Situations 3&4

DELIVERANCE AND SOJOURN

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know—the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve [others].”

–ALBERT SCHWEITZER

Deliverance

Deliverance is the act of delivering or freeing from restraint, captivity, and peril—to rescue someone from bondage or danger. It can be a chivalrous act.

Deliverance is similar to Supplication in that a character receives help, but it differs in that the character didn’t go out and ask for help. An unexpected protector comes of his own will to rescue the distressed. This usually occurs between two strangers.

This situation requires an Unfortunate, a Threatener, and a Rescuer.

The Threatener not only acts as the obstacle to the Rescuer’s goal, which is to protect the Unfortunate, but also acts as the catalyst to bring forth the Rescuer.

Without the Threatener, the Rescuer cannot exist. Therefore, on some level, the Rescuer depends on the Threatener to give him an opportunity to be heroic. After all, what would a fireman be without a fire? The two go together. Their destinies are intertwined.

There is also the possibility that the Rescuer won’t be able to rescue the Unfortunate. This is a great opportunity to reveal character and delve into the mind of the Rescuer more deeply to see how not being able to rescue someone affects him. This may also motivate him to take more chances later on in the story.

THE UNFORTUNATE

The Unfortunate can play a large or small role in the story. He can just be a catalyst to get the Rescuer and Threatener together. Or

several characters throughout the story can take the role of the Unfortunate.

He can also be in the act of trying to rescue someone else when he finds himself in trouble. In this case he won’t be too happy about having to be rescued himself.

The Unfortunate can also contribute to the conflict in several ways:

•He may attempt to save himself, ignoring the Rescuer, and wind up in more trouble.

•He could keep getting himself deeper and deeper into trouble. In this case, the Rescuer may have to save him over and over again.

•He could mistake the Rescuer for a Threatener and fight her off.

•He could be angry with the Rescuer for rescuing him (wounded pride).

•He could critique the Rescuer’s plan or technique and drive her crazy.

•He can antagonize the Threatener, making him more forceful than ever toward the Rescuer.

•He could misjudge the Threatener and think he is perfectly safe.

•He could be completely oblivious of the Threatener and think the Rescuer is crazy to warn him of danger.

THE THREATENER

The Threatener can take many forms. He can be a person, a place, an animal, an institution (the law), or a natural force (tornado). As such, he has a lot of power behind him whether it’s the power of nature, the power given to him “by the people,” or the power he gives to himself because he feels entitled to it.

If the Threatener is a person, he knows right from wrong; he just works it out so that in his head he is in the right. In his strange little world he is acting as he should.

The Threatener can be a seen or unseen influence of the story events. He is unseen in many Deliverance-types of films where a falsely accused character is running from the law. The presence of the law is always there, driving the story forward through the Unfortunate’s psyche and fear of getting caught.

THE RESCUER

There are three types of Rescuers: the Savior, the Samaritan, and the Opportunist.

The Savior is one who needs to save and help others. He is a person who has talents, abilities, or morals that allow him to be a Rescuer without question. When the time comes for him to stand up and help a stranger, he doesn’t hesitate or think about his ability to help—he just helps.

110 Story Structure Architect

Rescuing gives him an identity and a reason to get up in the morning. He genuinely wants to help others and feels great when he helps someone else. Whenever he sees someone in trouble he thinks, “That could be my mother or brother in trouble, and I would want someone to help them.” This Rescuer usually has some training (fireman, martial artist, soldier, doctor) and makes a point to be physically fit so he can rise to any challenge that may come his way.

The Samaritan is someone who isn’t looking to help others, per se, but will step in and help someone if it’s at all possible to do so. He is a little bit concerned for himself but can’t bear to watch someone else in pain, especially if that person didn’t do anything wrong. So he may not help a heroin addict who is being beat up, but he will definitely help someone who was in a car accident.

The Opportunist will help someone if he has something to gain from helping (think of Dustin Hoffman in the film Hero). His ego and self-preservation system is so strong he won’t risk his safety for anyone unless it helps his image, career, finances, or dating situation. It would have to help fulfill one of the basic human drives toward pleasure—fame, money, and sex. As in the film Hero, the opportunist may not even help at all, but he won’t correct others if they give him credit for it.

