Author:: [[Nathan Baugh]] DateFinished:: Rating:: Tags:: #🟥 # 6 Shapes of Stories  ## Highlights The University of Adelaide’s study focuses on the emotional arcs of the stories, not the typical plot arc. These sound similar but they’re very different. Let me explain. For both, time is the X axis. But the Y axis of the traditional plot arc measures ‘tension’ or ‘excitement’ as it peaks at the climax. However, with the emotional arc view, the Y axis becomes the emotion felt by the protagonist, ranging from horrible to great. In this view, the climax could either be a peak or a trough depending on the shape of the story. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m0sp2gmnp6vxn9kypytc3)) The University of Adelaide’s study focuses on the emotional arcs of the stories, not the typical plot arc. These sound similar but they’re very different. Let me explain. For both, time is the X axis. But the Y axis of the traditional plot arc measures ‘tension’ or ‘excitement’ as it peaks at the climax. However, with the emotional arc view, the Y axis becomes the emotion felt by the protagonist, ranging from horrible to great. In this view, the climax could either be a peak or a trough depending on the shape of the story. I’d argue the emotional view of arcs is more powerful. You see the wild swings and cycles of a story that captivates your audience and makes them say, “what happens next?” The constant ups and down, pushes and pulls, gives and takes of an exceptional story. Not just the slowly increasing line of a plot arc that summits at the climax and tails off at the end. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m0w4v85pkhcprhpe5f8q7)) **Rags to Riches (rise)**  Your classic underdog tale. A humble, hardworking peasant climbs the mountain to pull the sword from the stone. • Rocky • King Arthur • The Pursuit of Happiness ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m22xgkfp0n7mpsx6qrmy4)) **2. Riches to Rags (fall)**  Maybe the saddest story of them all. A journey from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. • King Lear • Citizen Kane • Scarlet Letter ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m1yfdtj2ztga9cj3myfzb)) **3. Man in a Hole (fall then rise)**  A character’s doing fine, gets herself into a huge problem, but figures out how to overcome it. They often end up better than they started. “You see this story again and again,” Vonnegut says. “People love it, and it is not copyrighted.” • The Martian • The Hunger Games • Shawshank Redemption ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m2ae08967nhsa878xj8nt)) **4. Icarus (rise then fall)**  The hero goes on a meteoric rise up New York (or some other) society, calls everyone “old sport,” and throws the wildest parties in town. Then reality sets in, and he realizes he’s too close to the sun. • Macbeth • Great Gatsby • Death of a Salesman ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m2mcyd4pqz19g76zjd1hm)) **5. Cinderella (rise then fall then rise)**  I’ll leave this description to Vonnegut: “We’re gonna start way down here. Worse than that, who is so low? It’s a little girl… the shoe fits, and she achieves off-scale happiness.” • Red Rising • Slumdog Millionaire • The Count of Monte Cristo ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m2tyh9ebjspcrapmgmdzx)) **6. Oedipus (fall then rise then fall)**  Up until the ~70% mark of the story it looks like things are sunshine and rainbows. Walter White goes from high school teacher to king of the drug lords, if you will. Then all goes wrong. The original fall is often not their doing while the final fall is. • Hamlet • Gone Girl • Breaking Bad ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hh2m326tsrd7g8csp1a966hw))