Revisiting the Pinnochio Analysis

analysis
#1

I read some of the analysis of Pinocchio and it is very different than mine.

I saw Jiminy Cricket as the MC and Pinocchio as the IC, for instance.

I thought the Narrative Argument of the film was “Believe, and your wishes will come true.” Here are the first words of Jiminy Cricket, after the opening song:

        I'll bet a lot of you folks don't believe that...
        about a wish coming true... do you?
        Well, I didn't, either.
        Of course, I'm just a cricket
        singing my way from hearth to hearth,
        but let me tell you what made me change my mind.

So we are given the argument right from the beginning. Jiminy Cricket is a change MC and Pinocchio is steadfast IC. OS problem is temptation (Jiminy Cricket is tempted by female dolls, Figaro is tempted to eat before Geppetto returns, Pinocchio is tempted by Honest John, etc.). So the Solution is Conscience.

The Story Driver is action, where the Inciting Event is Geppetto’s wish upon a star. Some of the signposts in the OS are: SP1: The Fairy gives Pinocchio life (action). SP2: The Fairy fixes Pinocchio’s nose and lets him out of the cage (action). SP3: The Fairy sends Pinocchio the letter (action). SP4: The Fairy makes Pinocchio a real boy (action).

Jiminy Cricket’s problem is his Opposition to Pinocchio’s decisions (to be an actor, to visit Pleasure Island). It is only when he Supports Pinocchio’s decision to rescue Geppetto from the whale that he finds the MC solution of Support, which leads to the OS solution of Conscience.

I am new to this, so my analysis may be way off, but this is what I came up with by applying the theory…

Inequity as the Noumenon
#2

After thinking about it some more, I have come up with a different analysis:

MC: Pinocchio
IC: Jiminy Cricket

Main Character Dynamics
Resolve: Change
Growth: Start
Approach: Do-er
PS Style: Intuitive

OS Plot Dynamics
Driver: Action
Limit: Optionlock
Outcome: Success
Judgement: Good

OS Themes
Throughline: Manipulation
Concern: Changing One’s Nature
Issue: Responsibility
Problem: Temptation

Additional OS Story Points
Story Goal: Changing One’s Nature
Consequence: Obtaining
Cost: Innermost Desires
Dividend: The Future

Main Character Story Points
Problem: Temptation
Solution: Conscience
Symptom: Logic
Response: Feeling
MC Throughline: Situation
MC Issue: Choice
Unique Ability: Delay
Critical Flaw: Dream

1 Like
#3

@rallen Unfortunately I haven’s seen the movie in ages and haven’t listened to the user’s group analysis, so maybe someone else should weigh in. If you have time, I’m sure it’s worth listening to the whole thing to hear how different points are addressed and debated to come to a conclusion.

That said, at first glance your second analysis isn’t that far off from the officia analsysis. The PS style is a big blindspot for many people (including me), but Pinocchio is a linear thinker.

The element quad is always tricky because it can be hard to figure out where the Problem/Solution vs. Symptom/Response is, and what throughline the different ones belong to. So I see in the official response that Temptation/Conscience is the Focus and Direction of Jiminy Cricket which makes sense because as the IC this is where his attempts at influence lie.

Ultimately though, Pinnocio’s fundamental problem is that he’s a puppet (Control) who wants/needs to become a real boy e.g. free (Uncontrolled).

@jhull Would it make sense to break these last posts on Pinocchio into a new thread? I would do it myself but I can’t figure out how.

#4

Hi @rallen - welcome!

I actually led the User Group analysis of the film which you can watch here: Dramatica Users Group analysis of Pinnochio.

I would highly recommend watching it in its entirety to fully understand the nature of a storyform and how it applies to the narrative lying underneath Pinnochio.

Its important to understand that while you can effectively argue some parts of a storyform, you can only really effectively the storyform as a whole when you look at everything all at once.

Looking above, you’ve left out the Influence Character Throughline and Relationship Story Throughlines. With what you have above, that means Jiminy would be coming from a place of Feeling - the IC Drive would be all about emotionally investing yourself into something, being passionate, emoting–elements he doesn’t stand for in the story.

His symptom of Control would be something akin to how remaining constrained and directed is a huge problem, and you should break free and shout at the top of your lungs and really let it all go…

…which doesn’t really sound like him.

In contrast, he actually sings a song about Conscience and Temptation (his Focus and Direction in the current official storyform) coming from a place of wanting to Help…

3 Likes
#5

Dramatica is very much a try-fail-try kind of theory. The only way through to mastery is to give it a go and then lick your wounds.

The fact that your storyform is different only means that you took time to try to figure it out. Kudos–that’s a big step.

5 Likes
#6

Thanks, I will take a look at the analysis when I have a chance.

2 Likes