Your narrative is only as strong as the crucial pillars that support your story’s theme. But what are those pillars, and how do you use them to fortify your story’s structure and thematic truth?
In celebration of the Christmas season, I’ll use It’s A Wonderful Life as a case study to show you the four crucial pillars that support your story’s theme.
Four Crucial Pillars That Support Your Story’s Theme:
The Protagonist
The most important thematic pillar is, of course, your protagonist. Everything revolves around them coming to terms with the lie they believe about themselves and their world. Their existence is to serve as a case study for your story’s thematic truth.
In It’s A Wonderful Life, we meet George Bailey. From the beginning, George is plagued by the lie that he must leave Bedford Falls if he is ever to be a person of significance. That lie is first challenged by his father, who sympathizes with George and wants to go out and conquer the world. But at the same time, he also highlights his need to learn that significance is actually found in one’s connection to his fellow man.
Following his father’s death and throughout the rest of the film, George is repeatedly forced to give up what he wants as he fights to preserve his father’s legacy. He reluctantly stays in Bedford Falls and weds Mary. Together, they build a life and a family, but deep down, George lives with regret and resents giving up his dream to “settle” for what he thinks is a meager existence. This mentality essentially blinds George from seeing his truly wonderful life.
The Antagonist
While your antagonist should always oppose your story’s theme, their existence is crucial for helping your protagonist transition from lie to truth. They serve as a cautionary tale for what happens when the central truth is rejected for the lie.
When his father tragically dies, George is forced to set aside his plans so he can preserve the family business. Shortly after, the warped and frustrated Mr. Potter openly attacks his father’s character in a board meeting before making a bid to acquire the Baily Business and Loan. Unwilling to stand by and let Potter drag his father’s good name through the mud, George bravely stands up and defends his honor.
Potter’s opposition actually points George to the truth he needs to embrace. We see it clearly as he contrasts his father’s compassion with Potter’s desire to exploit and oppress the town’s citizens. We feel it in the agony of the choice before him as he’s torn between what he wants and the greater good. And although he ultimately chooses to stay, George remains tortured by his desire to leave.
The Influence Character
Your protagonist won’t get very far in their journey without the timely wisdom and advice of the influence character. This key player shows the protagonist the error of their ways and guides them toward the central truth they must embrace.
George Bailey has the benefit of two prominent influence characters. The first is his love interest, Mary Hatch. Ironically, Mary starts as an antagonist. While she doesn’t overtly oppose George, she represents the prospect of love, marriage, and family—the life that will keep him stuck in Bedford Falls.
Mary’s influence leads George to embrace the life of a husband and father. And while he genuinely loves her and his children, the fact that he’s still haunted by his lie becomes painfully clear when facing an unexpected financial crisis. That’s when his second influence character comes into the picture in the form of Clarence Oddbody, Angel, Second Class.
By granting his wish, Clarence allows George to see what the world would have been like if he had never been born. George experiences a darker version of his world, where his brother Harry is dead, and Potter has seized control of the town and oppressed its people. He discovers that Mary is an old maid who never married and that his children don’t exist.
Clarence shows George just how many lives he’s touched, awakening him to the truth of how significant and wonderful his life really is.
The Supporting Cast
Although your side characters may not be the focal point, don’t underestimate their ability to influence your protagonist’s journey. Consider their role and how the protagonist changes their lives as they transition from lie to truth.
As stated in this month’s writing tips blog, side characters exist primarily to challenge the misbeliefs plaguing your protagonist, enabling them to fully explore the many facets of the truth they need to embrace.
The final scene in It’s A Wonderful Life is a brilliant example of how side characters support a story’s theme. George returns home to joyfully face the consequences of the lost money, only to find that Mary has rallied all the townspeople to his aid. George is humbled by the lives he’s touched as they cheerfully give to replace the lost money.
Harry toasts George as the “richest man in town,” providing us with the thematic truth that is further cemented by the inscription Clarence leaves for George in his copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: “Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings!”
Summing it up
Consider what these vital pieces contribute to your story. As you structure your narrative, take time to strengthen each one. Look for the common thematic threads supported by these fundamental thematic pillars.
I hope this article was helpful. No matter what your goals are during this time of year, I hope you’ll make time to celebrate just how significant your life is to those around you. Keep chasing your dreams. And above all, keep writing!
Until next time,
