In several traditional creative writing guides, they will talk about the character flaw of the Protagonist, and how it’s usually the aspect that gets triggered at the end of Act 1. As an example, character flaw is often something like low self-esteem, living in denial, having a scarcity consciousness, etc.
How would this type of character flaw translate into Dramatica terms? Would the traditional flaw (for lack of a better description) be almost similar to the MC’s Problem?
They’re talking about:
In other words, the Main Character Throughline–the entire thing is about the “Protagonist’s flaw”, just seen at varying levels of resolution.
I’m being facetious: Are you sure you got 'em all, there?
I end up forgetting that sometimes, too.
The traditional use of “character flaw” is that it is something that keeps a character from achieving what they want or holds them back from emotional growth. It can be expressed as a tic or some far more substantial destructive behavior.
I think Jim’s answer – that it is everywhere in the MC’s throughline – is accurate. That said, I think the traditional character flaw is most often illustrated is an expression of the main character dynamic MC Growth, which indicates the direction of the path a character needs to grow into our out of the behavior holding them back (Change MC) or threatening to swamp them (Steadfast) MC. For example, things progress for the MC until their critical flaw steps in and the MC messes things up (CHANGE/STOP) or the MC refuses to step up which messes things up (CHANGE/START).
Ohhh…Growth makes perfect sense!