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Reversal

Disciplines > Storytelling > Story Devices > Reversal

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Create a reversal of some kind in the story, for example the reversal of fortunes of a major character, perhaps going from bad luck to good luck or vice versa.

The change may also include a change in character, such as when as a person realizes something and becomes nicer or nastier.

Example

A character loses love, job and home. Then a romantic partner appears and things get better.

The sorcerer's apprentice makes a choice between good and evil magic.

A poor person wins the lottery.

Discussion

Reversal in a story provides a change that may be unexpected and which allows the story to be extended as 'part 2' is described.

The reversal was described by Aristotle in his Poetics as Peripeteia. He said that this should occur when the audience does not expect it to happen. He described it as 'a change by which the action veers round to its opposite, subject always to our rule of probability or necessity'. He considered that a good tragedy included Anagnorisis that leads to Peripeteia.

The word Peripety is also used and often describes a sudden change based on intellect and logic.

See also

Fold, Twist Ending, Discovery

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

Please help and share:

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

– About
– Guest Articles
– Blog!
– Books
– Changes
– Contact
– Guestbook
– Quotes
– Students
– Webmasters

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
Massive Content — Maximum Speed