Hi everybody,
this is my fist post. First of all, compliments for the great work. I’ve been reading the Dramatica Theory book (and the Lost Theory book too) for quite some years now (on and off, in my free time) and had the chance to use the software on a friends’ PC. I find the theory very fascinating, and it makes a great deal of sense to me. But most of all, I was impressed by how Dramatica is able to predict in detail the storyforms of well formed books and movies by just answering a few questions.
My question here pertains Subjective and Objective throughlines. I’ve read the books over and over again, but I’m been left in need of confirmation regarding this issue.
It is clear that OS Througline is Objective, and MC Throughline is Subjective.
I haven’t quite understood if IC and M/I Throughlines are Objective or Subjective. On the one hand, I tend to think that M/I is Objective, because you are seing the interaction of MC and IC externally. As for IC, what confuses me is the description that presents his throughline as “You”, which leaves me in dobut if his throughline is Subjective or Objective—but I tend to believe it to be Subjective.
So, my understanding is more or less like this:
- OS Throughline : Objective, all characeter are seen from “above”, dispassionately, including MC and IC, which are seen here for their objective functions (which limits them to their Character motivations in the Overall Story).
- M/I Throughline : Objective, it concentrates on the interaction between MC and IC, from a dispassionate view, not too close not to far above. MC and IC are seen here not only for their objective functions, but neither in the full depth of their subjectivity — more like a compromise between their subjective and objective story roles, from a special angle, dispassionate.
- MC Throughline : Completely Subjective, we stand in his shoes and see the story through his eyes and bias. Not just his overall function, but with the full potential of all character elements at his disposal.
- IC Throughline : Subjective. But not sure if we stand in his shoes. I wonder if it depends on writing style and the adopted point of view in the final novel/movie, which might involve different ways of being inside or outside characters. Do we see the story through his eyes? or do we see him very closely but from the MC point of view? And not sure weather the IC througline is dispassionate or passionate.
I’m grateful for any clarifications on the issue. I know that throughlines all occur interweaved in a story, and often simultaneously or overlappingly, and that the story medium and weaving style can lead to different implementations of these concepts, but I am asking this from a purely Dramatic-Theoretical point of view.
Best regards
Tristano (Italy)