The Philosophical Stakes
The Third Level of Stakes
It is interesting when we talk about stakes that we imagine all the problematic consequences that the character has to go through if they fail. If you think about it, we think about the stakes in our lives every time we do something.
“Is this going to send us into debt?”
“Is my family going to accept her?”
“If I don’t get this job I am up a creek without a paddle.”
These are stakes in our lives; Internal and External. Yet sometimes we overlook the Philosophical stakes that influence our actions towards the Internal and External stakes.
How We Are Raised Determines Our Action.
What are Philosophical stakes? In short, they are the stakes that we believe in. It is our moral code. We gain this code from the lessons we learn from our parents, teachers, and what we think is good or evil. These codes are what you use every day of your life to deal with different situations. The characters also have this code as well, the only difference from us is that we have to create the moral code for them. Remember, a character is not human; they are a work of art. You could also say they are almost human.
[But I already have an epic backstory and already picked out my Internal and External stakes. What does this stake do for me?]
It helps add depth. The audience has, in its mind, a ranking for the stakes, with Internal being number 1 and External being number 2. They want to see the character struggle and take actions so that the Internal stake doesn’t happen. The Philosophical stake is the reason to why the character believes the Internal stake is something they should be running from. It is the reason we can see the character change at the end.
The Philosophical stake is an argument that spans throughout the story. For example;
“Will freedom win over oppression?”
“Will love conquer death?”
“Will being the best wingman bring me happiness?”
The stake is the questions the character asks and struggles with. They think they know the answer, but the events they go through muddle their mind and makes it difficult for them to answer it. It’s a personal question that influences the character.
Conclusion
Is having this level of stake necessary? No, it is not. I have seen many stories that just want to tell a story start out fine without it. They have added the Philosophical stake later down the line.
This stake is here to add depth to the character and the story. It helps give a reason why the character is having a hard time.
It is a moral code that you have, and a character should have one as well.
That’s about it for now. Try and incorporate it into your story. Keep writing and evolving. Thanks for reading.
