Plotto 101

					
				(41) FINDING AN OBLIGATION AT VARIANCE WITH 
					AMBITION, INCLINATION OR NECESSITY 


				19 

				i 

				(a) (117) (24a, b, c)- 

				A falls in love with B, and renounces wealth, which he was to 
				inherit by marrying BX (223) (43-**) - 

				(b) (118) (1041 ch A to GF-A) - 

				A, under threat of being disinherited, is ordered to commit an act 
				that will prove a grievous injury to a near relative of B's, the woman 
				he loves. A refuses (130) (313) 

				20 

				| (a) (1058) (1138) 

				A seeks to buy an object, X, from B, an object he greatly desires. 
				B will not sell * A and B, while engaged in a commercial transaction, 
				fall in love ** (41a, b, c) 

				

					
				(41) refers to B Clause #41 in the Masterplot chart. If your original masterplot 
				included B Clause #41, you would then turn to page twenty and decide if your 
				story falls under the category of Love and Courtship, Married Life, or Obligation. 
				Assuming you chose the former, the book would direct you to a number of 
				potential conflict situations, including nineteen and twenty, as shown. From here, 
				you choose the specific conflict situation that works best for your story. 


				19 indicates the Conflict Situation (another way to think of it is as a story segment). 

				(a) Under each numbered Conflict Situation, you might find several variations 
				indicated with bold, lowercase letters in parentheses. 


				(117) (24a, b, c) The parenthetical numbers at the outset of a conflict situation 
				are suggested "lead-ups" to that segment. In this case, you can build a story 
				backward by referring to conflict situation 11 7, 24a, 24b, or 24c. 


				(223) 

				The parenthetical numbers 
				at the end of a conflict 
				situation are the "carry- 
				ons." They serve the same 
				purpose as "lead-ups," 
				except that they take 
				you forward in the story 
				instead of backward. 


				* or (43-**) Some conflict situations can be broken 
				up into shorter clauses, so that you might use the 
				first part, but not necessarily the second (or vice 
				versa). Asterisks represent where those breaks exist. 

				Here's a basic rundown of how asterisks operate 
				within conflict situations: 

				* End of Part 1 
				** End of Part 2 
				*** End of Part 3 


				Here's a basic rundown of how asterisks operate with lead-ups and carry-ons: 
				-* The conflict situation should be used up to the * 

				-** All of the conflict situation should be used up to the ** 

				*-** Only the second part of the conflict should be used 


				(1041 ch A to GF-A) Occasionally, using two specific conflict situations 
				requires you to change the character makeup. Here, using Conflict Situation 1041 
				in combination with 19b requires you to change character A in the lead-up to 
				character CF-A (in this case, that means the lead-up from "The protagonist, on 
				his way to execute a new will disposing of his estate, meets death in an accident" 
				changes to "The grandfather of the protagonist, on his way to execute a new will 
				disposing of his estate, meets death in an accident." Sometimes, instead of "ch 
				A to GF-A," you'll see "tr A to GF-A," in which case, you'll transpose, within the 
				specific lead-up or carry-on, two characters that are already present. 

				A, X, B, represent the various characters involved in the story. Page twenty- 
				three has an exhaustive table of possible characters. In this case, A stands for the 
				"male protagonist," B stands for the "female protagonist," and BX stands for "a 
				mysterious female person, or one of unusual character."
				

					A, B and A-5 

					LOVE’S MISADVENTURES -- 

					A's secretary, B, is a criminal, "planted" in A's home by A-5, a crook 152b 

					(1) B, a criminal, confederate of A-5, a crook, falls in love with her employer, A 
					152b 

					MARRIED LIFE 

					A-5, A-5, tricky so-called spiritualists, pretend to materialize the spirit of 
					deceased B in order to influence A to give them money by advice of the 
					supposed B 474 

					B's husband, A, is killed by A-5 569 

					B's husband, A, is killed by A-5; and A-5, through the law's delay and 
					technicalities, escapes with only a light sentence 569 

					(9) B invokes the Mosaic law in seeking revenge upon A-5 for the murder of 
					her husband, A 569 

					(9) B, wife of A, takes the law in her own hands and shoots A-5, who has 
					murdered A 594e 

				

					A, B and A-5 indicate your chosen combination of characters. In this case: 
					a male protagonist, a female protagonist, and a male criminal. 


