  Drama
This week: Drama: Everywhere in the Theatre of Now Edited by: Fyn  
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Also, they don't understand - writing is language. The use of language. The language to create image, the language to create drama. It requires a skill of learning how to use language.~~~John Milius
Back through the ages of barbarism and civilization, in all tongues, we find this instinctive pleasure in the imitative action that is the very essence of all drama. ~~~George P. Baker
Tragedy, for me, is not a conflict between right and wrong, but between two different kinds of right.~~~Peter Shaffer
But a city is more than a place in space, it is a drama in time.~~~Patrick Geddes
But what is drama? Broadly speaking, it is whatever by imitative action rouses interest or gives pleasure.~~~George P. Baker
To observe people in conflict is a necessary part of a child's education. It helps him to understand and accept his own occasional hostilities and to realize that differing opinions need not imply an absence of love.~~~Milton R. Sapirstein
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Drama. It is everywhere. We are surrounded by it. Sometimes TOO much of it.
Several months ago, my hubby and I were outside in the garage. Next door to our right, our neighbors were having it out right in the middle of the driveway. They were right in the midst of that final straw being broken and we all heard it. I think it was heard three counties away: The yelling, the screaming, the name calling, the profanity-- all of it was set to high volume.
Next door on the other side, one of the guys living there was in the midst of being caught with another woman when his girlfriend showed up. Tears, accusations and verbiage flew--most of it of the four letter variety and it too, was loud.
Across the street, issues were also being mangled with the volume set to high. Hubby and I stood there listening to the laundry airing verbiage, our heads turning to hear as if we were watching three tennis matches at the same time.
I jokingly asked him if we shouldn't join in the fray and have a pretend fight out in the driveway. He grinned saying there was already enough drama on our street, besides, since we simply do not fight, we'd be out of our league against this crew. We wondered if the moon was full.
Couple #1 split, #2 split and #3 worked everything out. We are still friends with every one. All three asked us during the following apologetic week why we never fight. Neither of us likes yelling or tears. We discuss. But then we rarely disagree on things. We accept that there are things about the other that might be annoying, but not enough so to damper the relationship. We'd make a lousy play on that level: no emotional conflict, we are in sync--in short we are boringly happy.
But if I ever need to script a full blown fight, all I need to do is sit on the front step during a full moon!
Conflict is usually handled in one of three ways; Combat, communication or compromise. Being aware of how various people handle any of the three can go a long way in helping a writer create characters that are real in those types of situations. If our neighbors ever saw my husband and I screaming at each other in the middle of the driveway, they'd think the world was ending, because we don't react that way.
We've handled house fires, two of our adult children moving home (at the same time and one of them with her three children,) job losses and money issues without fighting with each other. Stress doesn't separate us, it brings us closer and we pull what we need from the other whether it be strength, sanity or patience.
Other folks handle things differently. Blowing off steam while they battle against brick-walled opponents. Intractable. Some are cool and logical, staying on track. Other drag out any- and every- thing that has gone wrong in the past. Some accuse. Some listen. Some hear nothing but themselves. Some 'fight' intelligently; making their point. Some fight dirty. Some fight for the mere sake of fighting- a power-play. Some have incredibly important (to them or the relationship) points to make.
There are two types of conflict:
1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.
2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.
There are four kinds of conflict:
1) Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals.
2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her.
3) Man vs. Society (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people.
4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) - The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.
Conflict can move a relationship forward or it can stop it in its tracts. How characters behave in these situations can set their course for the rest of the story. They must stay in their character, in that moment, and be true to the selves the author has created. Being aware of conflict around us can help writers write believable characters.
Conflict arises not due so much to what is going on around a character, but to what is needed, wanted or craved by the character. Same thing in real life. Only folks don't stop to analyze it in the midst of throwing taunts around. What do the characters really want or need? What do they want or need to change to make them 'happy.'
So how do we handle the stresses? We crave peace and a lack of drama. We make each other laugh. We find the good in situations. We muddle through. We work together towards a common goal. We love. Our conflicts are not with each other in stressful situations, but together we fight whatever it is that causes us stress or conflict the best we can. Hmmm, maybe we wouldn't make such a lousy play after all. The conflicts are still in place, we just choose to handle them peacefully, together rather than let them separate us to fight them alone. |
Choosing these for the varied and differing ways that conflict is handled.
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Drama: June 09, 2010 Issue [#3790]
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