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Fried Green Tomatoes et al - story w/in story

Posted: Apr 08, 2009 8:16 am
by VoddCatonic
Hi,

First time poster here. I have a question on the Dramatica implications for works that have stories within stories. I'm thinking like Fried Green Tomatoes or The Fall (anybody see that movie?). I remember dramatica theory using the concept of a story vs. a "work." -- in which a "work" might actually contain multiple stories. Multigenerational tales (like Pillars of the Earth if I remember correctly) might actually be said to be a single work containing multiple stories in which the main character changes from story to story. Similarly, then, I'd think stories like Fried Green Tomatoes should be considered a single work containing two stories -- and I imagine that there would be implications for how such a work is approached and woven together using Dramatica. Fried Green Tomatoes, I should point out, uses the same character (Jessica Tandy/Mary Stuart Masterson) for both stories. A movie like The Fall (which I haven't seen, only discussed) apparently weaves two different stories with completely different characters -- making the division between the two cleaner -- for what it's worth.

Two questions:

1) Where in the Dramatica theory book or anywhere online is this issue discussed?
2) Are there any story analyses of works with this story-within-a-story characteristic?

Of course, if anybody has comments beyond pointing me in the right direction, I’d appreciate the input.

Thanks,
Vodd

Re: Fried Green Tomatoes et al - story w/in story

Posted: Apr 27, 2009 5:03 pm
by Chris Huntley
1) Where in the Dramatica theory book or anywhere online is this issue discussed?


Here is where storyweaving multiple stories into a single work is discussed in the Dramatica theory book: http://www.dramatica.com/theory/theory_book/dtb_ch_36_p5.html


2) Are there any story analyses of works with this story-within-a-story characteristic?


"Finding Nemo" has two stories. Here's a link to the storyform for them:
http://www.dramatica.com/story/storyforms/storyforms/findingnemo_storyform.html One is the story of FINDING Nemo with Nemo's dad, Marlin, as the Change Main Character and Dori as the Steadfast Impact Character. The second story has Nemo as the Steadfast Main Character and Gil as the Change Impact Character.

"As Good As It Gets" is another example, with the Romance story and the Neighbors story. Here are the storyforms for them: http://www.dramatica.com/story/storyforms/storyforms/asgoodasitgets1_storyform.html

"Jerry Maguire" also has two separate stories in it: The sports story and the love story. In the sports story, Jerry is the Steadfast Main Character and the character played by Cuba Gooding Jr. is the Change Impact Character. In the love story, Jerry is a Change Impact Character and Renee Zellweiger is a Steadfast Main Character. Each story even has their own sets of characters: the sports players, agents, and the families in one, Renee's son, sister, and the women's support group in the other.

"Crimes and Misdmeanors" is another film with two stories: the "crimes" story and the "misdemeanors" story.

As far as "The Fall" goes, I believe the fairy tale recounted in the story is part of the main story in that it supplements and counterpoints the thematics of the real world. It is similar, though not the same, as the use of the fairy world in "Pan's Labyrith."