The Power of Story

What makes a good story and why do we need good ones?

Welcome friends! This is the third video in our course in written form. Join us on the "Videos" page if you'd like to watch. This article is purely supplemental or for those who prefer to read or want to go back and take notes on specific sections. Enjoy!

Let's Begin in Prayer:

The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt

Let's pray Lectio Divina with the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15: 11-32. If you'd like a refresher on how to pray Lectio Divina, you can find that here.

And, if you want to take a little time to pray Visio Divina with this image, you can find the steps for how to do that here.

What Makes a Good Story?

Just like any art form, stories have certain parts that come together to make a story well-told. You probably will recognize these from your high school English class.

Characters- the people in the story, who the story is about
- Plot- what happens in the story
- Goal- what the main character wants to accomplish
- Conflict- the problem(s) the character(s) are trying to solve
- Setting- where and when the story takes place
- Theme/Moral- the "big idea(s)" of the story and the lesson the reader and the characters learn from it

Let's take a closer look at each of these things in depth.

Plot, Goal and Conflict

A good plot is an essential part of a story because it is the story. It is the action. If the plot isn't interesting, we don't tend to keep reading. The general plot structure for any story can be seen in the figure below:

In the beginning, we set up the story, introduce the characters, and begin to set up the problem or conflict. Then, we transition to the main action of the story by means of the "inciting incident" or the event in the story that induces the character to act. From there all the action builds as the characters work to solve the problem. Usually at some point, they encounter a crisis or a failure that causes a setback or makes them reevaluate their approach. Then, the big event happens, the confrontation or event that the story has been building toward. After that, the story begins to wind down and the characters deal with the fallout from the climax. Then, at the end, the story resolves (for the most part) and the action ends.

This structure is perhaps the most obvious in the myth. Joseph Campbell put forward the "Hero's Journey" cycle as a basic proto-myth, or the plot structure of the quest story. Campbell's structure can be seen in the figure below:

Just like in the basic plot structure, the hero's journey has a beginning, middle, and end as well as an exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. What makes it different is the emphasis on movement. The main character begins in the everyday world. They are invited into an adventure, usually refuse, meet a mentor before running into an incident that makes them accept the call. After that, the mentor guides them into a new world and teaches them how to complete their mission. This is usually accompanied by various trials, setbacks, and gathering a group of helpful friends that help the main character learn important lessons they will use later. Then they engage in the climax, that event they have been training for. They approach, go through an ordeal, and win the prize (they are a hero after all). Then, they begin the return journey home with the prize and knowledge they've won. In a sense the person they were before has died and then resurrected new and better. They return triumphant to people who were convinced they'd never survive. They then are named a hero and return to normal life (living happily ever after).

As you can see Campbell's plot structure is a little more detailed since it deals with a specific genre of story, but any good story will have at least some of these elements. The plot structure is what gives the story direction and goals and conflicts provide the action. (Remember that the goal is what the characters wants to do and conflict is the problem the character is trying to solve). Conflicts happen when the goals of two characters are opposed to each other (think the bad guy wants to take over the world, but the main character wants to stop him.) This conflict is the basis for the climax event of the story and should be resolved by the time the story ends.

Themes, Morals, and Symbolism

Stories, however are more than just plots. From the plot comes the theme(s) or big ideas that the story is about and the moral or lessons the characters learn that usually flow from the theme(s). Themes are big ideas that speak to some general human experience like family, love, sin, rebirth/conversion, loneliness, or belonging. Some common themes are:

power and corruption -Robin Hood confronting the corrupt politicians of his day
love and faith- Romeo and Juliet choosing love above family conflicts and believing it could heal the rift
crime and punishment/ innocence and guilt -Javert and Jean Valjean constantly in conflict over how or if a repentant Valjean should be punished for his crime in Les Miserables
alienation and belonging -Anastasia longing to find her family and the place she belongs in the movie Anastasia (this is one of my personal favorites)
individual and society Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games how should the individual combat corrupt society, how does the individual survive? How can society be remade?
courage and fear - Sam and Frodo having to take the one ring to Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings
suffering and redemption -this is one of the most common themes, think of Simba witnessing his father's death and eventually taking up the mantle of his kingship (redeeming his land and himself) in The Lion King

The characters often learn a lesson connected to the theme(s) present in the story. These morals are also takeaways for the reader that we can apply to our own lives. (be courageous in the face of fear, it's never too late to change your life, etc.)

Aside from the overall plot structure, themes can also be manifested on a physical level in the story through the use of symbolism. We can see this when authors include a storm at points of high tension, moving from day to night or night to day if a character moves from bad to good (day to night) or when a decision is made or confusion is cleared (night to day).

