Character by Robert McKee

Author:Robert McKee [MCKEE, ROBERT]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2021-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

CONSCIOUS VERSUS SUBCONSCIOUS CONFLICT

When talking about the innermost self, I prefer the term subconscious to unconscious. To me, the un- in unconscious suggests an inert, coma-like state, mindless as a rock. In fact, this deepest realm is an active, cognitive subconscious. Sub- simply means “below consciousness.”7

During the night, the subconscious rises into mindfulness, disguised inside the symbolic objects and irrational story lines of dreams. Throughout the day, however, the hidden self stays unknown and unheard, busily driving the desires that consciousness puts into action.

Because the core self is unaware of this process, a character believes he guides his own life. In fact, he is not in command. An alien, hidden self also occupies him. As Freud said, “The manifestations I notice in myself but do not know how to link up with the rest of my mental life seem to belong to another person.”

The conscious and subconscious aspects of the mind are Janus-faced, inseparable, conflicted, and overlapping. Where does the subconscious end and the conscious begin? When does a character become aware of his subconscious desires? When does a conscious habit sink into the unthinking and instinctive? No clear line separates the two. In the sections that follow, I hold these inner realms apart to illustrate the principles of character design. In your work to create multidimensional roles, however, you will have to draw the line specifically, character by character.

Confronting antisocial, often violent subconscious impulses is the primary moral struggle for almost every complex character you create. Embracing the hidden self’s dark heart as well as its halo of light is essential to self-knowledge. Light, of course, is easy to see; making darkness visible takes courage.

When a story’s inciting incident throws the life of a complex character out of balance, two desires appear simultaneously: (1) a conscious object of desire, a specific thing or situation that he feels would restore balance. (2) a subconscious, nascent desire that has lain undisturbed for years stirs to life.

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