Story structure: The Fichtean Curve

The Fichtean Curve, also known as the narrative arc or the dramatic arc, is a storytelling model that describes the structure of a story or narrative. While the term “Fichtean curve” is named after Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a German philosopher who was influential in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, it is not clear if Fichte himself originated the idea of the narrative arc (Writing Manuals for the Masses: The Rise of the Literary Advice Industry from Quill to Keyboard, ).

The Fichtean curve is often attributed to the German poet and playwright Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, who was a contemporary of Fichte and a close friend. Schiller was interested in the structure of drama and wrote extensively on the subject, and it is likely that he was the one who popularized the narrative arc as a storytelling model.

Schiller’s most famous essay on drama, “Theater Considered as a Moral Institution”(Friedrich Schiller, Poet of Freedom), describes the structure of a dramatic plot as consisting of five acts, each with a specific function in the storytelling process. This structure, which includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement, is similar to the Fichtean curve and has been influential in shaping the way that writers and filmmakers approach storytelling.

While the Fichtean curve and the dramatic arc are often used interchangeably, they both describe the same basic structure of a story and share a common origin in the theories of German Romanticism. The Fichtean curve is a more traditional story structure that consists of five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. The Fichtean curve consists of five main elements:

1. Exposition: The story’s introduction, where the main characters and setting are introduced, and the conflict or problem is established.
2. Rising Action: The part of the story where the conflict or problem is developed, and tension and suspense are built.
3. Climax: The point of highest tension or conflict in the story, where the protagonist faces a critical decision or obstacle.
4. Falling Action: The part of the story where the tension and conflict start to resolve, and the consequences of the protagonist’s decision or action are revealed.
5. Denouement: The final part of the story, where loose ends are tied up, and the conflict or problem is resolved.

The Fichtean Curve is a widely used storytelling model that can be applied to many different types of stories, from novels to movies to TV shows. By following the narrative arc, writers can create a compelling and engaging story that keeps readers or viewers invested in the characters and the outcome of the story.

Writing Sample

Here’s a Fichtean curve outline for the novel The Shining by Stephen King:

Rising Action

• The family settles into the hotel, and the isolation begins to take a toll on Jack’s mental state.
• Danny’s encounters with the supernatural presence in the hotel increase, and his psychic abilities become more intense.
• The hotel’s malevolent spirits gradually reveal themselves and exert influence over Jack, exploiting his vulnerabilities.

Climax

• Jack succumbs to the hotel’s influence and descends into madness, becoming a threat to his family.
• The forces of evil in the hotel manipulate Jack to carry out their dark desires, leading to a violent confrontation with Wendy and Danny.
• The climax culminates in a life-or-death struggle as Danny must use his powers and wit to escape his deranged father and the malevolent spirits.

Falling Action

• Danny and Wendy manage to escape Jack’s clutches and seek refuge from the pursuing forces within the hotel.
• They uncover more of the hotel’s dark secrets and confront the true nature of its evil.
• The psychological and physical toll on the characters becomes apparent as they fight for survival and struggle to keep their sanity.

Resolution (Denouement)

• Danny and Wendy ultimately triumph over the supernatural forces within the Overlook Hotel.
• The hotel is consumed by its own malevolence, collapsing under the weight of its dark history and the actions of its inhabitants.
• The surviving characters, scarred but free from the hotel’s influence, leave the wreckage behind and start a new chapter of their lives.

This Fichtean curve outline captures the progression of suspense and horror in The Shining. It follows the rising tension as the characters are subjected to the hotel’s malevolent influence, leading to a climactic showdown and a resolution that offers a sense of closure and escape from the horrors they have faced.