Situations 51&52
LOSS OF A LOVED ONE AND RESCUE OF A LOVED ONE

“The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder.”

–VIRGINIA WOOLF

Loss of a Loved One

Loss is the condition of being deprived or bereaved of something or someone.

This situation requires a Kinsman Slain, a Kinsman Spectator, and an Executioner.

This situation is all about mourning. A Loved One has died and the surviving family members are trying to come to terms with their loss. The Slaying may have come about in several different ways:

• A Kinsman Spectator may have witnessed the Slaying but was unable to do anything about it.

• A Kinsman Spectator may have helped to bring misfortune upon one’s people through secrecy and as a result many were slain.

• A Kinsman Spectator may have divined the death of a Loved One.

• A Kinsman Spectator learns about the death of a Loved One after it has happened.

His kin may seek revenge, but that is not the only focus of this situation. It is the feelings and reactions to losing the Love One that are the focus. The despair, grief, guilt, and helplessness make this dramatic.

How the kinsmen react is what this situation is about, especially if one of the kinsman witnessed the event. Things to consider:

• How do they handle the funeral?

• How do they handle hearing the news?

• What sort of problems does this bring them?

• Did the Kinsman Slain have a spouse and children?

• Will anyone seek revenge?

• Was it an accident?

• Do the kinsmen start to question God?

• Do the kinsmen try to understand and explore what death is?

• Are there any kinsmen who are glad the Kinsman Slain is dead?

THE KINSMAN SLAIN

The Kinsman Slain was someone who is usually deeply loved by his fellow kinsman, at least most of them. This is what makes it so tragic, because he may have:

• done good deeds

• helped out kinsmen when they needed him

• been a mentor to younger kinsmen, teaching them about life

• tried to live a good decent life, keeping to himself

• done some foolish things in his life but was still very charming

• had some endearing quality about him that others are drawn to

KINSMAN SPECTATOR

There may or may not be a Kinsman Spectator of the Slaying. If there is, most of the situation will probably be about how this Kinsman Spectator handles what she saw. She may:

• be paralyzed with fear and terror

• be numb and unable to face what happened

• go into shock

• change her whole personality

• lose faith in people and those that are supposed to be there to protect, causing her to become ever vigilant

• give up things she once held dear

THE EXECUTIONER

The Executioner is usually not the main focus of the story, as the main focus is on the loss of the Kinsman Slain. There is usually not a great deal of mystery surrounding the Kinsman’s death. The cause of death is usually pretty clear. Once the Slaying takes place, the Executioner doesn’t play much of a role in the story. In fact, the Slaying itself may never be seen. Perhaps the story opens with a mother getting a phone call about her son’s death and we later hear from the Kinsman Spectator.

The Executioner may be an inanimate object such as drugs, a vehicle, or a rusty nail that infected the Kinsman.

The Executioner may even be the Kinsman Spectator if he is the one to bring misfortune to his kinsmen. Perhaps he is behind the wheel of the car that crashes, Slaying his fellow Kinsman.

Whether Loss of a Loved One is used as plot, subplot, or incident, the elements of the beginning, middle, and end are the same:

BEGINNING: A Kinsman is slain.

• Will the Executioner be shown?

• Will the Executioner be a person or an object?

• Will another Kinsman be there to witness it?

• Is the Slaying an accident? Or premeditated?

• Why is the Kinsman Slain? Did he do something wrong?

• How do other characters feel about it?

• Did he have any surviving children?

• Was he supposed to achieve greatness? Help a large group of people? Was he important?

MIDDLE: The Kinsman reacts to the Slaying.

• Will he seek revenge?

• Will he try to fill the Kinsman Slain’s shoes? Carry on where he left off?

• Will he put himself in jeopardy now?

• Will he act differently? Lose his mind on some level?

• What will the rest of the family do? How will they deal with this? Are they afraid for the Kinsman?

END: The Kinsman comes to terms with the Slaying and gets on with life.

• Did he seek revenge? Was he successful?

• Has he found a way to let the pain go and get on with his life? How?

• Does he have to face other family members? Are they upset with him for moving on?

• How has his life changed?

• What will he do now?

• Is there anyone he can help who might be like the Kinsman Slain?

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”

–LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA

Rescue of a Loved One

To rescue means to set free from danger or imprisonment.

In this situation the Kinsman Spectator becomes the Rescuing Kinsman.

Whereas in the previous situation the Kinsman Spectator was helpless, in this situation she is able to pull herself together, gather her resources, and plan a rescue. Think of Finding Nemo and how the father fish rescues his son.

She is willing to do whatever it takes because the Kinsman means that much to her. They have family ties, but their relationship goes deeper than that.

She may not know how strong and resourceful she is until she has to step up and help him. This situation may be just what she needed to pull her out of her shell and force her into seeing how great and strong she really is.

Whether Rescue of a Loved One is used as plot, subplot, or incident, the elements of the beginning, middle, and end are the same:

BEGINNING: A Kinsman is threatened and the Rescuing Kinsman witnesses it.

• Why doesn’t she jump in and rescue right now? What is the danger?

• Why does she want to rescue him? Is he her child?

• What does she stand to gain by rescuing?

• What is at stake?

• Where does the rescue have to take place? Does the place add more drama and make it harder to rescue?

• Do other characters want to help?

MIDDLE: The Rescuing Kinsman puts a plan together.

• Is she good at putting together plans? Or bad at it?

• Does she like to just jump in and do things even though the timing may be wrong?

• Will other characters help her?

• Is she in this alone?

• Does the Threatened Kinsman want her help?

• Is the rescue one of just giving money?

END: The Rescuing Kinsman rescues the Threatened Kinsman.

• How does the rescue take place?

• Are there any problems? What goes wrong?

• Is she successful? Are there any sacrifices made?

• Is the Threatened Kinsman happy and grateful?

• How does the Rescuing Kinsman feel about herself now?

• What do other characters think?

• What will the Rescuing Kinsman do now?

EXAMPLES

While I Was Gone, SUE MILLER

LOSS OF A LOVED ONE AS SUBPLOT— When she was in her twenties, Jo Becker discovered the body of her murdered best friend. She spends the next thirty years trying to come to terms with what happened without letting it ruin her marriage and relationship with her daughters.

The Big Chill, LAWRENCE KASDAN

LOSS OF A LOVED ONE AS SUBPLOT— At the funeral of one of their friends, a group of people who attended college together reunite.

The Last of the Mohicans, JAMES FENIMORE COOPER

RESCUE OF A LOVED ONE AS PLOT— Three trappers protect a British Colonel’s daughter in the midst of the French and Indian War.

Finding Nemo, ANDREW STANTON AND LEE UNKRICH

RESCUE OF A LOVED ONE AS PLOT— Marlin is a widower who takes care of his only son Nemo. On Nemo’s first day of school he’s captured by a scuba diver and taken to live in a dentist office’s fish tank. Marlin sets off to find Nemo at all costs.