IAWL Exposed
February 22, 2002
6:49 a.m.
While I'm beating a horse that's been dead so long it's decomposing, here's the story structure of It's a Wonderful Life: ... A really great guy who has spent his entire life subordinating his dreams to do what is right by other people (character and personality/dream/motivations) has a terrible disaster occur to him that is in no way his fault (obstacle -- $8,000 lost). This creates a major problem for him in that the bank examiner intends to send him to jail if he can't find the money (problem). He tries to solve his problem by searching all over town, but this results in failure (try 1/fail 1). And it is even worse because now he realizes that he has to go to his arch enemy to see if he can get a loan (things get worse). He does it though, because it's his only choice. (try 2). Potter not only turns him down (fail 2), but calls the cops and swears out an arrest warrant. (Things get really worse 2). In the process, he realizes he's worth more dead than alive, he goes to the bridge with the intention to off himself. He doesn't do this, though. Instead, he prays for guidance (try 3). As a result, he receives Clarence, an angel who shows him the true nature of his life (success 3) and makes him realize that he can live with his problem because he knows he is a great man (things get better). In the meantime, the rest of the town, consisting mostly of people who he has made a difference to, rally around him and save him from the bank examiner's axe. His brother, a war hero toasts his name and calls him the biggest man in town (validation). Clarence gets his wings (validation of Clarence's story ... which has a different flow, of course). The end. You'll note that the movie itself begins at try #3 and moves partially through that attempt's success before going back to the "traditional" beginning (character/dreams/motivation). Everything from that point until the story catches up to try #3 is a huge flashback that gives us characterization--which actually makes up most of the movie ... think about what that means for a minute--gives us identification of the problem, and runs us through the main character's early try/fails (so much for those who say you can't win with a flashback sequence, eh?). At that point we see the point of George Bailey's life (and the movie), and we get the validation. Proof positive that a story (meaning a "formed" story) does not have to be told in any specific order.  Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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Was Sarah Hughes awesome or what? |
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