New to Dramatica: Having Trouble Understanding Start/Stop

questions
#1

Hi everybody! I’ve been lurking here for a while, but I’m stepping out of the shadows because I need help.
I understand most of the MC characteristic polarities well enough, but I cannot seem to wrap my head around Start vs Stop. Usually the character needs to stop doing one thing and start doing a different one, right? At least that’s the way I see it.
When I was watching the Users Group analysis of Frozen, I remember someone asking, “does she need to stop the fear or start the love?” and I seem to always have a similar question about any given MC.
So my question is… how do I figure out if a character is Start or Stop? Are there any obvious signposts for one type or the other that I’m missing?

Thank you!

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#2

For CHANGE characters, I like to think of it in terms of the type of growth needed to change:

  • Learning to back away, because they tend to create problems when they can’t help themselves from stepping in and messing things up in their personal life (STOP)
  • Learning to step up to the plate, because they tend to shy away from problems and the lack of their stepping up allows bad things to happen in their personal life (START)

For STEADFAST characters:

  • Weathering the storm of problems; holding out long enough while waiting for the ‘attacks’ (not necessarily physical attacks) to end (STOP)
    • Holding out while waiting for something (often something positive or missing); awaiting your due
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#3

Thank you for your quick and helpful reply!

I think I understand what you’re saying. So it might be easier for me to determine Change/Steadfast first and then approach Start/Stop a little differently depending on whether the character changes or doesn’t.

So a Change character who needs to Start is often someone who is characterized by a lack of involvement/bravery/initiative-taking (like the MC in Casablanca). He needs to take action rather than going with the flow and watching things happening around him.

Meanwhile, one who needs to Stop is TOO nosy/active/risk-taking (like Hamlet). He needs to stop doubting, testing, worrying, or basing everything on past experiences, and to trust and let things happen.

So, because Steadfast characters don’t actually need to change, they mostly just need to be steadfast in differing situations?
So… a Steadfast Stop character just needs to stay steadfast until the bad things stop (like Shrek)?
And a Steadfast Start character needs to stay steadfast until good things start (like Eliza in My Fair Lady)?

I’m still a little fuzzy on the Steadfast-ers. Do I seem to be on the right track?

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#4

By definition, the inequity for Change characters comes from within and the inequity for Steadfast characters comes from outside. Steadfast characters have to hold out long enough to weather the troubles, which may or may not work out for them. Keep in mind that this describes the nature of the character’s GROWTH – how they must evolve IN ORDER TO change or remain steadfast.

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#5

So… would it be true to say that a Stop Steadfast character would need to stop doing something in order to remain steadfast throughout the challenging situations they encounter within the story?

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#6

No. It’s not about what the Steadfast character does, it is what is done to the Steadfast character or the process in which the steadfast character is involved. The problem comes from the outside world, not from the MC itself.

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#7

Okay. I’ve been thinking about it over the last few days and I think I’m understanding better.

Steadfast characters don’t need to do anything, then- their growth factor is determined by what their environment is doing TO them. Right?

Thanks for being patient with me!

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#8

Basically, yes, though remember that Steadfast characters have personal goals as well, so its not that they don’t do anything but that their efforts are applied to shoring up their resolve or fighting against the undermining of their resolve. That effort against the external forces is what develops them as characters and instigates the growth necessary to remain steadfast.

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