Objectives

Definition

Objectives refer to the specific goals or aims that characters or actors strive to achieve within a narrative. In storytelling, understanding these objectives is essential as they drive character motivation and inform the rehearsal process, helping to create a more compelling and authentic performance.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Objectives are crucial for defining a character’s desires and actions, creating depth and complexity in their portrayal.
2. Clear objectives help actors understand their characters' motivations, which leads to more authentic performances.
3. In rehearsals, actors often discuss and refine their characters' objectives to ensure they align with the overall story arc.
4. Characters may have multiple objectives that can change throughout the narrative based on circumstances and conflicts.
5. The relationship between different characters' objectives can lead to dynamic interactions and plot development, driving the story forward.

Review Questions

• How do objectives influence a character's actions and decisions in a narrative?
  • Objectives serve as the driving force behind a character's actions and decisions. When a character has a clear goal, it motivates their behavior, shapes their relationships with others, and influences how they respond to obstacles. Understanding a character's objectives helps audiences grasp their motivations and connect with them emotionally throughout the story.
• Discuss the role of objectives during the rehearsal process and how they affect the development of a performance.
  • During the rehearsal process, objectives play a key role in shaping how actors interpret their characters. Actors explore and clarify their characters’ goals to create authentic portrayals that resonate with the audience. This exploration allows for experimentation with different choices that reflect the character’s intentions, ultimately leading to a richer and more layered performance as actors align their interpretations with the vision of the production.
• Evaluate how understanding both main and sub-objectives can enhance the complexity of character interactions in a play.
  • Understanding both main and sub-objectives adds layers to character interactions by revealing hidden motivations and conflicts. Main objectives are often clear and straightforward, while sub-objectives might be more nuanced or conflicting. By recognizing these dynamics, writers can craft intricate dialogues and scenarios that highlight tensions between characters, enriching the narrative and creating engaging dramatic moments that keep audiences invested in the story.

Related terms

Character Arc:

The transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story, often influenced by their objectives and the challenges they face.

Conflict: The struggle between opposing forces in a narrative, often arising from characters pursuing their objectives, leading to tension and drama.

Subtext:

The underlying meaning or implicit messages in dialogue and action, which can reveal a character's true objectives beyond their spoken words.