Arc analysis: Redefining character arcs for ‘constant’ characters

Abstract

A frequent assumption made in Anglo-American screenwriting manuals asserts that in most, if not all, ‘successful’ screen stories, the protagonist goes through a significant emotional transformation, sometimes referred to as a ‘character arc’. However, many classic, highly profitable and critically acclaimed feature films centre on protagonists who are emotionally ‘constant’, in that they do not appear to emotionally transform. As a result, these otherwise successful narratives have either been omitted from analysis or their analysis has been distorted to fit the orthodox yet vaguely defined understanding of a character arc. In this article, I will outline a new model of character arcs called ‘Arc Analysis’ that, by taking account of both the ‘internal’ and ‘external’ worlds of the protagonist, has the capacity to accurately describe the arcs of emotionally ‘constant’ characters. I will demonstrate the Arc Analysis model using an analysis of Jaws (1975), a highly successful film that, I will argue, features a protagonist who does not emotionally transform and, as a result, is frequently misinterpreted. Furthermore, I will, using the key components of Arc Analysis, propose a new and more precise definition of a character arc.