Character Archetypes

Characters are a necessary part of any story. Before we discuss specific archetypes, I want to differentiate between archetypes and stereotypes because people can often confuse them. Stereotypes are things we assume about people based on what we know about them, how they act, what they wear, what they like or dislike, and so on. Stereotypes are boxes we put real people in.

Archetypes on the other hand are roles characters play in stories that are universal like hero, villain, sidekick, love interest, and so on. These are not assumptions or boxes, but a literary device an author uses to add meaning and depth to a story. Heroic characters or villainous characters of course will all act a certain way but there is far more variety in an archetype than there is in a stereotype.

So what are some common character archetypes? Here are archetypes that describe types of characters in stories:

Hero- the good guy, the one who exhibits heroic virtue and stands up to evil. Think of someone like King Arthur or Hercules.
Counselor/Mentor/ Supernatural Guide- While each of these has a nuanced function, they all kinds do the same basic thing, namely guide the hero through their trials, teach them how to use their powers, and acclimate them to the special world they enter. Think of someone like Obi-Wan Kenobi or the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.
Companions- these are the classic "sidekick" characters who are the hero's friends and help them along their journey. Think of R2-D2 and C-3PO or Sam Gamgee.
Villain- the bad guy, the one who is bad and wants power, money, or comfort and usually only thinks of themselves. Think of someone like Jafar or Sauron.
Scapegoat- This is a person who was blamed and punished for something they didn't do so that the real perpetrator could be free. For you classic mystery fans, think of Jack Argyle from Agatha Christie's Ordeal by Innocence who died in jail for a crime he didn't commit.
Damsel- the woman in need of saving. Usually beautiful, but has had some ordeal befall her and needs help to get out of it. Think of someone like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty.
Temptress- the woman who tries to lure the hero away from his lady love or his quest. (Can also be a tempter if the hero is a woman). A classic example of this would be the sirens from the Odyssey.
Soulmates- lovers who are meant to be together. Think of a pair like Romeo and Juliet.
Good mother- the good mother is a motherly figure who like the mentor, helps the character, cares for them, and guides them along their journey. Think of someone like the fairy godmother.
Bad mother- the bad mother is, as you'd expect, the opposite of the good mother. They try to keep the hero from doing what they need to do for selfish motives. Think of someone like Mother Gothel (from Tangled) or the numerous wicked stepmothers.
Hero in Disguise- This is a character that readers don't initially know is a hero. They pretend to be someone else to hide their true identity so they can accomplish their quest. Think of someone like Aragorn or Mulan.

And there are also character archetypes that describe a character's traits or personality. These archetypes can fit into any of the above categories.

Sage- the sage is a wise character who usually has a special power of knowledge that others don't have. Think of someone like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poriot. They solve crimes almost as if by magic using knowledge they possess.
Magician- the magician is different from a sage because instead of knowledge, their power is a more supernatural power. Think of someone like Merlin or Yoda who can do things by virtue of a special power.
Innocent- the innocent is a childlike person who is usually the victim of some great evil. You see it magnified through their eyes because they are, as this trait implies, innocent of all wrong. Think of someone like Rapunzel who was taken from her family, but still has a great joy for life, but when she finds out what really happened her whole world is turned upside-down.
Lover- the lover is a character who longs to love and be loved in return. They desire human approval and companionship, usually in the form of romantic love. Think of someone like Anna from Frozen who is so desperate for love and attention that she wants to marry the first man she meets.
Caregiver- the caregiver is a character who is always looking out for everyone else's good. They help fix every problem and teach others how to be better. Think of Marmee from Little Women. She is a wise mother who teaches her daughters through word and example how to be good people. She takes care of them and loves them enough to let them be their own selves.
Citizen- the citizen is the character that stands in for the everyman. All normal, everyday people can identify with them. They are human in both success and failure and try their best to do the right thing. Think of someone like Frodo who is a simple Hobbit but given a great destiny that nevertheless does not make him anything more or less what he is.
Sovereign- the sovereign is the ruler, someone in a position of power who has to make decisions for a large group of people. Think of someone like the Wizard of Oz who was placed as head over the land of Oz.
Creator- the creator is someone, as you may have guessed, who makes things. The creator makes objects both useful and beautiful that help the mission get accomplished. Think of someone like Tony Stark aka Iron Man who is always making new things and having ideas.
Explorer- the explorer is a character who goes to new places and does new things usually because they are looking for something (could be an object, place, or a person). Think of someone like Indiana Jones who looks for artifacts in exotic places.
Jester- This character is comical and exists almost solely for comic relief. They also offer witty commentary on the plot line and the more serious characters. Think of characters like Timon and Pumba from the Lion King. They help Simba see the lighter side of life and their lines are intended to make the audience laugh.
Rebel- the rebel is a character who always wants to do their own thing. They are usually some kind of loveable rogue or someone who defies convention. Think of someone like Han Solo who doesn't care about authority and is content (until he makes friends) to live his life the way he thinks makes him happy.

