I’m trying to nail down an IC for my MC, and the most likely candidate is someone who is not around in the present day story, but still has an instrumental influence on how the MC thinks (for example, a dead father). It made me think of the IC ghost in Hamlet. Not only is he a ghost, but he doesn’t have a lot of “screen time”, so to speak. If I recall, he only appears at the beginning? But obviously, he has a huge influence on Hamlet’s actions. Are there other examples of characters who are basically absent from the OS and the story in general, but could be classified as an IC?
The most important characteristic of an IC is to continually apply pressure on the MC. They need to be present at every turn. If not them, someone or something that adopts their part of the argument.
There are a number of fun ways you can handle this. Firstly, if you’re into a genre-bender, this character can be an actual ghost or a ghost-like character that appears to the MC during times of stress. In Field of Dreams and Stars Wars: A New Hope the IC is a father-like figure–someone who triggers the same emotions that an absent father triggers. Another method is to ‘hand-off’ the role of IC to someone more appropriate in the story. In Shrek, the role of IC passes from Donkey to Fiona once she becomes available to play. In Old Man and the Sea, I’m pretty sure the IC was the fish, so…
Whatever the IC is, it needs to challenge the MC–i.e. inspire doubt. I prefer to call the IC the devil’s advocate, and I’ve found, once you remove the character element, that the IC doesn’t have to be a single entity, or even human. Although I do think it’s easier to be challenged by an anthropomorphic fish than, say, something without agency (like a rock or the absence of something).
Hope that helps.
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Wow - what an incredible response! I wouldn’t change a single word. As far as ICs not participating in OS…I’ll have to scroll through the Dramatica Analysis page and see if one pops out to me.
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Thanks! That helps a lot. I definitely have an “absent father”-type IC, whose influence over the MC is still strong, despite the fact he isn’t physically around.
To add to that, you can also continue the presence of an IC by having the characters discuss the IC, or otherwise demonstrating that the IC’s presence is still there. I can’t think of any examples off hand, but imagine the IC represented peace and non-interference, and they always wore a flower crown on their head. They die at some point in the story–the cliche would be at the end of Act 3 (IIB)–and later, when the MC needs guidance, the MC merely looks at the flower crown, resting on the shrine for that character. In this way, the IC influences the MC without being physically present.
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Question: might you be detecting the father’s previous influence over your MC?
For example, suppose your MC was a kind and gentle prince but his father, the king, always taught him to ‘rule with an iron fist.’ One day, the MC defied his father’s wishes by saving the life of a particular man…the man who would assassinate his father. As a result, he feels personally responsible for his father’s death, and now believes that mercy is the best way to give the enemy the upper-hand.
As the prince becomes a king, his father’s ghostly influence reminds him to resist his kind and gentle nature. You could say that the prince becomes his father—and, like his father, there are people who wish to do him harm…
For now, the world around him is rising up in protest to his rule. The prince’s impulse is to annihilate the threat, like his father would; but there is another character who advocates empathy and mercy towards the frightened peasants—an approach which would have come easily had his father’s death not frightened him from it. It is through this character’s influence that the king’s past influence is shaken.
Yea, nay?
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That’s a great example. I’ve been mulling it over more and I think you articulated the problem I’ve been struggling with. Since the potential IC isn’t actively involved in the MC’s life anymore, his (the ICs) negative influence is more of a conditioning the MC is struggling to overcome. I do have another potential IC (who is part of the present day story) who is telling MC “Those things your dad taught you are wrong, here’s a better way.” But the MC doesn’t see himself as someone who is capable of evolving beyond his basic programming, so to speak.
Well, swell! I’d roll with that.