Cycles Thematics

Here is another study of the thematic progression in the Cycles script.

DRAFT IV

THEMATIC OVERVIEW:

THE ROMANTIC PROGRESSION
(1)time, (2)nostalgia, (3)obsessive love, (4)loving kindness, (5)time ideal
THE PROTAGONIST'S'S PERCEIVED "CYCLE"
(A)age, (B)sadness, (C)stress, (D)love, (E)work, (F)epiphany, (G)death, (H)afterlife
THE PROTAGONIST'S TRUE PROGRESSION
(B)self unlike, (3/B/C)self loathing, (3/D)obsessive love, (4)loving kindness

THEMATIC PLOT:
(1)Anthony feels pressured by time. (2)He dwells on nostalgic thoughts of a past relationship with Jacquie; (3)the relationship is highly obsessive and meaningless. (B)Jacquie realises this and tries to break it off, but Anthony delays it by (3/D)feigning emotional stress. (4)It works for a while, but eventually ends.
(3/D)Anthony begins a new relationship with Sarah, a human embodiment of (4)loving kindness. However, his emotional manipulation toward her drives her to (B)disregard her own needs, and eventually she becomes (3/B/C)self-loathing. Her parents divorce, and she leaves with her father. Anthony is left with nothing but the (3/B/C) knowledge that his own selfishness has cheated Sarah out of her divinely-inspired (4) loving-kindness. By the end of the story, Anthony comes to respect her decision to escape him for himself; and he mutually understands her selfishness. In this, he somewhat transcends (3/D) his obsessive love for her and Jacquie.

CAST:
Anthony
Anthony is intelligent, he is able to make friends because he is personable. He is empathetic, though extremely manipulative. He is the embodiment of obsessive love in this story. By the end of the story, this selfishness necessitates a shift toward loving-kindness.

Jacquie
At first, Jacquie is unfamiliar with emotional relationships. She'll do what she thinks is expected from her, and has little ability to deny Anthony the objectification of her own body and mind. However, she sees through his manipulative nature, and leaves him. Anthony salvages the relationship by pleading depression, though it doesn't last long.

Sarah
Sarah is a devout christian, she is extremely selfless and wants nothing more than to help others. She sees herself in Anthony's misleading demeanor. Eventually, his selfishness leads her to from loving-kindness into self-disgust. Contemplating suicide, she eventually sent away with her parent's divorce. The break from Anthony leads her to once more understand herself, through the loving christian God she was raised up by.