					LOVE’S MISADVENTURES refers back to the conflict group/subgroup 
					under which each conflict situation is categorized. Once you choose your character 
					combination, browse for the appropriate conflict group for your story. Under each 
					conflict group, you'll find any number of possible conflict situations with which 
					you can begin. 


					152b The number at the end of each conflict situation takes you back to the 
					Conflict Situation section of Plotto, where, with your characters now in place, you 
					can start building the framework of your story. 


					(1) The parenthetical numbers in the left-hand column are suggestions for the C 
					clause of your story (that is, the clause that eventually terminates the action). 

				

THE PLOTTO METHOD. Plotto achieves creative art in fiction by a new Method of plot suggestion. Suggestion is based on Themes (or Masterplots) and Conflicts.

THEME. Every story has a Theme, or an underlying proposition that indicates its type. The Theme may be clear-cut and distinct, or shadowy and vague; it is always in evidence, and differentiates one type of story from all the other types. Around each Theme any number of distinctly different stories may be written.

A story may be constructed with, or without, a certain Theme in mind. Rarely perhaps does a writer begin a story with a set Theme in front of him. He may develop his plot from a situation, or Conflict; nevertheless, as the plot develops the Theme develops with it. The writer will feel the Theme and, consciously or unconsciously, combine his Conflicts to a certain pattern. This pattern, plain in the finished work, will conform to a Theme. When a story is built around a Theme, the Theme becomes a Masterplot.

The Plotto Method enables the Plottoist to begin his story with a Masterplot and marshal his situations or Conflicts in conformity to it; or, it enables him to begin with a situation or Conflict and consciously to watch the particular Theme as the plot unfolds.

MASTERPLOTS WITH INTERCHANGEABLE CLAUSES. Each Plotto Masterplot classifies in general terms and in a single terse sentence a certain type of story. Each Masterplot consists of three Clauses: An initial Clause defining the protagonist in general terms, a middle Clause initiating and carrying on the action, and a final Clause carrying on and terminating the action. Suggestions for exemplifying the action with concrete situations are offered by the Conflicts.

THE CONFLICTS. Desire, in some one of its many forms, is responsible for the awakening of Purpose. Something from without, impinging upon something within, excites a feeling or an emotion, and the soul flows into Purpose, and Purpose into action. Then, somewhere on the path of rising action. Purpose encounters Obstacle. At this point, and at this point only, do we establish what writers of creative fiction call a situation. Purpose alone never made a situation; Obstacle alone never made one; but strike the flint of Obstacle with the steel of Purpose and sparks of situation begin to fly.

Plotto, as a Method of plot suggestion for writers of creative fiction, is founded upon this law: Purpose, expressed or implied, opposing Obstacle, expressed or implied, yields Conflict.

PURPOSES AND OBSTACLES, How many Purposes are there in the world? Not many, although their variations are infinite. Perhaps, in the last analysis one General Purpose would comprehend all the Purposes: TO ACHIEVE HAPPINESS. That is the end and aim of life on this planet. But happiness has a different meaning for most of us. There is the happiness of love and courtship, of married life, of achieving wealth or power by all the many methods, good or evil, that may be contrived by the thinking mind. Religion may be the road to happiness for some, and revenge the road to a doubtful happiness for others. The virtues or the faults of a human soul set the pattern of Purpose for that soul.

Plotto concerns itself with but one General Purpose in its application to three general goals of endeavor:

Yet, while this one General Purpose runs through all the Conflicts, a host of subordinate Purposes will appear in them, opposed by an infinite number of Obstacles.

There is one Supreme Purpose in every life: TO LIVE; and there is one Supreme Obstacle each life encounters: DEATH. Complicating the scheme and giving zest to the plot of life are innumerable subordinate Purposes and Obstacles, dealing with all the enterprises of which life is capable.

Overshadowed by the Supreme Purpose of LIFE, and the Supreme Obstacle of DEATH, we wage our mimic wars of conquest and gain; but, at any minute, the Supreme Purpose may fail, and Death come striding into our finite calculations and calling a truce. There is also a Paramount Purpose in all the lesser activities of our existence, opposed by a Paramount Obstacle; and they marshal their secondary Purposes and Obstacles to keep us “on our toes” and fighting valiantly for all we have, or hope to have. Blessed be Purpose! And thrice-blessed be Obstacle!

The Conflicts in Plotto are brief statements of Purpose in active opposition with Obstacle—situations which are to be combined with other situations. For instance: “A, in love with B, is not favored by F-B, father of B.” Here is the implied Purpose, “To Achieve Happiness in Love,” meeting an Obstacle bluntly expressed.

