What’s red, delicious and terrible? Temptation plot by an entomologist p1
Yeah… I’m going to assume you remember the fairy tale. I’m going to assume too, that you’ve got a pair of entomology twizers and a magnifying glass. I won’t, though, assume you also own a Sherlock Holmes like cap.
Alright. Clear the table or the desk. We wouldn’t like food or coffee corrupted by fairytale’s legs or antennae. We don’t want, either, the examined pieces polluted by strange bacteria such as … «organic», «carbon print» or » fair trade»…. Not when brands such as Banana, that, exist. What’s the fair trade when certain countries are still mocked with such a monicker?
Ok. Ok. Writers never discuss politics. So I’ll stop adding nettle legs to the potion. Then… In the the first part of the fairytale; we stablish the nature of temptation and how the child succumbs. I mean: curiosity + child + closed door = disobedience.
Nonetheless, our child struggles. She tries to distract herself with willpower. Rationalizes, denies, cheats herself and finally does what she is told not to. The outcome is predictable. A decaffeinated coffee … (I guess since I don’t drink coffee).
The second part is when the main character experiences the aftereffects; the consequences of her own decisions take root and cause a flower to bloom and THIS IS WHEN THE WARLOCK OR THE WITCH IS REQUIRED TO DO THEIR CRAFT. THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH ACTIONS MUST BRING ENOUGH ANXIETY TO US, TO UNDERSTAND WHY TO WISH TO GO BACK OR WISH FOR A CHANGE.
Our princess’ kids are kidnapped in heaven. The man who loves her, is not idiotic enough to surge against an angry mob… Which claims for her life for eating the uneatable. Trying to free herself from the punishment, the issue becomes… Hot. So hot being proud is not an option.
A temptation plot isn’t running after the ghost evil syndicate or pursuing the end of any oil plumbing along the gorgeous geologist(e).
A PLOT TEMPTATION IS A FORDA. We might see the effects in the actions… Or in the lack of action yet, the character struggles INSIDE. THE SWIRLING OF NEEDS, IMPULSES AND MOTIVATIONS ARE THE PLOT.
In Parallel, the movie I mentioned, the enemy is inside. Are we to stop ourselves from fame, money and stealing someone else’s life?
In Fatal attraction and Eden garden (haven’t watched any), the antagonist is external. In our side (of the big puddle, what other side can that be?), the greatest temptor is the goat legs. Being Fausto the most famous tempted (besides Adam, but at least Fausto has agency and doesn’t blame anyone else). Ronald B. Tobias (the one of the book of the 20 master plots) mentions a novel, a play and three operas!
The other famous plot is Dorian Gray. Not as religious (sure?) and almost contemporaneous. Had the money, wouldn’t you go to the plastic surgeon for Botox, a lifting or more jaw/breasts? Even I have succumbed to the idea of Bigan yoga.
There’s an important difference in plot in Fausto. Fausto doesn’t take the offer until the pot is almost over and not in selfishness. He wishes to go on being useful for humanity. Consequently (John Constantine would say there’s always a technicality), he isn’t in sin… technically and the god can reclaim his soul as impoluted.
The plot temptation requires to answer the question: what’s the crime? What’s the price to be paid? What’s the deal? (What’s obtained in exchange?). This way we can focus in the way the character looses and if they’re feeling guilty or not. We can shape the punishment and we can model a redemption scene or scenes.
REMEMBER:
The character is to suffer in accordance to their own needs, motives and impulses.
The morality of the plot is set by the character. A true entrepreneur will never regret cutting trees to become rich unless there’s something he values more than money.
The protagonist’s debts (his «bad actions») have to accumulate to the point of no return.
The reader can see the way this is going to become a mess but not the character. The character has taken «the best decision».
The punishment is equal to the sin.
I recommend you not to be tempted and write a comment. Any comments. Specially if they’re to contain apples. Pasto kalo and enjoy sining.