Whether Deliverance is used as plot, subplot, or incident, the elements of the beginning, middle, and end are the same:

BEGINNING: An Unfortunate is in trouble.

•Is the source of trouble a person, place, animal, institution, or natural force?

•Will the trouble start out small and escalate over time?

•How serious is the Threatener at this point? Is he just toying with the Unfortunate?

•Does the Unfortunate feel capable of rescuing himself? How can you show this?

•Was he trying to rescue someone else and got himself into trouble?

•What events got him into this predicament?

•Will he welcome help from the Rescuer?

MIDDLE: The Rescuer knows someone is in trouble and rushes to help.

•What type of Rescuer is he? Savior, Samaritan, or Opportunist?

•Will he get there before any real damage is done?

•Will he understand and see the threat right away?

•Where does the incident take place? Can location add to the Conflict?

Whereas Deliverance is about a stranger coming to the rescue, Sojourn is about a stranger coming to visit. He may lend a hand and help out, but usually there is not a life-or-death situation involved.

There could be a festival or celebration going on that draws the Sojourner to the area, or the Sojourner could be a distant family member that no one in the family has met before.

His visit will enrich the lives of those around him, though some may feel as if he is destroying their lives because they are resistant to change. Perhaps a father doesn’t like him being near his daughter and filling her head with all sorts of independent thoughts or a small town doesn’t like his big-city ways.

Like Deliverance, there must also be an Unfortunate and a Threatener. But the Unfortunate is not in any real danger; the Threatener will be more focused on the Sojourner than the Unfortunate.

Whether Sojourn is used as plot, subplot, or incident, the elements of the beginning, middle, and end are the same:

BEGINNING: An Unfortunate is unhappy. A visitor decides to take a brief Sojourn.

•Why is the Unfortunate unhappy? What happened to him?

•Why is the visitor taking a brief Sojourn? Does she need to recuperate?

•Do they know the same people? Or place?

•Have they met a long time ago and forgotten about each other?

•Are there a lot of unfortunate types of people around the Unfortunate? (They may not want to see the Unfortunate change.)

MIDDLE: The Unfortunate and Sojourner meet. Those who know the Unfortunate may not be happy about it. (Perhaps there are many unfortunate women around who are enamored with the handsome Sojourner.)

•What do the Unfortunate and Sojourner have in common to keep them together? Or is it their differences that attract them?

•What does the Unfortunate have to lose by spending time with the Sojourner, or vice versa?

•Are they the same sex? How is it different if you change the genders around?

•Do they meet in front of others or at a secret place each thought no one else knew about?

•Does one see the other first and pursue a meeting?

END: The Sojourner changes people’s lives for the better, though some may not realize it, and then he either moves on or decides to stay.

•How does the Sojourner change people’s lives? Why?

•If he seemed to destroy some lives in the beginning, how has that

turned out to be a blessing in disguise? For example, did a loveless marriage break up because of him in the beginning and now both parties are happier for it?

•Do the people think their lives are better or worse?

•As well as having her life changed, does the Unfortunate change internally?

•Is the Sojourner changed from this experience?

• Why does he stay? Or leave?

EXAMPLES

The Count of Monte Cristo, ALEXANDER DUMAS

DELIVERANCE AS SUBPLOT—The Count is rescued by a Samaritan who happens to be in the jail cell next to him.

King Kong,

MERIAN C. COOPER AND ERNEST B. SHOEDSACK

DELIVERANCE AS PLOT—A young woman is held captive by a large gorilla and a party of men come to rescue her. Then the gorilla becomes the captive who is not rescued.

The Spitfire Grill, LEE DAVID ZLOTOFF

SOJOURN AS PLOT—Percy, upon being released from prison, goes to the small town of Gilead to find a place where she can start over again. She is taken in by Hannah to help out at her place, the Spitfire Grill. Percy brings change to the small town, stirring resentment and fear in some and growth in others.

There’s Something About Mary, FARRELLY BROTHERS

SOJOURN AS SUBPLOT AND INCIDENT—A man gets a chance to get together with his dream girl from high school, even though the last time they saw each other he made a fool of himself. While the main character takes a Sojourn to find Mary, Mary also flows in and out of the story (and the frame) as an unwitting Sojourner in the hearts of all men who see her.

114 Story Structure Architect