The Spiral ARC
The Spiral ARC is where PROT falls into a toxic pattern and either can’t get out, or barely escapes. It is a story about depression, self-destructive behavior, or unrelenting grief. It might be codependence, or one-way dependence on someone who doesn’t care for you. It might be an abusive relationship you’re addicted to. It could be addiction as well.
These are not happy stories. These are cautionary tales of people going down dark paths. A SLIGHTLY-POSITIVE ARC is if they realize how bad it’s gotten and they seek help at the end of the story, but even then the progress of the story ARC is down down down and slightly up. A NEGATIVE ARC is if they self-destruct and/or follow through with their insane plans of revenge or destruction or murder or insanity.
The Emotional Arc
- STS: Yes, my life sucks, but as long as I have you (or X), I’ll be “fine”.
- DSR: [betrayal/death] I NEED YOU! Wh would you hurt me like this (projecting).
- BWO: I can’t believe I was abandoned/punished. How dare you! Please. Let me back in.
- PNR: I don’t care. I’m going to self-destruct/lash-out/spiral. It’s just not worth living.
- AIL: Maybe I can still stop this? Do the right thing? Save myself? What have I done???
- CMX: No, I’m going to do something even more insane and crazy!!!
alt. CMX: PROT realizes they fucked up and seeks therapy, help, or goes finds themselves somewhere alt. CMX: PROT knows what they’re doing is bad, but they keep doing it anyway and self-destructs
The Stakes
- Losing their “toxic normal”, something they’ve self-justified
- Losing their whole world to this one person/system/family, getting “cut off”
- Losing their victim status, fear of moving on, choosing to wallow instead
The Triangle(s)
- PROT: The Dependent
- The “Barb” - Person they’re latched on to in unhealthy way
- They’re leaving them
- They’re toxic and hold on to them
- They’re abusive (exploit, preys on)
- Misguided Targets - people they lash out at.
- ANTG: Themselves
Media
Film & TV
- Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
- The Virgin Suicides (1999)
- Annihilation (2018)
- Wolf of Wall Street (2014)
Novels & Literature
- Wurthering Heights (1847) by Emily Brontë
- Hamlet (1601) by William Shakespeare
Short Stories
- Like a River Loves the Sky (2018) by Emma Törzs
- Ten Deals with the Indigo Snake (2018) by Mel Kassel