  Drama
This week: Concurrent Conflicts in a Scene Edited by: Joy  
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Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
“Then she turned on him in a hundred small ways, each of them minor and not unusual when one human being lived with another, but this was like saying that a typhoon was nothing more than single drops of rain pushed by a little wind.”
Andre Dubus III, Dirty Love
The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself.
William Faulkner
In suspense novels even subplots about relationships have to have conflicts.
Jeffrey Deaver
Hello, I am Joy , this week's drama editor. Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.
This issue is about inserting two or more conflicts or conflicting ideas and emotions in one scene.
Note: In the editorial, I refer to third person singular as he, to also mean the female gender, because I don't like to use they or he/she. |
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
Most stories are told through scenes, and scenes are classified into three types: exposition scenes in which information is provided, spectacle scenes where there is descriptive showing to add enjoyment to the plot, and dramatic scenes with conflict in them.
As dramatic scenes hold the highest excitement, creative-writing teachers advise the use of these types of scenes frequently in stories of suspense. Most long stories and novels in any genre, however, use all types of scenes.
Since in this issue we plan to discuss concurring conflicts and events in the same scene, we will look at this device of writing through the dramatic-scene composition. This several-conflicts-in-the-same-scene tool is often used by the film industry and the playwrights, but a novelist or a long story writer can also use it to his story’s advantage.
Imagine six or seven characters in one scene, each one of them harboring strong and different emotions toward at least three others. If the writer is able to show these multiple conflicts all at the same time and with the same intensity, fine, but this is next to impossible because of the point-of-view problem, as he and the readers will need to see the scene from the eyes of the main character, and if the main character will enter later, through the eyes of the second most important character in that scene. This will establish the boundaries of the scene and will let the readers grasp the entire vista immediately. This is called taking a wide shot in the film industry.
If not using the wide-shot approach, the writer could focus on each conflict one by one through dialogue or character gestures to set up the general tension of the scene. Then he’ll need to tighten the content of the scene by focusing on the most important conflict and the most important character, who is usually the protagonist, and making the other conflicts seem less intense. Otherwise, several conflicts running in the same scene with the same strength will create loose ends and chaos instead of progress for the story.
Where several conflicts in the same scene are concerned, the last scene of Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck could be a fair example. In this scene, Lennie is traumatized through his own hallucinations and is goading George to participate in a ritual (of forgiveness). Lennie asks George to tell him the story of how the two of them are different from the other workers and how they’ll have a farm together. George then asks Lennie to take off his hat while he repeats to him their story while not believing it himself and knowing what he’ll do next. As he talks about the rabbits in their imaginary farm, he shoots Lennie in the back of the head. Slim, Curley and Carlson arrive immediately after the shot is fired. Slim interprets the shooting accurately. Carlton and Curley think Lennie wanted to kill himself and assume that George wrestled the gun away from Lennie before shooting him. George, speaking in a whisper, affirms their false version of the events. Knowing each of the characters from earlier scenes, the reader can grasp the different conflicts inside each one of them.
As an example to conflicts in the same scene in film, let’s look at the Baptism scene in The Godfather I, while Michael stands as the godfather to his sister's daughter, while she is being baptized. In this scene the camera cuts in and out of the church during the Baptism, while Michael’s men are murdering his rivals. When the priest prepares the godchild for baptism, the killers prepare themselves and guns for murders. Then, Michael’s sister is holding the baby and the priest is seriously performing the ceremony, while the baby cries. Michael is serious, too serious, also, watching the baby being baptized, but we can guess what kinds of thoughts are passing through his mind. The church is crowded. The viewers see the large group of children behind Michael and others piously attending the Baptism. The montage editing reveals that the baptism and the killings are going on at the same time. The priest asks Michael if he renounces Satan, and Michael says yes, as the killings get bloodier and bloodier. When the Baptism ceremony is finished, so are the killings. As Michael is leaving the church, someone comes to inform him that the killing is over.
As the above examples show, every scene is an opportunity to reveal character, and what else can better reveal character but the drama of several conflicting emotions and events?
Enjoy creating your dramas...Until next time... |
 Enjoy!
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For the 5/1 Writer's Cramp Contest prompt describing the scene of a car wreck.
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 This Issue's Tip: Usually a psychological trait has a lot to do with the character's voice. A timid, passive person, for example, may use a lot of ifs and maybes, while an aggressive person may give the feeling of "Because I say it, it is so."
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Feedback for "Drama in Moral Dilemmas"
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StephBee - House Targaryen 
Joy, great NL this week! I loved the topic and I think you can create a great mainstream story centered around a moral dilemma. My short stories, Made in America and Spontaneous Decision both involve moral dilemmas. They both placed 8th in the Writer's Digest annual competition, too! A little moral dilemma is good for a writers soul. hehe
Yes, Steph, you are correct. And what I know of your writing, not only your short stories but your many published novels also involve strong moral dilemmas. I think they would make good, enjoyable reading and a learning experience for other writers.  
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zoomsqrd
I really enjoyed your newsletter. I am putting it in my fav section so I can use it as a resource. Thank you.
Thank you. I am glad you found the editorial helpful.
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Quick-Quill 
Nickolas Sparks is a great drama writer. His ability to use choices and conflict to draw the reader into the story. Then the reader's emotions are engaged.
That is so true. Sparks' writing is highly emotional.
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Happy Earth Day 2024! 
Interesting newsletter, Joy. I had never thought about searching Google for moral dilemmas, but I will be trying that. And, yes, those are my favorite kinds of books...just finished "Invention of Wings" for my book club and we had a very rousing discussion .
I haven't read that book, but surely I'll take a look at it. Thanks for the feedback.
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QueenOwl ~ A New Day Dawns 
Hi Joy,
Shall I call you the Drama Queen of WDC?
Yes, you're right on with your perspective on how we, as writers, should handle the conflict and stresses to maximize the element of drama in our stories.
Drama in real life, it seems to me, universally hinges on moral issues where our humanity is at war with spirituality. It's a constant fight; a tug-of-war between right and wrong, good and evil; and only God knows who will prevail in the end.
As an aside, you might want to take a second look at this snippet to see whether the word given is intentional or a mere typo in the context of the sentence.
... therefore, we can [given] [give] them to our characters, [I surmise this is a typo.]
You have great ideas and perspectives, as usual. I'm learning from you. Thanks.
Thank you for the nice letter and the correction. Yes, it is a typo and it is corrected now. Thanks again.
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Drama: March 04, 2015 Issue [#6843]
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