How to Write Essay - Rain Man free essay sample

The moments that truly define us are almost always personal, times when we’re able to overcome our own limitations and rise to be something more. Character Arc—the rocky path of personal growth and development a character undergoes in a story, usually unwillingly, during which the character wrestles with and eventually overcomes some or all of a serious emotional fear, limitation, block or wound. In a characters development he or she might overcome: o lack of courage or inner doubts o lack of ethics o learning to love o guilt o trauma from the past errors in thinking, etc. Weaknesses, imperfections, quirks and vices make a character more real appealing. They humanize a character. The audience can identify with them. Flaws and imperfections give a character somewhere to go and progress toward in the story. The development of a character is only interesting if they overcome something. A great example of a character arc – Tom Cruise’s character in Rain Man. We will write a custom essay sample on How to Write Essay Rain Man or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Beginning – Cruise is a ruthless car dealer who kidnaps his autistic brother because he feels cheated about not receiving any money from his fathers will. End of Arc – After a cross-country journey with his brother, he learns the importance of family and turns down the money. Role of a Character Arc Keeps the tension high and the conflict going. Serves as the â€Å"inner† conflict and is always mirrored by the storys â€Å"outer† conflict. e. g. DieHard: Inner conflict = overcome internal weaknesses to be able to get back together with wife; Outer conflict = fight bad guys who have taken over wife’s building. The Arc is the internal change the hero goes through in a story. It can be positive change of character—a happy ending Or a negative or no change—which gives us a tragedy. Characters who remain essentially the same from beginning to end are fatally flawed. They have learned nothing from their experience and have shown no growth. Or the character is already ‘good’ and doesn’t change (e. g. James Bond, Braveheart, John Wayne). Development of a Character Arc Personal changes in a Character’s Arc require smooth development—changing is really hard. D verses 3D character development 2D—Jumping changes in character create 2 dimensional characters. 3D—Show the natural, step-by-step development of a character. Show how the personal beliefs that cause internal flaws are torn away little by little by forces within a character and by his surroundings. Small conflicts/transitions as the character evolves from one state of mind to another in a slow even pace until he is compelled to make a life chang ing decision.