| rdfs:comment
| - So, your character is angsting. It seems that his dog just died in a freak accident. That accident involved his kindly uncle, who didn't swerve in time to avoid the poor puppy. However, he did swerve in time to go off an embankment and hit a bus full of high school students, killing many, including his beloved girlfriend, to whom he'd just been engaged the previous day. Unfortunately, the shock of the news caused the protagonist's kindly old mother to have a heart attack, which left his father devastated. More unfortunately, economic recession hits, and the character and his father are left without a job and sunk neck deep in debt. The character's brother turns to robbery, but is caught and thrown in prison. Poor Daddy turned to drinking and lost all will to live, and finally shot himself
|
| abstract
| - So, your character is angsting. It seems that his dog just died in a freak accident. That accident involved his kindly uncle, who didn't swerve in time to avoid the poor puppy. However, he did swerve in time to go off an embankment and hit a bus full of high school students, killing many, including his beloved girlfriend, to whom he'd just been engaged the previous day. Unfortunately, the shock of the news caused the protagonist's kindly old mother to have a heart attack, which left his father devastated. More unfortunately, economic recession hits, and the character and his father are left without a job and sunk neck deep in debt. The character's brother turns to robbery, but is caught and thrown in prison. Poor Daddy turned to drinking and lost all will to live, and finally shot himself (along with several others in a mad shootout), leaving the character all alone in the world to deal with the trauma. And that just happens to be the day when the mother of all earthquakes lays waste to the whole city, including the character's house. Our character (who now has to live on the streets) is pulled out of the ruins, perhaps having suffered a crippling injury, and is taken to the hospital, where the doctor diagnoses him with cancer. And that's just the beginning of his bad days... Wait, what? Isn't this a little too overboard? Deus Angst Machina is something of the polar opposite of Wangst in terms of cause, but can come across as no less frustrating. Simply put, the character in question has every reason in the world to retreat into himself and become a brooding, angsty person, because his life really does suck as much as he thinks it does. However, the circumstances seem entirely too contrived. This is a step beyond the coincidences that most stories tend towards to build up drama, as the character seems to have provoked some sadistic god who is now dedicated to making his life as miserable (and angst-filled) as possible. Sure, anyone would be miserable in his situation, but when said situation is less likely than being struck by lightning, it can seem to be outright ludicrous. However, Tropes Are Not Bad, and if done with careful consideration and appropriate acknowledgment of just how unlikely it all is, it can be justified. A common pitfall for those who think True Art Is Angsty, yet are wary of falling into Wangst (although, given the nature of the trope, they generally end up falling into it anyway). For the comedic version, see The Chew Toy. Commonly experienced by those who have heard the writing advice "conflict is drama, so the more conflict, the more drama", but who don't quite get that conflict is about more than just angst. Remember... any writer who thinks happy people are boring isn't trying hard enough. Different from Diabolus Ex Machina in that it's many separate and unlikely events conspiring to create angst instead of a Downer Ending, but can still overlap at times. Misery Lit has thrived on this trope since the Victorian era. The Sadist Show will play it for laughs, and others may end up doing so unintentionally. If the story appears to be building up to something, only to ultimately end up going nowhere or sputtering out, then it may be a case of Shoot the Shaggy Dog. Not to be confused with Tragedy. See also Trauma Conga Line, Disaster Dominoes. And it's far worse when it happens in Real Life. Examples of Deus Angst Machina include:
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)