Purpose and Obstacle give concrete exemplification of the Theme in every form of fictional narrative, whether short story, novelette, or novel.

THE SHORT STORY. Purpose and Obstacle at grips in one dramatic situation will define the short story, since it is calculated to leave a single dominant impression upon the reader’s mind. Ordinarily, this form of narrative fiction will be woven about a plot of the simplest construction. There will be the main situation as suggested by a chosen Conflict, the Conflict leading up to it and the Conflict carrying on and terminating the action. These three Conflicts may be reduced to two, if the main Conflict should in itself possess the qualities of a terminal Conflict. Conflicts too long, or too involved, for short story purposes will usually be found to be broken Conflicts. When such a Conflict is selected for the main situation, it is possible to use only that part of it which contains the most dramatic appeal.

THE NOVELETTE. This form of narrative fiction may be considered as a long short story, or as a short novel. If the former, the Conflict suggesting the situation will be elaborated with dramatic material concerned with the Purpose and Obstacle. If, on the other hand, the novelette partakes of the character of a short novel, the Paramount Purpose and Obstacle will involve subordinate Purposes and Obstacles all cumulative in power and bearing upon the story’s climax or crisis. Here, as everywhere, the imagination must exercise constructive judgment.

THE NOVEL. The full-fledged novel may be considered as consisting of several short stories all leading up to, and intimately bound up with, the Paramount Purpose and Obstacle that give the complete story its unity. Construction here plays its most discriminating role, for the subordinate situations must grow toward a single, decisive crisis. The effect must be cumulative. If the main Conflict shall involve the crisis—and it should—all the subordinate situations dealing with the Theme will be so selected as to grow naturally in dramatic strength toward the climax. Here no rules of construction will take the place of taste and discrimination. The constructive imagination, properly exercised, will deal capably with the situations, and the creative imagination will work a miracle of dramaturgic power.

ORIGINALITY. The Conflicts all come from the vast storehouse of Human Nature. They are there, millions upon millions of them, waiting for the imagination to select them and group them in an original combination. For there is “nothing new under the sun.” Originality in creative work comes from our own individual use of the tools so bountifully provided by the Divine Creator. All that is possible to a mortal craftsman is the combining of old material into something new and different.

Originality is the ideal of the Plotto Method; and it is realized by disregarding the references prefixed and affixed to the Conflicts and (or) interpreting the Specific as well as the General, Conflicts in terms of the Plottoist’s own experience. Nothing in the Specific Conflicts will be used literally, but the concrete exemplification in such Conflicts will serve as a suggestion, lending wings to the creative imagination for its own high flight.

For orginal combinations of Conflicts the Classification by Symbols will be found a treasure-trove of suggestions. If the main Conflict selected is built around A, or B, alone, the A or B group should be scanned; if around A and B alone, the A and B group will yield suggestions, or the A or B group may be found to serve; or, if several characters are involved in the main Conflict, reference may be had to that particular group of symbols. If a certain group of symbols proves too limited, drop one of the lesser character symbols and consult the group represented by those remaining. This course may be followed, in the search for original combinations, until only the protagonist remains in the situation. Somewhere along the line of search the imagination is certain to find exactly what it is looking for.

CONFLICT GROUPS AND SUB-GROUPS. The Conflicts in Plotto are classified in three main groups:

The Conflicts in Love and Courtship are re-grouped as follows:

All the sub-groups are classified, for convenience of reference, under the middle. or “B,” Clauses of the Masterplots; and these form the only subdivisions of the main group, “Married Life.” Conflicts of the third group, “Enterprise,” fall into the following general classifications:

Inasmuch as dramatic situations are a product of the emotions, and the emotions, by reason of their complexity, have defied a hard and fast classification, it follows naturally that the Conflicts themselves will defy a rigid classification. The groupings noted above are more or less arbitrary, yet they will be bound to serve. Some Conflicts in Misfortune might easily fall into the sub-groups, Mistaken Judgment, Simulation, etc., and Conflicts in other sub-groups might logically be re-classified. Nevertheless, the classification in each case will exemplify in the Conflict the particular sub-group in which it has been placed.

MECHANICAL STRUCTURE. There is, of course, a mechanical structure underlying every properly constructed story. There are some very intelligent people who believe in the “divine afflatus” as something apart from hard, consistent, carefully calculated effort. Overlooking the old adage that “Genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains,” these wise ones will have their back-handed slap at anything mechanical in its application to Art.

