MC crucial element

questions
#1

Apologies if this has been answered before.

I have a change MC, failure/good story. This makes the MC’s crucial element the MC Solution.

In my case, the MC Problem/Solution is Determination/Expectation. This makes Expectation (in the character evaluation set) her crucial element (dynamic pair with the IC who is Determination) which doesn’t make sense to me - everything I’m developing of her throughline is about Determination being the source of her problems, and what she needs to learn is “Expectation”. So shouldn’t those be flipped?

To try to answer my own question: if she changes, it would make sense that Expectation comes into play at that point in the story, and simultaneously works to solve her issues and the OS story problem. (Side note: I’m realizing that my interpretation of failure/good in this story is that the overall story goal fails, but the MC character successfully changes, so it’s a personal triumph anyway. Is that correct, or am I missing something?)

In any case, the IC throughline has neither determination/expectation – IC’s problem/solution is unproven/proven. Nevertheless, how can the IC’s evaluation method be in conflict with the MCs evaluation method when the MCs evaluation method is the very thing she has been needing to “learn” from the IC?

Help! My head is spinning. :dizzy_face:

Thanks in advance…

#2

The Crucual Element is seen from an Overall Story perspective NOT a Main Character perspective.

Not sure the context of your story, but the expectations your MC had in the Overall Story, that could have solved everything—they take that and use it on themselves instead.

In Manchester by the Sea, Lee has the Ability to take care of his nephew. He could do it and bring the OS to a successful resolution. . Instead he decides to use that ability to take care of himself first, resolving the inequity in his personal Throughline instead.

It’s all a matter of perspective.

#3

Wow - I think that makes sense. And totally changes what I thought I was doing in the story! I’ll have to put my thinking cap on tomorrow and see if I can parse it out in context.

Thanks.

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