Friday, August 19, 2005
The Benefits of Mentor Characters
Stories benefit from mentor characters in at least two highly important ways. First, mentors can give reluctant protagonists a necessary push to get the plot rolling. Second, mentors often personify the core values or lesson manifested in the protagonist's character arc.
The stakes in a story are what makes the story "important" to the protagonist. They make the main character keep going when he/she would rather give up. But immediately after the Inciting Incident in Act One, stakes are also what can make the protagonist not want to get involved in the first place. Why take the risk?
This is where the Mentor comes in, to give the main character a necessary shove into Act Two. Sometimes the shove is simply a piece of advice that solidifies the protagonist's commitment. Or, it may be a gift that makes the hero sufficiently confident and empowered to engage the plot. Or, the Mentor may orchestrate events to launch the hero into Act Two, whether the protagonist feels ready and willing or not.
Mentors usually make a first appearance in Act One, then two or three times in Acts Two and Three. When the Mentor shows up again, it may be to kick a stalled story back into gear. Mentors are wise, viewing events from a higher perspective than the protagonist, so where a hero sees a dead end, the mentor may see opportunity. In The Sound of Music, Mother Superior functions as a mentor in Act 2 when she summons Maria out of seclusion and sends her back to the Von Trapp family. Maria saw her romance with the Captain as a dead end, but Mother Superior saw it as a mountain to climb on the way to Maria's God-given destiny.
The other vital function Mentors fulfill involves the protagonist's growth as a character. A mentor character can externalize the hero's conscience and internal conflict. In Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Myrtle and Medea personify the heroine's internal conflict between forgiveness and vengeance. Myrtle is like a heavenly angel sitting on Helen's shoulder, whispering of God's love and strength. Medea acts like a mischievous devil on the other shoulder, cackling advice on getting even.
The mentor character may never appear in a scene, or may even be dead before the story begins. Nevertheless, the Mentor's advice can manifest as memories or oft-repeated phrases that influence and shape the protagonist's core values and internal discipline. In the hit television series, Maverick, Bret Maverick often quoted his "Pappy's" sage advice during moments of decision.
Next, the villain as Mentor...
The stakes in a story are what makes the story "important" to the protagonist. They make the main character keep going when he/she would rather give up. But immediately after the Inciting Incident in Act One, stakes are also what can make the protagonist not want to get involved in the first place. Why take the risk?
This is where the Mentor comes in, to give the main character a necessary shove into Act Two. Sometimes the shove is simply a piece of advice that solidifies the protagonist's commitment. Or, it may be a gift that makes the hero sufficiently confident and empowered to engage the plot. Or, the Mentor may orchestrate events to launch the hero into Act Two, whether the protagonist feels ready and willing or not.
Mentors usually make a first appearance in Act One, then two or three times in Acts Two and Three. When the Mentor shows up again, it may be to kick a stalled story back into gear. Mentors are wise, viewing events from a higher perspective than the protagonist, so where a hero sees a dead end, the mentor may see opportunity. In The Sound of Music, Mother Superior functions as a mentor in Act 2 when she summons Maria out of seclusion and sends her back to the Von Trapp family. Maria saw her romance with the Captain as a dead end, but Mother Superior saw it as a mountain to climb on the way to Maria's God-given destiny.
The other vital function Mentors fulfill involves the protagonist's growth as a character. A mentor character can externalize the hero's conscience and internal conflict. In Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Myrtle and Medea personify the heroine's internal conflict between forgiveness and vengeance. Myrtle is like a heavenly angel sitting on Helen's shoulder, whispering of God's love and strength. Medea acts like a mischievous devil on the other shoulder, cackling advice on getting even.
The mentor character may never appear in a scene, or may even be dead before the story begins. Nevertheless, the Mentor's advice can manifest as memories or oft-repeated phrases that influence and shape the protagonist's core values and internal discipline. In the hit television series, Maverick, Bret Maverick often quoted his "Pappy's" sage advice during moments of decision.
Next, the villain as Mentor...