It remains, however, that a good story must have a carefully developed plot for its framework; and the plot in itself, is purely mechanical. It is the logical devising of means to an end, a motivating of all the parts into a harmonious whole. A plot may be simple, or it may be complex, but an interesting story without some sort of plot is inconceivable. This machinery must not creak or complain as the story advances. A discriminating imagination must oil it so well with logic and plausibility that the god in the machine shall not be ruffled by the turning wheels. Plausibility is attained when fine discrimination, true judgment and a facility with words so cover the necessary mechanism that it does not intrude at any point upon the completed work. And therein lies the art of the story teller. Plotto, at least, holds this to be true; and, as a corollary of the position thus taken, exalts the imagination as the greatest force in the world.

IMAGINATION. If a story is a skeleton structure of plot, overlaid with a felicity of thought and phrase that may be called the flesh, then the pulsing heart of the creation, the one factor that gives it life and beauty, is the imagination. But this imagination must be rightly controlled.

The demands of fictional narrative would seem to predicate an imagination of three types: Mediocre, Constructive and Creative. A mind positively brilliant in its mastery of scientific research, or of the pursuit of trade, might be hopeless in meeting the demands of fictional narrative. Nevertheless, Plotto believes sincerely that a desire to write successful fiction is predicated upon the ability to write successful fiction; and that, given the technical requirements of experience and a fair education, not often will the mediocre imagination be found hopeless. Intensive training should develop constructive power; and it is but a step, in the interpretation of suggestion, from the constructive to the creative. Originality is the soul of creative art, and originality is nothing more than the interpretation of suggestion in terms of individual experience.

Each life is the sum of many experiences, and character indicates the reaction of those experiences upon the soul. In other words, life is a combination of situations, or Conflicts, with a spiritual signification drawn from the Conflicts themselves. So a story plot, which holds the mirror up to life, is a combination of Conflicts, selected to the pattern of a single Theme, or Masterplot. Life, with its multitude of experiences, is general; the imagination, dealing with a cross-section of life, makes the story plot particular. And imagination does this through the interpretation of suggestion.

SUGGESTION. The ideal of the Plotto Method, as stated elsewhere, is the interpretation of Conflict suggestions in terms of individual experience. Some of the Conflicts are General. Thus, Conflict No. 31 reads: “B, rescued from an accident by A, whom she does not know, falls in love with him.” The nature of the accident, and the character of B and of A, are circumstances left to the constructive imagination. In dealing with these circumstances, references to other Conflicts, prefixed and affixed to this general suggestion, will offer further suggestions for inventing the circumstances.

Many of the Conflicts are Specific. Thus, to quote Conflict No. 647: “B, a respectable working girl seeking employment, follows the advice of a supposed friend. A-5, and finds herself in an immoral dance hall where she is compelled to dance with patrons and serve drinks.” References to other Conflicts will suggest the cause of B’s necessity for seeking employment, and other references will suggest a finale for B’s unhappy plight. The constructive imagination might use Conflict No. 647 literally, but Plotto would not approve of such literal use. The ideal method is for the imagination to use the dance hall merely as a suggestion for something equally pertinent to the situation; in other words, use the concrete example in interpreting an equivalent for this specific suggestion as to B’s misfortune. Herein lies the opportunity for originality, and the way to creative work.

DEVELOPING THE PLOT FROM A MASTERPLOT. For purposes of illustration, we will select a Masterplot from the Masterplot Chart and build up a short story plot in tabloid form.

The B Clause “originates and carries on the action.” Prefixed to this B Clause in parentheses is the number, (49). On the back of the Masterplot Chart, we find that No. (49) refers us to a sub-group of Conflicts beginning with Conflict No. 1173, this particular B Clause serving as a title for the sub-group:

The reference numbers prefixed to this Conflict offer lead-up suggestions. Numbers 1187 and 2f form a complementary suggestion, or a combination of two Conflicts appropriate to the main situation.

Thus we have our two pretenders, neither knowing that the other is not what he or she seems to be. No. 2f has a carry-on suggestion:

A and not B is the protagonist of 1461a, but we manipulate the Conflict by changing A to B. This Conflict has a reference, No. 358 **-***:

We can now eliminate our main suggestion. Conflict 1173, so that our tabloid plot will read:

We have manipulated the combination Conflict by allowing 2f *-** to precede 1187; and if we keep the reader in ignorance of the fact that A and B are pretenders and allow the revelation to come at the end of the story, we shall achieve a double surprise and find ourselves with the plot of O. Henry’s story, “Transients in Arcadia.” Yet any number of stories, true to the Masterplot, may be built around these suggestions.

