In The Elements of Structure: Foundations we described four throughlines in a story--the Overall Story Throughline, Main Character Throughline, Impact Character Throughline, and Subjective Story Throughline. The Overall Story Throughline describes the relative value of the approaches of the Overall Story Characters. The Main Character Throughline describes the point of view and growth of the Main Character. The Impact Character Throughline describes the alternative point of view and growing impact of the Impact Character. The Subjective Story Throughline describes the growing relationship between the Main and Impact Characters.

A good way to think of these four throughlines is as four different points of view through which the audience relates to the Story Mind--the same four points of view we use in all of our relationships. The Main Character represents the "I" point of view. The Impact Character represents the "you" perspective. The Subjective Story Throughline covers the "we" perspective, and the Overall Story Throughline explores the "they" perspective. Taken together, the four points of view range from the most personal to the most impersonal, and provide all the angles we use to examine the nature of our problems and the relative value of alternative solutions.

We have previously looked at the Elements of Character from a purely objective perspective. When we stand in the shoes of a character, however, we get an entirely different perspective. Rather than seeing how the events of a story relate to one another, we become more concerned with how events affect us personally. Providing this experience is the purpose of the Main Character.