I posed this question to Jon August once, but didn't get a response. A character's arc is often slowly revealed as he/she reacts to the central question(s) of the story. An overwhelmingly vast majority of stories end with this character finally realizing the truth. They see the light. What are your thoughts are stories that oppose that notion? That is, the main character holds the truth all along, and little by little, s/he unravels, until s/he finally believes the lie as a truth of (his/her) existence.
A good example of this is Woman in the Dunes.
I do feel, to some extent, that this form of character arc is more of an intellectual stimulant than it is an emotional one. And the satisfaction of an emotional arc often outweighs the prospect of intellectual engagement.
A good example of this is Woman in the Dunes.
I do feel, to some extent, that this form of character arc is more of an intellectual stimulant than it is an emotional one. And the satisfaction of an emotional arc often outweighs the prospect of intellectual engagement.
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