By changing the first two situations and selecting different Conflicts, the plot will develop along criminal lines:

Or, we could make our plot more dramatic by having the second situation read:

This might be followed with:

These changes in the plot would make necessary a change in the C clause of the Masterplot:

CONFLICT MANIPULATIONS. Characters in the Plotto Conflicts are represented by symbols (see “The Plotto Character Symbols,” page 17). These symbols may be readily changed or transposed, as an aid in manipulating the Conflict suggestions. Thus, “261 ch A-3 to A,” indicates that A-3 in the Conflict is to be changed to A; and, “578b tr B & B-3,” indicates a transposition in which B-3 takes the place of B and B of B-3.

The character symbols are changed, or transposed, in the auxiliary Conflicts to agree with the character symbols of the Conflict whose ramifications are being studied.

In many instances the Conflicts are “broken”—that is, divided into two or more parts. The end of the first part is marked with a star (*), of the second part, with a double star (**), of the third part with a triple star (***), etc. Thus, “-*” indicates that the Conflict is to be used up to the first star; “*-**” indicates that the first part of the Conflict is not to be used, but only that part between the first star and the double star; “-**” indicates that all of the Conflict is to be used up to the double star, etc.

DEVELOPING THE PLOT FROM A SELECTED SITUATION. The most practical way to illustrate the Plotto Method of developing a plot from a single situation, or Conflict, will be to select a Conflict and follow the Method through, step by step. For this purpose, the first Conflict, 1a, may be used:

The simplest combination will consist of three Conflicts—the Conflict selected as the working basis for the plot, the one Conflict leading up to it, and the third Conflict terminating the action, both auxiliary Conflicts taken from the references prefixed and affixed to the main, or basic, situation. For example, as a lead-up Conflict No. 112 may be used, followed by 1a, and this in turn followed by No. 209.

It develops, however, that the second part of the broken Conflict, 1a, may be eliminated; and that, with this elimination, 1a -* may logically precede Conflict 112, giving the three-Conflict plot as follows:

Nobility of character on the part of A is suggested by this heroic renunciation. The character of B, of F-B and of A-3, as well as the “enterprise of great difficulty and danger,” may be left to the creative imagination.

Again using Conflict 1a for our main suggestion, we might begin with Conflict 656 for a lead-up:

Reaching backward into the causes of A’s unfortunate condition, we will select lead-up suggestion No. 1079. Many other Conflicts in Personal Limitations, Misfortune, or, some of the other groups would serve us equally well, or better; but we will content ourselves with

Here we have a suggestion as to the character weakness which caused A to squander his fortune and mortgage his ancestral estates. We shall assume now that none of the references prefixed or affixed to 1079 appeals to our imagination, so we shall proceed on our own initiative—a course which Plotto earnestly recommends to the Plottoist in the working out of every plot. A further study of Personal Limitations suggests

Thus we have A, struggling hopelessly against a character weakness that has wrecked him financially, forming a platonic friendship for B. If we consider it expedient to bring about a dramatic first meeting of A with B, the Conflicts are brimming with such suggestions. But we will not go into that in this skeleton plot, our object being to simplify the references as much as possible. Conflict 1075b, a reference appended to 1075a, offers this suggestion as to B’s influence over A: “A’s admiration for his friend B, and his desire to please her, inspires him to bring out the best in his nature.” Also appended to 1075a is a reference to Conflict 364d, which seems quite apropos at this point:

This Conflict may be called a terminal Conflict, in the sense that it brings our love story plot to marriage, the finale of most such plots. But we are not ready, as yet, to close the action, inasmuch as we are merely leading up to the main situation, 1a; so we shall use only the first part of this broken Conflict: “A, with the help of B, overcomes an ignoble weakness.”

At last we have the female protagonist, B, firmly fixed in the plot, and we need not go back further into the lead-ups.

