Reexamining the list, we can learn something new that will help us in analyzing The Wizard of Oz and Jaws: each of the Eight Archetypal Characters contains one action characteristic and one decision characteristic.

PROTAGONIST

Action Characteristic:

Pursues the goal. The traditional Protagonist is the driver of the story: the one who forces the action.

 

Decision Characteristic:

Urges the other characters to consider the need to achieve the goal.

ANTAGONIST

Action Characteristic:

The Antagonist physically tries to prevent or avoid the successful achievement of the goal by the Protagonist.

 

Decision Characteristic:

The Antagonist urges the other characters to reconsider the attempt to achieve the goal.

GUARDIAN

Action Characteristic:

The Guardian is a helper who aids the efforts to achieve the story goal.

 

Decision Characteristic:

The Guardian represents conscience in the mind, based on the Author's view of morality.

CONTAGONIST

Action Characteristic:

The Contagonist hinders the efforts to achieve the story goal.

 

Decision Characteristic:

The Contagonist represents temptation to take the wrong course or approach.

REASON

Action Characteristic:

The Reason character is calm or controlled in its actions.

 

Decision Characteristic:

The Reason makes decisions based on logic, never letting emotion get in the way of a rational course.

EMOTION

Action Characteristic:

The Emotion character is frenzied or uncontrolled in its actions.

 

Decision Characteristic:

The Emotion character responds with its feelings without regard for practicality.

SIDEKICK

Action Characteristic:

The Sidekick supports, playing a cheering section.

 

Decision Characteristic:

The Sidekick is almost gullible in the extent of its faith--in the goal, in the Protagonist, in success, and so on.

SKEPTIC

Action Characteristic:

The Skeptic opposes--everything.

 

Decision Characteristic:

The Skeptic disbelieves everything, doubting courses of action, sincerity, truth--whatever.

Split Archetypes in Quads

Having split them in two, we can see that each of the Archetypal Characters has an attitude or Decision characteristic and an approach or Action characteristic. When we arrange both characteristics under each of the eight Archetypes in our Driver and Passenger Quad format, we get a graphic feel for the Archetypal Overall Story Characters and the Elements they represent.

Driver Quad

PROTAGONIST

Pursue--Consideration

GUARDIAN                             CONTAGONIST

Help--Conscience                                           Hinder--Temptation

ANTAGONIST

Prevent--Re-consideration

Passenger Quad

SIDEKICK

Support--Faith

EMOTION                               REASON

Uncontrolled--Feeling                                             Control--Logic

SKEPTIC

Oppose--Disbelief

In Dramatica, we refer to these 16 characteristics as the Motivation Elements because they describe what drives the Archetypal Characters.