Make Movies - Stories page 14

Stories - Part Two: Why Do People Do What They Do?

Stories as comments

The story of Oliver Twist was not just of a boy in an orphanage, it depicted the conditions of the times in such a way that readers of the time were forced to recognise the bad conditions of orphanages, and call for changes. The story was a social comment. In the process of showing the conditions of orphanages, the characters involved had to be shown in depth so that their acceptance of the situation was consistent with the time. A story with a social comment is created with the intent of changing public opinion.

List two stories that are social comments of their times.

Stories as reports

Here the storyline takes the viewer through a sequence of events as information. The actual story may unfold to explain situations where the characters play a minor part. This type of story is common in historical themes where the events are known but the people involved are not. War stories may also have well documented backgrounds where characters are secondary to the events.

Stories as interludes

Here they are like music. They simply create an atmosphere. It is rather like reading through a magazine that has style but not much substance. Such stories are typically light romances and comedies which are more intent on creating atmosphere rather than making a statement.

Stories as experiments

Ideas are tried out using an experimental form. The author might have two or more different endings. The time sequence might not be linear, with the end result coming at the beginning. The author might use words in an unconventional way. There may not actually be a story as such, as in 'Stream of consciousness' where ideas flow out as though thinking directly onto paper. This form is much easier in visual presentations where dreamlike ideas can be superimposed.

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