From this, it is manifest that A’s platonic association with B has gone the way of most platonic associations (see Conflicts 9a, b, c). and his gratitude has blossomed into love. A, by inference, is so deeply in love with B that the best in his nature is, for the time, eclipsed by his desire to win B. He resorts to simulation in forwarding his suit—thinking less of saving his ancestral acres by a wealthy marriage than he is of his own future happiness. Conflict 1a has a reference to Conflict 187 for carrying on the action:

We will discard this suggestion, for the reason that it will plunge A deeper into the questionable methods into which his ardor has already lured him. He is pretending to be a man of wealth when he is almost a bankrupt; but he has overcome his passion for gambling, thanks to B’s influence, and he is ready to husband his remaining resources and save what he can from the wreck of his material fortunes. A carry-on suggestion appended to Conflict 187 is a two-Conflict combination, 163 ; 91:

We are now approaching the climax of the action. A’s pretensions to wealth, B secretly discovers, are a hollow mockery. She learns that he is faced with disaster; and the Conflicts, if desired, will offer suggestions as to just how she discovers this secret. B is in love with A and ready to overlook his shortcomings, so she hastens to his rescue. We will depart, at this point, from the references and show B, on her own part, indulging in a bit of simulation. Turning to the sub-group. Simulation, we select Conflict,

This happy turn of affairs, naturally, cannot long remain unknown to A. If he has pride, let him pocket it; or let his pride be humbled by B’s proof of her great love for him. If this course cannot be made to serve, the Conflicts will offer many suggestions for estrangement and reconciliation; but, in our plot, we will not have A a cad. Of the thousands of changes possible in such a series of actions as we are studying, we could eliminate the Conflicts from 163, inclusive, onward and place A in a better light by using this suggestion from Revelation:

But we will not make the change. We will proceed to close the action with Conflict 364d *-**: “A’s gratitude to B blossoms into love; and when A is sure he has rehabilitated his character, he proposes to B and is accepted.”

The nature of the Conflicts, and their pliability, often calls for useless repetition. The statement in 364d that “A’s gratitude to B has blossomed into love,” is redundant. That fact has been known for some time, and has formed the basis for much of the action; and we simply ignore it here.

The latter part of this love story plot would stand as follows:

In the Classification by Character Symbols, all terminal Conflicts are marked by the parentheses number of the C Clauses. For instance, 364d exemplifies C Clause (9), “Achieves success and happiness in a hard undertaking.” This Conflict, 364d, will be found, marked “9”, under the A and B symbols of Conflicts in Marriage in the Classification by Symbols. An elusive terminal situation may be run down by consulting this Classification.

INDIVIDUALIZING PLOTTO. It is possible for the Plottoist to individualize his Plotto by adding material of his own. Every writer has newspaper clippings or other memoranda filed away for possible use. Let all this be catalogued in a loose-leaf book under the Conflict numbers to which each bit of material applies, and a notation to that effect penciled opposite the Conflicts thus amplified. This will broaden the usefulness of Plotto, often with concrete exemplifications of the Conflicts from real life.

A Plotto Masterplot consists of three clauses: An “A” Clause, a “B” Clause and a “C” Clause.

Any A Clause may be used in conjunction with any B Clause and with any C Clause. For the purpose of bringing all the B Clauses in juxtaposition with all the A and C Clauses, it is merely necessary to turn the narrow page.

Suggestions for evolving a plot to the pattern of the Masterplot selected will be found in the Plotto Conflicts. The Conflicts are listed in sub-groups; and each sub-group is listed under the full text of the B Clause which the sub-group exemplifies.

On the page immediately following the Masterplot pages will be found an index of the respective Conflict sub-groups under the parentheses number of the B Clause.

The C, or Terminal, Clauses are also numbered in parentheses; and Conflicts suggesting these terminations will be found opposite the C Clause numbers in the Classification by Symbols.

Characters in the Plotto Conflicts are represented by symbols. These symbols indicate the relationship of the auxiliary characters to the protagonist. This relationship is invariably explained in the text of the Conflicts, with the exception of the symbols A and B—these being the symbols of the male, and the female, protagonists. These symbols give a certain uniformity to the characters and facilitate character changes or transpositions. Protagonist A, or B, might be a criminal, an officer of the law, an employer, etc., but the numeral is never used in connection with the protagonist symbol—the explanation is given in the text.

Note: BR-A, BR-B, SR-A, SR-B, SN-A, SN-B, D-A, D-B, CN-A and CN-B may on occasion be merely BR, SR, SN, D, and CN.

Where necessary to indicate a male friend of B, or a female friend of A, the symbols aB-2, bA-2 may be used. Likewise, bCN-A, female cousin of A; aCN-B, male cousin of B, bGCH-A, female grandchild of A, aCH. male child, etc.

X added to any character gives to the character a suggestion of mystery.