Message Board Topic For 4/14

[Comsie]

I had a teacher in college who used the expression, "No new stories since the Romans" often. Which basically trnslates into the concept of 'it's all been done before'. Every story, every idea, every plot twist, conflict, or romance, is somehow based on storylines that were created centuries ago. And even though certain stories may SEEM new, if you were to go back and look at stories of that time period, you would find its original concept somewhere else.

 

What do you guys think about this? I it true? Has every story already been told in one form or another? Sure the details change with the times, and a few new element are added here and there...but is it possible to really read a story with a completely original idea anymore? It's the challenge of every author, artist, painter, etc, to somehow break the mold and do something that's never been done before. Can it be done? Let us know your thoughts on this!

[Benji]

I had a teacher in college who used the expression, "No new stories since the Romans" often. Which basically trnslates into the concept of 'it's all been done before'. Every story, every idea, every plot twist, conflict, or romance, is somehow based on storylines that were created centuries ago. And even though certain stories may SEEM new, if you were to go back and look at stories of that time period, you would find its original concept somewhere else.

 

What do you guys think about this? I it true? Has every story already been told in one form or another? Sure the details change with the times, and a few new element are added here and there...but is it possible to really read a story with a completely original idea anymore? It's the challenge of every author, artist, painter, etc, to somehow break the mold and do something that's never been done before. Can it be done? Let us know your thoughts on this!

 

 

..........Hell, I guess if you put that way "Star Wars" was just another epic battle between good & evil!

[steph]

Well, I think there's a difference between a new plot upon which the story is based and a new story. I mean, technically, Star Wars was "just another epic a battle between good and evil," but the combination of the dialogue and the actors and the special effects (for the time) coupled with the complexity and detail of the AU, it's a classic.

[corvus]

Yes, and no. Typical answer from me. I do think that, if you want to look for repeated plot elements and character-types, then there's very little that's truly new. However, that's no reason to discount the "trappings" or "variations" that set each story apart. I think those little things are integral to the story as a whole. Often, originality comes more from "how" than "what."

[BWCTwriter]

I'd sorta agree that all the "destinations" have been done before.... but each person's "journey" can be different..... I mean lets face it... we're all working off the ole' Intro-rising action-climax-falling action-conclusion storyline..... read enough stories and the end becomes utterly predictable from even 1/3 of the way in :-p...

[Graeme]

I think I read that ALL plots can be summarised as "Someone/Something strives against Someone/Something".

 

I agree with corvus -- if you look at any plot at a high enough level, there's nothing new. But if you go down low enough, they are all new. The implementations of the various basic ideas of conflict (good vs evil, person against their own fears, person growing up) are many and varied... and all new.

[Comsie]

I wonder if it's truly possible to come up with something that has seriously NEVER been done before. I'd like to think that with the unlimited potential of human emotion, there would be some angle or perspective that's never been approached before. I have NO idea what angle that is...but I'd like to imagine there is one.

 

As far as trying to find it, I've been unsuccessful so far. But I'll keep trying. I think that, to some extent, everything is being built on a foundation that was given to us by generation after generation with very little variation from the basic mold. And yet...I just KNOW that there's a new story out there! Hehehe, there just has to be. We might need a mystic to find it. Who knows? It might be the key to world peace.