Write Good or Die

subplots are presented in order to provide insight into the meaning of the story, the nature of the characters, and the nature of the crisis. Also, supporting characters are introduced, and we learn about the protagonist and antagonist through their interaction with these characters. The second act ends when the protagonist recognizes the path that will take him from an ongoing crisis to (what he believes is) a resolution.
    In the third act, the protagonist races toward a conclusion that will end or otherwise resolve the current crisis and provide a degree of closure. Most or all of the plotlines are resolved, and the protagonist has undergone a process of change as a result of his experiences.
    Now, here’s the Three-Act Structure applied to the movie version of The Wizard of Oz .

    ACT ONE

    In Act One we meet Dorothy, who is an obnoxious and self-involved child who seems unable to recognize the existence of beneficial relationships (with her aunt and nncle, the farm workers, etc.) and doesn’t value these connections.
    She is so self-absorbed that she fails to accept that anyone else’s needs/wants matter, as demonstrated by the fact that she is fully aware that her dog damages a neighbor’s garden and doesn’t care. Actually, she may be mildly sociopathic because she cannot grasp that “her” dog has done anything wrong and ignores the fact that the dog’s lack of training is her own fault.
    Dorothy ‘s whole focus is on what she feels she does not have and what she deserves if only she can get to a better place (in her view, on the other side of the rainbow). So, she’s shallow, vain, sociopathic, and unlikable. A perfect character to have at the start of a novel, since character growth is a primary element of all good stories.
    The crisis comes initially from pending consequences from her dog’s vandalism. Then a big storm comes along and whisks Dorothy away to another place where (a) she has killed her antagonist through the proxy of a witch who chanced to be standing where Dorothy’s house was landing; (b) everyone she meets is substantially shorter, and therefore apparently inferior to her –and her distorted self image; (c) a maternal figure appears and tells her she’s special and that she has to go on a journey in order to solve her dilemma; and (d) she gets cool shoes.Dorothy steps out of Act I and into Act II when she places her ruby slippers on the yellow brick road.

    ACT TWO

    In Act II, Dorothy begins a process of growth that will expand her consciousness, increase her personal store of experiences, help her develop meaningful relationships, and get her the hell home.
    When she meets the Scarecrow and learns that it can talk and is in need of help, Dorothy has her first opportunity for real character growth. Instead of bugging out of there (a choice she may well have taken back home in Kansas), she helps the Scarecrow down and even offers to share her adventure with him. If the wizard she’s been told to find can help Dorothy get home, maybe he could offer some assistance to someone in need of a brain. Off they go to see the Wizard. Dorothy has performed her first selfless act. She may not be beyond hope after all.
    When the Scarecrow and Dorothy meet the Tin Man, there is another opportunity to perform a selfless act of charity. She does this; but this encounter also requires her to do some problem solving. The oil can shows intelligence and practicality. Good for her. Now she has helped two others in need, and at the same time she has increased her circle of valuable friends. This adds to her bank of useful experiences and also increases the odds of success.
    The three of them (and her little dog, too), then encounter a frightening attack by a lion. In a real-world setting this would end badly, except for the hungry lion. But in this metaphorical tale, the lion is also a complex and damaged individual whose violent nature is a cry for help. However Dorothy doesn’t know this at first. The Lion attack and Dorothy stands between this threat and her friends –and even attacks the Lion (albeit with a slap across the chops). This is a brave act that is selfless to the point of sacrifice. Dorothy is actually pretty cool now. Hero Dorothy.
    Luckily the Lion is a coward, and we see Dorothy shift from attack to sympathy. Again this shows character growth in the form of a refined insight into the needs of another. Dorothy, now in the role of matriarchal clan leader, accepts the Lion into