Story telling is a fascinating and compelling art. It is a cross-cultural phenomenon that can speak to everyone regardless of culture or station. Stories speak to our shared humanity and are capable of drawing people together in way that is memorable and lasting. Why? what makes a good story?
I think that a story needs four things in order to grab the attention of an audience and hold their attention long enough to speak to them: A hero, A Villan, a setting and a Task. Every one of them is important to the story. Here’s Why:
1. The Hero- This is the character stuff to whom stuff happens He, She they or it, usually start out as insignificant or nobody. through the course of a the story, the hero usually rises from mediocrity to excellence, and gains the wisdom and maturity to solve their own problems and lead their own life. Every hero, from luke Skywalker to Gilgamesh, follows more or less the same path.
2. The Villan- The Villan is arguably the most important element of the story. Everything precedes from The Villan. Without him, her, or it, there is no task for the hero to perform, no ‘wrong’ for him to correct. Without Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, has no reason to get herself in trouble, and Clark Kent has no reason to take off his glasses. Without Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker has no reason to leave Tattooine. The stronger The Villan, the stronger, The Hero.
3. The Setting- The Hero and Villan cannot exist in a vacuum because their actions must effect the world around them. The more the audience knows about the world the characters inhabit, the more they will be able to empathize with them. The audience will become emotionally invested in the story.
4. the Task. The hero and Villan, needs to do something. Something that effects the world around them, for good, or ill. It works best, if the hero and villan are at cross purposes, this creates conflict, which is the main ingredient in drama. For example, Lois Lane see Lex Luthor, Rob a Bank. Lois wants to give evidence to the police to put Lex in jail. Lex doesn’t want to go to jail, so he must endanger Lois to prevent the police from obtaining her evidence. It falls to Superman to protect Lois from Lex’s plan. The successful, or unsuccessful completion of the task will have consequences for the characters’ world.
If a story has these four elements working together, the audience will remember and maybe even enjoy it!