8-Part Story Structure: Third Sequence
Sequence 3: Well, Let’s Give It a Try
Now that we’ve got all of the main groundwork laid out, we’re ready for the protagonist to take a first shot at achieving his goal. However, this sequence is often called the “naive attempt”, simply because it consists of a somewhat half-hearted attempt at achieving the goal that the characters already know that they need to achieve.
This first attempt is something of a knee-jerk reaction to getting what the character thinks he wants. Usually, it’s not fully thought-through, and often, the audience will know instinctively that this is probably not the best idea.
Let’s jump into a familiar family cartoon, and apply this sequence to Disney’s Alladin. After the title character is captured, condemned, and thrown into the dungeon, he’s not feeling so hot, especially since the new “love of his life” has been taken away, and they are both separated by several floors and a number of steel bars. But we know that this is part of the life of a “street rat”, and that sometimes bad things tend to happen.
He’s approached by an old man who tells him that the answers to his troubles lie within the mystical Cave of Wonders, and that he can have all the treasures that his heart desires if Alladin will just retrieve the lamp for him. Alladin, naive as can be, but with a little greed in his eye, decides to go along, and makes his way into the cave. He then, through a tumultuous chain of crazy events, gets the lamp, but is stuck yet again within the confines of another cave, even farther from the princess Jasmine that he wants to be with.
But wouldn’t you know it, there happens to be a genie in the little lamp, and as Alladin rubs it, out his flows in a cloud of smoke. After a song and dance number, and a lot of quick talking, Alladin and the Genie are at a little desert oasis, where Alladin explains his situation, and comes to the solution that the way to Jasmine’s heart is going to be through becoming a prince, despite the audience knowing that she doesn’t much care for that type. Well, here starts another little show tune, and we’re “introduced” to Prince Ali.
Now, how does Jasmine respond? Well, she responds by ignoring Ali completely, and walks away. Not exactly the warm welcome that he was expecting. Alladin, er, Ali tries again, this time on the princess’ balcony, where the Genie is encouraging Alladin to just be himself, (advice which Alladin ignores), and the princess rejects him yet again and tells him to jump off the balcony.
The key to the “failure” of this first attempt, is that it can’t be too great. The protagonist is not exactly putting his whole soul into this try, but is just being naive, believing that something this simple could be the solution to his problems. The third sequence is often one of fun, where we can feel alright laughing at the foolishness of the protagonist, and don’t have to take things too seriously. But, of course, that always depends on the story that’s being told.
The most important thing to remember in the third sequence is that it is designed to be a vehicle to get the protagonist actually working on the problem. Since he finally knows what he “wants”, he’s going to try and get it, and he’s got to try and fail at first, or the goal wasn’t all that difficult to obtain to begin with.
Summary
- At this point, the protagonist doesn’t have his whole heart in the attempt. He’s making a naive attempt.
- The tone here can still be relatively light-hearted, if the story permits.
- While the attempt is going to end in failure, the consequence shouldn’t be too great, because the attempt wasn’t all that great, either.
