#103: Morality Genre Conventions

Fiction Writing Made Easy

In today’s episode, I’m covering the conventions of the morality genre using the movie A Man Called Otto as an example. Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[05:09] The protagonist starts the story at their worst (with a "wrong" moral compass)

[06:40] The antagonist pressures the protagonist to face their bad behavior/wrongdoing

[07:54] The protagonist is haunted by their past mistakes or selfish behavior

[09:09] A character who represents the consequences of the protagonist’s wrongdoing

[10:20] At least one mentor figure who helps the protagonist see right from wrong

[11:13] External conflict that pits the protagonist's goals against the needs of others

[12:53] A foil character who positively or negatively demonstrates different behavior

[14:24] The protagonist gets help from unexpected sources

[15:23] The setting must offer the protagonist opportunities to be selfish or altruistic

[16:49] The end of the story is often bittersweet

[18:04] Final thoughts and episode recap.
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Links mentioned in this episode:

• Ep. 72 - The 6 Key Scenes Every Morality Story Needs
• Episode Freebie: Morality Genre Cheat Sheet

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פרקים

1. Exploring Morality Genre Conventions (00:00:00)

2. Conventions of a Morality Story (00:13:37)