The Architecture of Story Permissions, A Survival Guide Susan M. Bielstein The Craft of Translation John Biguenet and Rainer Schulte, editors The Craft of Research Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams The Dramatic Writer’s Companion Will Dunne Getting It Published William Germano Storycraft Jack Hart A Poet’s Guide to Poetry Mary Kinzie Developmental Editing Scott Norton The Subversive Copy Editor Carol Fisher Saller A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations Kate L. Turabian Student’s Guide for Writing College Papers Kate L. Turabian will dunne The Architecture of Story a technical guide for the dramatic writer the university of chicago press Chicago and London Will Dunne is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists, where he develops plays and teaches workshops. He is the author of The Dramatic Writer’s Companion, also from the University of Chicago Press. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637 The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London © 2016 by Will Dunne All rights reserved. Published 2016. Printed in the United States of America 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 1 2 3 4 5 isbn- 13: 978-0 - 226- 18188- 2 (cloth) isbn- 13: 978-0 - 226- 18191- 2 (paper) isbn- 13: 978-0 - 226- 18207- 0 (e- book) doi: 10.7208/chicago/9780226182070.001.0001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dunne, Will, author. The architecture of story : a technical guide for the dramatic writer / Will Dunne. pages cm — (Chicago guides to writing, editing, and publishing) isbn 978-0-226-18188-2 (cloth : alkaline paper) isbn 978-0-226-18191-2 (paperback : alkaline paper) isbn 978-0-226-18207-0 (e-book) 1. Drama—Technique. 2. Playwriting. I. Title. II. Series: Chicago guides to writing, editing, and publishing. pn1661.d858 2016 808.2—dc23 2015035275 ♾ This paper meets the requirements of ansi/niso z39.48- 1992 (Permanence of Paper). For Jean Shelton, Stella Adler, and Corinne Jacker, who taught me to analyze scripts contents About This Guide ix The Plays and Playwrights xv technical considerations 1 Genre Type of story 3 Style How characters and events are depicted 6 Dramatic Focus Main character and point of view 10 Rules of the Game How things work in this particular story 16 Framework Act and scene divisions, including French scenes 20 Stage Directions Instructions for staging the play 26 Other Script Elements What’s in the script besides the play 33 the big picture 37 Title Meaning and function of title 39 Characters Who causes the story to happen 42 Offstage Population Who influences the story from offstage 56 Plot Synopsis and chain of events 62 Character Arcs Character entrances, exits, and transitions 74 Story Arc and Main Event Most important thing that happens 82 Subject and Theme What the story is about 87 Dialogue Language characteristics and indigenous terms 94 Visual Imagery How images reveal story 102 world of the characters 107 Physical Realm The setting and what’s in it 109 Emotional Environment General mood or atmosphere 117 Social Context Key circumstances, values, and beliefs 122 Laws and Customs Social rules that affect behavior 132 Economics How characters are influenced by money or lack of it 137 Power Structure Who is in charge and who isn’t 140 Spiritual Realm Presence or absence of the supernatural 143 Backstory The past that affects the present 146 steps of the journey 155 Point of Attack How the play begins 157 Inciting Event and Quest What triggers the protagonist’s dramatic journey 162 Central Conflict Key obstacles to the protagonist’s success 168 What’s at Stake The protagonist’s reason to act 172 Strategies and Tactics How the protagonist tries to complete the quest 176 Pointers and Plants Preparation tools to engage the audience 183 Reversals Turning points in the story 191 Crisis Decision The protagonist’s most difficult decision 196 Climax and Resolution Showdown and final destination 201 Acknowledgments 207 about this guide The Architecture of Story: A Technical Guide for the Dramatic Writer can help you build and evaluate your own plays by exploring storytelling tools and tech- niques that other writers have used. Like The Dramatic Writer’s Companion,1 which it complements, this guide has a nonlinear, reference-b ook structure. Chapters can be read as needed, in any order, any number of times and offer hundreds of questions to help you analyze your work. For best results, please read this introduction, which explains more about the guide and how to use it. ■ a technical look at dramatic storytelling Dramatic stories are made of parts that work together to draw us in and keep us engaged from beginning to end. These parts, or elements, come in various sizes and shapes and can be used in different ways for different pur- poses. The job of a dramatic writer is to figure out what elements a story needs and to compose them in a structure that best supports this story. While dramatic works through the ages tend to share certain storytell- ing elements, there is no formula that can successfully dictate what a play should be. Each new play comes into the world with a set of characters, plot points, and operating rules that must be defined and developed by the writer with the understanding that what works for one play does not necessarily work for another. To learn how to write a play, then, is a goal that can never be fully realized. To learn how to write a particular play is a dream that is both manageable and achievable. The Architecture of Story will help you explore the building blocks of dra- matic storytelling by analyzing three successful plays. The approach here is neither to critique these plays nor to assess their social impact or place in theatre history. It is rather to dismantle the stories and examine their key components from a technical point of view so that you can approach your own work with a more informed understanding of dramatic architecture and the possibilities it offers. The audience for this guide This guide is addressed to dramatic writers but may also be useful to di- rectors, dramaturgs, theatrical designers, and actors, each of whom must un- 1. Will Dunne, The Dramatic Writer’s Companion: Tools to Develop Characters, Cause Scenes, and Build Stories (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009). ix