Compare and Contrast

Building great characters requires the integration of contrasts and contradictions.

We’re going to stay with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK today, as the scenes that unfold next display a remarkable contrast to those we discussed yesterday. At the same time, these scenes continue to reveal more about the complexity of Indiana Jones as a leading character. The writing is masterful—and quite fun, to boot.

After the opening sequence, RAIDERS gives us a second establishing shot. It marks a vivid contrast to the world of the jungle—manicured lawns and collegiate gothic. Presumably we find ourselves at a distinguished school in the Northeast. We reconnect with Indy in front of a blackboard, wearing professional garb, complete with bow tie, glasses, and tweed jacket. He’s teaching anthropology. Ah, we think. So this is his day job. Note how all of the information above is communicated without a single line of dialogue. The classroom is also filled with almost exclusively attractive young women. One of them has “Love you” written in eyeliner across her eyelids. As she blinks to reveal her message, Indy is visibly uncomfortable. We sense he doesn’t really have a way with women, although he doubtless has what it takes to be a womanizer. He comes across as a man of integrity, uncomfortable with the young woman’s flirtation—a nice setup that will soon contrast with his ex-lover slapping him in a bar. As it turns out, Indiana is indeed clueless about women.

Like a typical professor, Dr. Jones assigns homework at the end of class and students bustle out. If we hadn’t witnessed the opening adventure, the protagonist would come across as a mild-mannered college professor with highly specialized textbook knowledge of anthropology. His is, in appearance, a normal life. Since we are privy to other information, we find Indy exciting and intriguing. Is adventuring in the jungle what professors get up to when school’s out for summer?

Great characters are often persons of many contradictions. Keep in mind that those apparent contradictions are simply different facets of a complex personality. Reconciling the fragments and applying them towards the greater good—linked to the character’s sense of calling—are one of the key functions of the adventure, or, for that matter, love story (if it’s a romance). The transformation from fragmented to integrated persona constitutes the character arc.

In the next scene of RAIDERS, Kasdan introduces the specific goal—the MacGuffin—of the story: Find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do. The scene unfolds in an impressive lecture hall. Two U.S. government officials have come to consult with Dr. Jones and his friend, the dean. The first thing I want you to take away from this scene is that we’re not merely forgiving of the exposition that takes place. In fact, we’re very open to it. By now, we desire it. This is because the writer has done his job well. By getting us emotionally invested in the high-thrill ride of the opening adventure sequence and presenting us with the contrasting world of the university, we want to know more, and not only about the story—about the character. Character likeability is key, but it’s not enough. Whether good or bad, friend or foe, you need the reader and audience invested emotionally in your protagonist. In other words, the lecture hall scene (where we are first introduced to the Ark of the Covenant) works not because it’s a cool setting (although that certainly doesn’t hurt), nor because the characters on screen read from an old book and show us the drawings (which nonetheless contributes to the authority of Dr. Jones). The scene works because it provides us with a glimpse into how Indiana navigates the gulf between his two lives—Harvard professor by day, renegade tomb raider by night.

Moreover, the scene contributes to the development of Indy’s character. His influence goes so far as to command the respect of the U.S. government. When the Nazis are digging in the Middle East, the government consults with Dr. Jones. He’s their go-to guy. While he no doubt enjoys to some degree his reputation as a subject matter expert, we further get the sense that Indy isn’t in the adventure just for himself. He serves something greater than a personal agenda, greater than his research, greater than the needs of individual governments. Indy is the kind of man who fights for causes larger than himself. He believes in science and in truth—he’s a true hero who stirs within us the desire to be something greater than we are. Thus, the character’s call to action becomes our call to action. Before we know it, we’re along for the ride. The emotional tie established up front between the protagonist and the audience carries us through the whole movie.

Keep in mind that Indy’s quest is also very personal. Kasdan carefully reminds us that Belloq (the arch-nemesis who took the golden idol from Indy during the opening sequence) is assisting the Nazis. Now, Indy can have his revenge. Thus, by the inciting incident, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK has clearly established three levels of stakes for the story:

1. The personal stakes: Will Dr. Jones beat Belloq and have his revenge? Is he up to the task? Although we like Indy, we saw Belloq outwit him in the opening sequence. Indy’s starting out as the underdog.
   

2. The external stakes: Can Jones prevent the Nazis from retrieving the Ark and bringing the whole world to its knees?Note that most of us (I hope) know how World War II plays out, so the real question isn’t whether or not the Nazis will be stopped—it’s how the story unfolds that interests us.
   

3. The philosophical stakes: Will goodness and courage triumph over self-interest and evil? Can the underdog values win out amidst the cynical world of war?

We haven’t unpacked all of the ways in which RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK wins big in introducing character. There’s a lot to say about supporting characters, too. But you should be beginning to get the idea. And now, you just need to think about how to apply these techniques to your own story.

© SJ Murray, 2018