Steadfast or Change

questions
#21

The Solution Element is Avoidance, but a solution whereby conflict is resolved could come from Pursuit or Avoidance or neither. Just depends on the appropriateness of the approach.

It’s not that the approach is right or wrong-that’s up to the author to decide-but that it causes them conflict. So in the sense that a character would think about it, a steadfast character would just never see the Problem Element as a source of conflict. Assuming that Steadfast leads to Success, the Steadfast character would probably say, “see? I told you the Focus/Symptom was the problem that needed fixed”.

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#22

Could you clarify? How could the resolution of the conflict come from neither Pursuit nor Avoid (in this example, assuming it’s a change story)?

Also – if you’re saying the resolution of conflict could come about through Pursuit – do you mean something like Jim’s “get out of your own way” formulation? (E.g., stop Pursuing?) I just realized that this is still unclear to me.

#23

It just means that the story could end in Failure regardless of which path is taken. Saying that Pursuit will end in Failure is not also saying that Avoid will end in Success. Saying that Pursuit will end in Success is not saying that Avoid will not end in Success.

And this is just a Steadfast Success story.

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#24

Textbook wrap-up of the difference between Changed and Steadfast

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#25

I am with it now! This thread has been awesome. Thanks to everyone for helping me out and giving me advice.

As someone who learns better through examples, I think the reason I’ve had trouble getting my head around steadfast/change, is that steadfast MCs in the comprehensive storyform examples on the dramatica website all seem to employ the solution.

Fugitive for example …

Main Character Problem – Pursuit
So long as Dr. Kimble continues to pursue his wife’s killer, he will find himself in threatening situations—mainly because his wife’s killer is in Chicago and a very public figure.

Main Character Solution - Avoid
Dr. Kimble needs to avoid getting caught, killed, or stopped before he discovers his wife’s murderer(s).

The solution to me sounds more like a requirement of the goal.

I did read somewhere on the forum that a lot of these storyforms were created while the theory was still in its development, which would explain why some of the explanations might be a little off.

With that in mind – are there any really good comprehensive storyforms example on the website that you all think are absolutely spot on? It would be great to have a few examples near by to refresh my memory from time to time.

#26

Yes. And the other thing that is happening with those earlier analyses is a tendency to see the balance between all things—holistic idealizations of “problem” and “solution” which allow for both in all circumstances. That’s why you’ll see an example of a Solution for a Steadfast Main Character or a Solution in an Objective Story Throughline with a Story Outcome of Failure.

This preference for balance and a need to define more examples of these Elements in action led to many of the discrepancies.

The best most up-to-date analyses are always at Narrative First (naturally, :blush:) and the more recent additions from recent Dramatica Story Experts:

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