Something From Nothing: Conflict Edition
by Elizabeth Solar
A conversation this week with my husband about why most superheroes are either orphaned or abandoned veered into a reverie about the leader of the free world. That’s what too much time viewing CNN, and reading countless newspaper and magazine articles will do to you.
We discussed how most protagonists grow to heroic stature when they battle a central conflict or antagonist placed in their path. This conflict is often underscored by an old wound, or trauma. Superman, saved from the planet Krypton fights the forces of evil, reminded by the violence that consumed his parents. Additionally, his exposure to Kryptonite causes a vulnerability that makes him easy prey to villains. His status as orphan and outsider, compounded by the external threat against him, create conflict. Superman battles evil until he ultimately defeats it, waving the banner of truth, justice, and the American way.
We now find our country led by someone who at least one-third of our country connected to for myriad reasons, many known, and perhaps grudgingly understood. In our reality TV culture, we root for someone of power and strength. We cheer on the person who overcomes adversity and conflict, even if it a matter of besting someone at home decorating, or making the best béarnaise sauce.
In one scenario, a wealthy real estate developer pits minor celebrities against each other to create lame marketing campaigns, urban lemonade stands, and vacuous competitions between the sexes. A highly produced game passed for corporate intrigue. When a player failed to pull their weight, or was considered a weak link, a dispassionate ‘You’re fired,’ and would lead to a limousine driven ride of shame. Conflict? No. Manufactured and unchallenging visual pabulum for our schadenfreude-obsessed society.
As the realtor becomes national leader, change agent, and champion of the people, what forces were fought to prepare for the hero’s journey? What adversity was overcome? What were the stumbling blocks to his success that made his journey compelling? It’s neither my job nor intention to theorize on his psychology or background, only to observe how he became a hero of his own narrative, and created a series of antagonists he could vanquish.
Unlike Jane Eyre, who rises above a brutal childhood to become a strong and fiery presence, the real estate magnate-turned-president, suffered few early setbacks. His privileged backstory of private schools, expensive vacations, luxurious housing provided little view of the greater world, and seemingly little curiosity to seek beyond his own experience. No backstory of a hard- scrabble childhood, physical trauma, or deprivation. No tales of toiling parents, sacrificing to make a better life for their family. Wealth, influence and a steady stream of‘yes’ people put few obstacles in the way. When crossed, people might be either dismissed, or faced with the threat of legal action. In this way, lesser gods could be vanquished by larger, more earthly threats.
A well-crafted message relied on tropes, and specific labels for each potential adversary, sparking often-demeaning stereotypes. ‘Little Marco,’ ‘Lyin’ Ted,’ ‘Crooked Hillary.’ Dismissive, offensive labels intended to conjure unfavorable reactions toward said adversary. Perhaps a germ of veracity in those labels put doubt in the minds of observers enamored of this narrative of the embattled outsider. At times, irked that the target of his ire took umbrage to the name-calling, or spoke in their own defense, he turned protestations into a personal attack on him, promoting the narrative of being the hero of his own tale.
Every story loves conflict; it’s how drama gets done. How can we root for Romeo and Juliet, if there’s not a Montague-Capulet throw down in the kingdom to keep them apart, sneak around and romance each other, only to have the star-crossed lovers tragic death lead to a reconciliation of their warring families? How can we care if our protagonist has no mountain to climb, no evil giant to vanquish, no fatal character flaw to overcome?
A children’s book called Something From Nothing traces the story of how a young boy’s grandfather makes him a beautiful blue blanket. As he gets older, the blanket is tailored into a jacket, vest, then tie, then cloth-covered button, until the button falls of and becomes lost. The lost button itself becomes the catalyst for telling the tale. If a lost button, and a lost leader can create drama and conflict in a story, so can you. So start writing it.
