• Thriller 32

  Lesson 10

  Posted by cheryl croasmun on August 26, 2024 at 5:38 am

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  William Whiteford replied 9 months, 3 weeks ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
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  William Whiteford

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  September 16, 2024 at 3:04 pm

  Assignment 10
  William Whiteford: Trust Relationships in Thrillers

  In this assignment, I explored how trust plays a crucial role in thriller narratives and how to effectively incorporate it. Trust, in this context, refers to relationships between characters—some genuine, others fleeting, and some misleading or opposite to what they initially appear to be. The protagonist forms connections with other characters, but whether these individuals are trustworthy remains uncertain. Characters may shift from being trustworthy to untrustworthy, and exploiting these critical moments creates surprise, excitement, and tension in the thriller.

  I examined how trust and distrust are portrayed in the relationships between characters in “Three Days of the Condor” and “North by Northwest”.

  1. Main Characters:
  Hero: Glen
  Villain: Jack
  Red Herring: Jeff
  Trusted, but shouldn’t be: Jack
  Not trusted, but should be: Flora
  2. Basic States of the Characters:
  Glen: Trustworthy
  Jack: Initially trustworthy
  Jeff: Untrustworthy
  Flora: Trustworthy
  B:

  Jack seems trustworthy at first as he successfully plays the role of Glen’s fan, even presenting references and a letter of recommendation from renowned writers.
  Flora, on the other hand, initially appears untrustworthy because she focuses on royalties upfront.
  C:

  Glen burns Jack’s manuscript.
  Flora demonstrates her commitment to cooperating with Glen.
  3. Trust-Distrust Dynamics
  Glen/Jack

  Trust: Jack convincingly plays Glen’s fan.
  Trust: Glen hires Jack as his secretary.
  Distrust: Glen burns Jack’s manuscript.
  Distrust: Jack assaults Glen and escapes.
  Distrust: Glen chases and eventually captures Jack.
  Glen/Flora

  Distrust: Flora demands royalties upfront.
  Trust: Flora later shows her dedication to working with Glen.
  Glen/Jeff (Red Herring)

  Mistrust: Jeff, armed with a rifle, runs through the park.
  Mistrust: Jeff might shoot a bird.
  Trust: Jeff warns Glen about the electric treatment.
  Mistrust: Jeff attacks Glen.
  4. My New Thriller Map
  Act 1

  Inciting Incident: A mysterious veteran, described as “a man with a rifle,” shoots a bird in a park.
  Villain’s Plan: Jack H. (the villain) stages a series of animal killings to frame his boss, Glen, have him confined to a psychiatric clinic, and then escape abroad with Glen’s wife, Grace.
  Life-Threatening Situation 1: Glen is at risk of being shot during the park encounter.
  Mystery 1: Who is the shooter?
  Mystery 2: Is the shooter a fugitive from a local psychiatric clinic?
  Trust: Jack successfully convinces Glen that he is a devoted fan.
  Trust: Glen hires Jack as a secretary.
  Twist 1: Jack hacks Glen’s accounts and files.
  Turning Point 1: Glen’s wife’s cat is found dead.
  Mystery 3: Is the veteran responsible for the cat’s death, or is it Jack?
  Life-Threatening Situation 2: Is this a direct warning to Glen and his family?
  Mistrust: Glen burns Jack’s manuscript. Jack attacks Glen and disappears. Glen later discovers that Jack H. died three months ago.
  Mistrust/Twist 2: Jack forged his references and recommendation letter.
  Twist 3: Jack’s real name is Roy J., not Jack H.
  Mystery 4: Who is using the identity of Jack H., and where is he now?
  Mystery 5: Will Glen be able to track down and capture the villain?
  Act 2

  Twist 4: As Glen begins firearms training, new consequences arise.
  Twist 5: Glen’s wife, Grace, is revealed to be conspiring with Jack.
  Twist 6: Grace betrays Glen multiple times.
  Twist 7: Glen’s brother, Dan, demands a piece of property from Glen.
  Life-Threatening Situation 3: A masked man attacks Glen at night.
  Mystery 6: Is Dan behind the attack, given his recent property dispute with Glen?
  Twist 8: A new side of Dan emerges, as he is likely the one who attacked his brother.
  Twist 9: Glen’s friend, John, offers to help.
  Twist 10: Glen’s misplaced trust in others backfires.
  Twist 11: Glen chases Jack with a gun but ends up trapped in an empty building.
  Midpoint: Glen pursues Jack again, but Jack escapes.
  Life-Threatening Situation 4: A high-speed chase ensues through the city, with both men armed and shooting at each other.
  Turning Point 2: Glen is confined to a psychiatric clinic.
  Twist 12: Glen faces a long-term sentence and the potential loss of his assets.
  Act 3

  Trust: In the clinic, Jeff warns Glen about the electric shock treatment.
  Mistrust/Twist 13: Glen fears for his life in the clinic and is attacked by a veteran.
  Life-Threatening Situation 5: Glen dreads the electric shock treatment.
  Life-Threatening Situation 6: The veteran violently attacks Glen.
  Life-Threatening Situation 7: Glen escapes from the clinic, pursued by the police.
  Twist 14: At the airport, instead of meeting Grace, Jack encounters Glen, who is now a fugitive.
  Climax

  Glen confronts Jack in a final showdown, ultimately triumphing.
  Life-Threatening Situation 8: Glen faces Jack, armed and alone, in a dark, confined space.
  Resolution

  Glen’s wife, Grace, escapes abroad. Glen, now alone, hires a new secretary.
  Mistrust: Flora demands royalties upfront.
  Trust: Flora eventually demonstrates her commitment to the job.
  Meanwhile, the villain, Jack, begins writing his memoirs from prison. Will he succeed?

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