Act 1
1st dramatic phase
the incident that starts the change occurs
event must have profound effect
reader learns about character by watching reaction to event
reader sees effect of transforming incident
Chapter One ORDINARY WORLD
establish
establish motivation/lay foundation
Chapter Two ORDINARY WORLD
Chapter Three CALL TO ADVENTURE
problem adventure
quest
establishes what is at stake
makes goal clear and consequences
establish goal in concrete way
urgency – why now?
someone issues invitation
Chapter Four CALL TO ADVENTURE
Chapter Five REFUSE THE CALL
refusal heightens tension
character recognizes conflict and conflict will expand
Chapter Six RELUCTANT TO CALL
Chapter Seven MENTOR
mentor provides a kick in the butt
motivation
their responses make her question her view of the world
building motivation
expression of consequence of ignoring goal and also of accepting call
Chapter Eight MENTOR
Chapter Nine CROSS THE THRESOLD
point of no return
heroine is committed
there is no taking action back
a moment when the heroine is commits
motivation pushes character through
stakes increase
conflicts obvious
character begins emotional countdown
Chapter Ten CROSS THE THRESOLD
Act II
2nd dramatic phase
reader see the full effect of the transforming incident
character actions are an expression of what the character thinks and is struggling with
Chapter Eleven TESTS, ENEMIES, ALLIES
what is the heroine made of events expose what she has and what she lacks
tests skills and motivation
bonds build between characters; show what character must change
also test threshold guards
small goals will lead to large goals
show character development
and plot advancement
Chapter Twelve TESTS, ENEMIES, ALLIES
Chapter Thirteen APPROACH THE INMOST CAVE
perilous danger journey – bad place to be uncertainty
motivation must be strong enough to force action
prepare for foreseen conflict
character reassess motivation
practice skills to defeat conflict
shows weapons
Chapter Fourteen APPROACH THE INMOST CAVE
Chapter Fifteen ORDEAL
gray moment
reader is worried
on brink of battle
mortal jeopardy; life or death moment
stuck between two bad choices
concrete conflict will keep goal if make it through = clear progress
Chapter Sixteen ORDEAL
Act III
3 rd dramatic phase
contains another incident that defines the results of the transformation
contains a clarifying incident which represents the final stage of transformation
the character understands the true nature of his experience and how it has effected her
this is where true growth occurs
expectations are baffled
illusions are destroyed
reality overtakes fantasy
Chapter Seventeen REWARD
small moment of victory
character has a taste of reward/ success
reinforces or changes motivation
physically reward has emotional consequences
original but small goal achieved
Chapter Eighteen REWARD
Chapter Nineteen ROAD BACK
heroine tries to go back to ordinary world but is stopped because the problem still is not solved
Retreat
battle isn’t won
conscious connection of external and internal goals
if goal is achieved hero learns that there is a more important goal
heroine reevaluates ordinary world and her place in it
Chapter Twenty ROAD BACK
Chapter Twenty-one RESSURECTION
black moment
last critical moment
character uses growth to act
choice between two bad choices; character applies lesson that has been learned
character must give up something precious to make choice and apply lessons learned
conflict must be dealt with in real and emotional way
clear loss of goal
give to get
black/white
heroine can’t stay the same only change can ensure success
external conflict revealed
emotional baggage
Chapter Twenty-two RESSURECTION
Chapter Twenty-three RETURN W/ ELIXIER
spread of effects, how story effected everything heroine returns to ordinary world with contrasts – she has more to offer than before
original goal satisfied or replaced
tag line learned
effects of struggle show
conflicts revisited and viewed in different light
Chapter Twenty-four RETURN W/ ELIXIER
comfortable in childhood
search for identity takes a person far into their psyche
also, people are changed by dramatic moments of transition
ie timid person realizes violence is a must sometimes and as a result finds a piece of himself he didn’t know existed