Four Stories

If history can by analyzed according to generational attributes....

And if the events of the present day can be analyzed similarly....

Then what might be seen upon applying similar analysis to narrative artworks, such as literature, film, television, and theater?

One might find that they can be categorized as one of four Stories, which can be summarized as:

1. Stories of Heroic Struggle

2. Stories of Doom and Damnation

3. Stories of Moral Certainty

4. Stories of Personal Redemption

each matching with a particular generational archetype. Each Story has a heyday as their associated archetype matures, then fades away with them as well. While that doesn’t mean a particular Story doesn’t happen at other times, it probably will happen less, and be appreciated less.

So, as the Hero archetype grows up, Stories of Heroic Struggle become common. These can be identified by the following attributes:

* The good guys win.

* Winning is achieved through teamwork.

* There is a sacrifice required as the price of winning.

* Change is possible, but not without real costs.

While we can expect that the main characters are from Hero generations, such as G.I.s (born 1901-1925), we might see this Story happening with other archetypes as well. It is likely to go out of style as the realities of war and the disappointments of the eventual peace make Heroes and their Heroics seem a naive concept.

Examples: The Lord of the Rings; The Hunger Games; Harry Potter; Captain America: The First Avenger; How to Train Your Dragon

The fall of the Heroes will bring forth a darker and much less hopeful sort of story. This Story is not not about winners or losers: There are victims who are Doomed and perpetrators who are Damned.

* The winner  - if any - is probably not a good person.

* What victories exist are for nefarious purposes.

* Those who aren’t victorious are likely dead or otherwise doomed

* Change is futile - the universe resists it.

Here, the usual focus is on Artists, those born too late to be heroic in the previous Crisis. From an early age, they have to acknowledge their imperfection compared to those who, though only a few years older, are seen as the world's saviors. The works themselves are often well-crafted and adored by critics. Still, they have an inherently negative and tragic tone, which may be the reason they seem active only for a fairly short period. 

Examples: The Godfather; Bonnie and Clyde; Chinatown; Dr. Strangelove; Annie Hall

A desire for optimism and hope may be the birthplace of the Stories of Moral Certainty, where

* The good guy wins, often in a spiritual or religious context.

* Winning is due to personal, intrinsic moral superiority, often in opposition to corrupt or evil societal structures.

* The story is about becoming the (moral and superior) person you’re meant to be. 

* Change comes from within, and depends on knowing yourself.

This Story is likely to be focused on the Prophet archetype, and taking on the corruption of the system in support of spiritual and religious objectives. At some point, though, the simplicity of their success - through being a better person or wanting it more or other completely inherent character attributes - is insufficient, and more is desired. 

Examples: Forrest Gump; Rocky; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Tron; Almost Famous

The Story of Personal Redemption comes to the fore with the Nomad generation, the one that is mostly marked as “Bad” from the start.

* The main character starts with clear faults to be resolved, often morally ambiguous, or just Bad.

* Placed in a situation where he has to grow, the flawed main character moves away from Bad and towards Good

* Victory comes from doing the right thing, that Bad person succeeding in moving beyond flawed beginnings.

* Change consists of self-improvement, and overcoming your faults.

Redemption stories start being made as the fairy tales of the Prophets lose their drawing power, seen as too simple and unrealistic to be interesting. It's more appealing than self-actualization to Nomad generations, who have to work through being told that they are Bad early on. It’s not unusual to see the two paired up, though, with the moral purity of the Prophet becoming the source of the Nomad's redemption. As the Nomads grow up,  expectations for the latest generation improve, and the Heroic Story takes hold again. 

Examples: Pulp Fiction; Groundhog Day; A Christmas Carol; Iron Man; Lost (TV series); The Kid (Charlie Chaplin)

Needless to say, these broad strokes leave room for plenty of exceptions, alternatives, and loopholes. The line between self-improvements that makes you Not Bad and that which makes you Even Better is not always going to be clear. If there are multiple storylines, they may use different Stories. Some bad films will follow these precisely, while there are probably good films that don't. . 

It still should be a useful starting point.