The shapes of plots

[Mason Wheeler]

I just ran across this article from last year, discussing how the plots of stories have "shapes" based on the emotional highs and lows of the protagonist, and that most of them can be categorized into six basic shapes:

1. Rags to Riches (rise)
2. Riches to Rags (fall)
3. Man in a Hole (fall then rise)
4. Icarus (rise then fall)
5. Cinderella (rise then fall then rise)
6. Oedipus (fall then rise then fall)

I saw this and immediately thought, "so what is the 'shape' of the various Cosmere stories?"

It's particularly complicated for a lot of the stories because of the way Brandon uses multiple protagonists in different ways.  In Warbreaker, for example, Siri, despite already starting out as a princess, follows the Rags to Riches plot, whereas Vivenna is a Woman in a Hole.

Likewise for Elantris, Prince Raoden is a Man in a (sludge-filled, zombie-infested) Hole, Sarene (appropriately enough, as she is a princess) is a Cinderella, and Hrathen is kind of hard to categorize.

And I suspect all but the bravest of scholars would absolutely despair at trying to categorize the Stormlight books according to this framework...

[Markus]

I'm doing these not counting flashbacks, because that would be very, very hard, as you said.

WOR spoilers:

Spoiler

I would say Kaladin is a Cinderella- starts as a bridgeman, rises up, gains success and prestige as a bodyguard, falls and loses his powers, then rises again as he reaffirms his oath.  Shallan is either a Rags to Riches or a Cinderella.  She has a fall with the stolen soulcaster, but it was resolved so quickly that I'm not sure we should count it.  I don't think that the ship sinking should count either, because it doesn't really damage her very much.  I'm not going to even attempt Dalinar.

 

[BeskarKomrk]

I would say if you look at Hrathen's storyline from his perspective, it's an Icarus story.

Elantris spoilers:

Spoiler

He is immensely successful in his pursuits and has risen through the ranks of his organization, until he realizes that he was wrong to do that the whole time. His story ends on a low note, with him essentially regretting his actions and sacrificing himself. It's a tragic story.

 

[Tsidqiyah]

2 hours ago, BeskarKomrk said:

I would say if you look at Hrathen's storyline from his perspective, it's an Icarus story.

Elantris spoilers:

  Reveal hidden contents

He is immensely successful in his pursuits and has risen through the ranks of his organization, until he realizes that he was wrong to do that the whole time. His story ends on a low note, with him essentially regretting his actions and sacrificing himself. It's a tragic story.

 

I actually see him more as a Cinderella. He comes in and rises in prominence as he seeks to save the people, falls into the shadow of Dilaf and then falls under his rule, and then right at the end he rises again to be the hero and savior he had previously though he would be. 

[Mason Wheeler]

...which is why I said he's difficult to categorize.  Both interpretations are valid, depending on which perspective you look at him from.