The Results...

So if you put all these factors together well, you get great enduring stories that touch people and are handed down for generations. Compelling plots and characters put together with themes, symbols, and morals that speak to the human experience are the thing that make stories last. We wouldn't still be watching Star Wars or reading Harry Potter if they weren't first good stories. Classics are classic because they use all of these elements to speak to human experience in a way that is both timely and timeless. We recognize the beauty of the author's craft, the goodness, of their message, and the truth behind the theme. Now we begin to see why we need good stories.

Why Do We Need Good Stories?

Stories are important because they help us make sense of the world around us. Humans are sense-making, time and self-aware creatures who live in community. Stories help us look at all those things and give us theories of meaning for existence.

Sense-Making and the Human Experience

Stories help us make sense of the world. They illustrate truths. Stories show us a piece of what the world is like and give us hope for change with a vision of what could be. They show us the human condition and give us hope of redemption. Redemption stories are everywhere (they are one of the most common!) and we consider a story a tragedy when the main character is offered redemption, but refuses. The story of every villain is a tragedy because they could always make a different choice but instead prefer to choose the way that ultimately leads to their destruction.

Self and Community

Stories also show us ourselves. We identify with certain characters because they face similar struggles as we do- often with calling, family, personality, etc. We see ourselves and learn from the characters’ successes and mistakes. Stories are not just about individuals but also have a communal dimension. Just like in real life, stories show us that we can’t go through life alone. Not only do characters in stories need each other, but in order for stories to exist, people need each other. Every author needs readers. every storyteller needs a listener.

Let's Take a Look at a Specific Example...

Let's look at how all this works in the concrete by looking at a very famous story, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Plot: A grumpy, greedy man learns compassion when he is visited by three ghosts- past, present, and future leading him to completely change his life.

Setting: 1800’s London, England

Characters: Ebenezer Scrooge, the ghost of Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and family, the ghost of Christmas Past, the ghost of Christmas Present, the ghost of Christmas future, Fred, the Fezziwigs, Belle

Theme(s): Redemption, Family, Greed, Generosity, the Threat of Time (memento mori), Poverty, Work-Life Balance

Conflict: Scrooge initially does not care about others, but his view is challenged when he is forced to review his life and face the fact that he will one day die

Goal: At first, Scrooge’s goal is to make as much money as possible by any means necessary, but after his experience, goes around desiring to right the wrongs he has committed and do good while he still has time.

Morals: It’s never too late to change, generosity is the way to happiness, people are more important than things

So, what can we learn from this? A Christmas Carol is made and remade and played across thousands of stages at Christmas time every year because it speaks to a multitude of very human experiences like work relationships, family relationships, loss of innocence, the call to help those in need, greed, pride, death and rebirth, etc. This story touches our hearts and captivates our imaginations because it gives us hope that no one is beyond redemption. It reminds us that no matter what we have done, if we truly repent, seek forgiveness, and amend our lives, we will be saved. We too, will find happiness. Does this sound familiar???

I hope so, because this is the exact same message Jesus gives us in so many of His parables, like the Prodigal Son that we read for prayer, and is the purpose of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus longs to redeem us, to draw us back to Himself and He told stories so that we might understand that. All of these things come together in Jesus' stories that show us just how much God loves us.

We need good stories because all good stories (expressly religious or not) are going to point us back to that truth. Good stories show us the ups and downs of human experience and teach us that there is nothing we can do that places us beyond hope. They teach us that there are consequences to our actions for better or worse and we must be prepared to deal with them. They inspire us to pursue heroic virtue and live our lives as active players in life instead of just passive observers. Stories help us distinguish good from evil and teach us that the good is always stronger no matter how strong the evil may appear. We need good stories because the culture has lost its story. Good stories prepare us to craft the stories of our lives in such a way that we can reintroduce the world to its story, the story of a world made by a loving God who wants to make it new. That is the power of a good story.

Living Beauty: A Take- Home Challenge

Look at your favorite story the way we looked at A Christmas Carol.

What is the story trying to tell you?
Is it a hopeful and beautiful lesson?
How can you add more beautiful stories to your life?

Any questions or comments? Let us know below!