, worrying about how much Andy is changing. They are peripherally connected to the OS in that they have some comments here and there about the fashion industry, but they are almost completly isolated and discrete.

#66

Ok, I think I can buy that - and you’re right, it’s always a bit confusing when the OS ends before the MC line.

#67

So we may have a new storyform:

  • Change
  • Start
  • Be-er
  • Holistic
  • Decision
  • Optionlock
  • Success
  • Good
  • Activities
  • Understanding
  • Senses
  • Perception

If everyone’s good with it, I’ll send it along to @chuntley and see what happens…

#68

Just one question (I don’t think I missed it anywhere): any examples of Malcolm as holistic? I’m thinking in the sense that he seems to take steps toward understanding and the ring falling puts it all together in a new perspective for him. I can see intuition in terms the questions he asks Cole, some of which he gets right - but I guess I’m wondering if like style, it’s one preference over the other (meaning, he chooses to use intuition, even though it continually hampers his understanding).

#69

Interesting. Linear/Decision flops the two halves of the Overall Story, so instead of Doing/Obtaining/Learning/Understanding it goes Learning/Understanding/Doing/Obtaining. At least it still has that bump in the middle, but I don’t like the Unique Abilities and Critical Flaws as much and I don’t like the Act Order as much either. Unless someone can argue otherwise…

#70

Jim mentioned using the question and answer interview and the penny trick as examples of holistic – shifting the power to Cole so he’d feel comfortable answering.

#71

No, I think it’s good - ultimately Malcolm sees a connection between Cole and Vincent which is based on intuition/hunch; it’s just a matter of finding the underlying problem vs. chasing the symptoms.

#72

This was fun. I needed it. What’s next?

#73

No idea! Chris says its OK to change the storyform on the site (with a note) so I’ll go ahead and do that. Any suggestions would be great.

#74
  • Change
  • Stop
  • Be-er
  • Holistic
  • Decision
  • Optionlock
  • Success
  • Good
  • Activities
  • Understanding
  • Senses
  • Perception

I think you have to at least change the Growth to “Start” or else it won’t work… or was that already solved? I’m just replying cause that’s the most recent storyform…

#75

Whoops. That would be a glitch on my part. Corrected, thanks! And I haven’t updated it on the main site yet.

#76

I would have thought that Malcolm did not act, when Vincent confronted him. When he decided to talk/deal with him as a therapist and not tackle him, that began the story, imho. I didn’t catch that this topic was posting. Drat. Sorry to have missed it.

#77

For those interested in this sort of thing, the official Dramatica Analysis page for The Sixth Sense has finally been updated to reflect all the work we did six months ago! (and now I can finally check it off my todo list).