Story Arcs
Universal narrative patterns that describe the emotional trajectory of stories, from 'Rags to Riches' to 'Man in a Hole.'
Also known as: Universal Stories, Narrative Arcs, Story Shapes, Vonnegut Story Shapes
Category: Frameworks
Tags: storytelling, writing, narrative, patterns, creativity
Explanation
Story Arcs are fundamental narrative patterns that describe the emotional journey of a story's protagonist. Research by Kurt Vonnegut and later computational analysis has identified that most stories follow a small number of universal patterns.
**The Six Universal Story Arcs**:
1. **Rags to Riches** (Rise)
- Steady rise from misfortune to success
- Examples: Cinderella (first half), most success stories
- Emotional trajectory: Low → High
2. **Riches to Rags** (Fall)
- Decline from good fortune to misfortune
- Examples: Tragedies, cautionary tales
- Emotional trajectory: High → Low
3. **Man in a Hole** (Fall then Rise)
- Character falls into trouble, then climbs out
- Most popular pattern—audiences love recovery stories
- Examples: Most adventure stories, redemption arcs
- Emotional trajectory: Mid → Low → High
4. **Icarus** (Rise then Fall)
- Character rises high then falls dramatically
- Named after the Greek myth
- Examples: Rise and fall of empires, hubris stories
- Emotional trajectory: Low → High → Low
5. **Cinderella** (Rise, Fall, Rise)
- Complex arc with setback before final triumph
- Creates maximum emotional engagement
- Examples: Most romantic comedies, hero's journey
- Emotional trajectory: Low → High → Low → High
6. **Oedipus** (Fall, Rise, Fall)
- Initial trouble, apparent recovery, then final tragedy
- Creates dramatic irony and pathos
- Examples: Greek tragedies, noir stories
- Emotional trajectory: High → Low → High → Low
**Why This Matters**:
- **The shape matters more than the origin**: Where a story ends relative to where it started determines its emotional impact
- **End on a high note**: Stories that finish higher than they started are remembered more positively (recency bias)
- **Suffering reveals character**: Putting characters through hardship shows who they really are
Understanding these patterns helps writers craft emotionally resonant stories and helps readers recognize the narrative structures they encounter.
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