 Action/Adventure: August 21, 2024 Issue [#12681] |
This week: Forces of Antagonism Edited by: StephBee  
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“Don’t underestimate the determination of a quiet man.” – Iain Duncan Smith
Action: the state of doing; organized activity to accomplish an objective.
Adventure: An undertaking of a hazardous nature; an unusual or exciting experience.
You’ll notice that in any one action/adventure story, there are four basic plots based on the forces of antagonism. I’m here to talk about those plots and how they make an action/adventure personal to us.
I’m StephBee and I’m your Action/Adventure Guest Editor this week.
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Let’s start with the forces of antagonism. What is antagonism? It’s hostility that results in active resistance or opposition. By using the phrase “forces of antagonism” one means ALL the opposition the protagonist can face. If your protagonist is seeking justice, there must be injustice in the story. Is there a compromise/contrary element? Sure, it’s unfairness. And what is the opposite of unfairness? Tyranny - and when someone is trying to tell you that tyranny is good for you, that's negative is a positive or the negation of the negation. These formulate ALL the forces of antagonism. If your action/adventure hero is seeking justice, they’ve got wade through unfairness, injustice, and tyranny.
Let’s plot.
Person against Nature –
Human struggles against nature. The first thing that comes to mind is Moby Dick. Maybe a better one is Robinson Crusoe. The primeval drive is for survival. The action/adventure story focuses on resilience, and adaptation.
Person against Person -
This is classic conflict. Orwell’s Animal Farm comes to mind. Another book is Lord of the Flies. Also Die Hard. Here one really can flesh out the action/adventure: good vs evil, morality and ethics and power and control.
Person against the State -
Think of political crimes. Hunt for Red October. Think of Ramius who is in charge of the Soviet sub that goes rogue. It’s up to Jack Ryan to figure it out. Ramius had someone from the state who was a check on him – the political officer, Ivan Putin, who represented the state. The state wants things done their way or the highway. How can one man go up against the state? What are all the forces of antagonism against him?
Person against Time -
Think the Terminator series. There’s a sense of urgency that something needs to be done before time is up. Someone is working against the protagonist who has that sense of urgency. The protagonist is the under the crunch, facing adversity. Can they beat the clock? The forces of antagonism here would be: urgency, delay, being ontime, and distress is a good thing.
Question for you: What’s your favorite Action/Adventure plot?
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Feedback from my Action/Adventure Newsletter dated: 24 July 2024:
Monty 
Good points in poetry also.
StephBee Is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. Her story, Arrow of the Heart, finds, Ella, a semi-professional tennis pro being stalked. Can Logan come to her rescue? “Held my interest from start to finish” – Amazon reader.
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