How Your Story is Like Schrodinger's Cat

To make a story, simply look inside the box.

Hope you’re enjoying the gentle slip into the Fall season...

Apparently, it’s Paterson week here at Narrative First. The podcast, the article, and the analysis all focus their attention on this latest and greatest from Jim Jarmusch.

I’m not a huge fan of his previous work, but I’m a huge fan of great storytelling and subtle and sophisticated narrative structure. Paterson is a treat because it features a Main Character with a Holistic Main Character Problem-Solving Style–something we don’t get too much of nowadays.

But even more compelling–Jarmusch presents a vision of what “conflict” looks and feels like through a holistic filter. Instead of Goal and Consequence think more Cost and Dividend and the balance between the two. In fact, the emphasis is on the shift in balances between different paths rather than a linear path of successive rungs.

It's something you have to experience for yourself before it can all start to make sense. I was pleasantly surprised by the film, and I’m sure you will enjoy it as well.

This Week’s Updates

• The Throughlines of Paterson - a visual representation of the various perspectives found within the film. You’ll note I made the switch to the original terminology–long live Universe, Mind, Physics, and Psychology!!
• Your Story is Schrödinger’s Cat - this week’s article on how your story isn’t a story until you observe it–thereby manufacture a storyform
• Episode #49: Your Story is Schrödinger’s Cat–the accompanying podcast that explains this idea of observation and projection and storytelling
• The analysis of Paterson - my in-depth examination of the thematic structures found within the film. Includes a complete Dramatica Storyform.

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