02 of the eight
Household
Is a marriage, a parent, or a child a real life here, or just a prop?
What it is
A house is where a child first learns what a vow is, and who is in charge of the day. Plenty of old houses failed that. A story still has to decide whether the home is a life or a set.
A high mark
Marriage, parents, and children are a life the story takes seriously.
A thin mark
The home is furniture, a prison, or a laugh. A child is used and not looked after.
What it is not
Not a demand that every story be about a family. A story with no house can still honor one, or show what it costs to have none.
What to look for
- 1A vow is kept, or it is broken and somebody pays. If the break is the joke, that is the mark.
- 2Children are people. If they are only there for a punchline, say so.
- 3Fidelity is a life, or it is the thing the plot has to get around so the fun can start.
- 4Parents can be wrong. They should not all be fools while the child runs the house.