The more I’m thinking about it, as I’m going through the Appreciations, I think they’re called–the 4 topics to be covered under a signpost–I find that the opposites somewhat resolve each other.
For example, from my WIP
In act one, “what has already happened” (The Past) is explored in terms of Closure, Hope, Dream, and Denial.
Act two concentrates on “the way things are going” (How Things are Changing) and is explored in terms of Value, Confidence, Worry, and Worth.
Act three focuses on “what will happen or what will be” (The Future) and is explored in terms of Investigation, Appraisal, Reappraisal, and Doubt.
And act four illustrates “the current situation and circumstances” (The Present) and is explored in terms of Falsehood, Truth, Evidence, and Suspicion.
Both systems work like matches (How Guanine and Cytosine match up or Adenine and Thymine do.
Swain calls it Scene Sequel, but within each scene sequel is a pattern of 6 things, matched and connected:
Goal → Conflict → Disaster //–>// Reaction → Dilemma → Decision
But even these are in pairs, positives to negatives.
Goal to Conflict,
Disaster to Reaction,
Dilemma to Decision,
Decision to Goal in a cycle.
Looking more and more like ATGC and chemical reactions.