Changes

The rejected anthropology master’s thesis of the author Kurt Vonnegut posited that all stories could be plotted on a two-dimensional graph, with two axes: the G-I axis and the B-E axis .<ref>This would do for literature what Descartes did for algebra, collapsing the study of stories into the study of the mathematical properties of their shapes, as Descartes merged algebra and geometry by collapsing the study of shapes into the study of their functions, and by collapsing the study of functions into the study of their shapes.</ref> One extreme of the G-I axis is “good fortune”; the other extreme is “ill fortune”. By the same logic, the B-E axis lies between “beginning” and “ending” . <ref>Note that this is different from the “plot arc” or “diagram” commonly taught in elementary literature classes: the “plot arc” merely measures the speed and excitement of the action, while the shape of a story measures the good and ill fortune of its (main) characters.</ref>

The rejected anthropology master’s thesis of the author Kurt Vonnegut posited that all stories could be plotted on a two-dimensional graph, with two axes: the G-I axis and the B-E axis .<ref>This would do for literature what Descartes did for algebra, collapsing the study of stories into the study of the mathematical properties of their shapes, as Descartes merged algebra and geometry by collapsing the study of shapes into the study of their functions, and by collapsing the study of functions into the study of their shapes.</ref> One extreme of the G-I axis is “good fortune”; the other extreme is “ill fortune”. By the same logic, the B-E axis lies between “beginning” and “ending” . <ref>Note that this is different from the “plot arc” or “diagram” commonly taught in elementary literature classes: the “plot arc” merely measures the speed and excitement of the action, while the shape of a story measures the good and ill fortune of its (main) characters.</ref>

Let us begin by drawing the two axes. Draw a sideways T, making the vertical axis the G-I axis, and the horizontal axis the B-E axis. We will call the intersection of the B-E and the G-I axes “Normality”. Let us start the plot at Normality.

Let us begin by drawing the two axes. Draw a sideways T, making the vertical axis the G-I axis, and the horizontal axis the B-E axis. We will call the intersection of the B-E and the G-I axes “Normality”. Let us start the plot at Normality.

Let us define “good” and “ill fortune” as those of Lain . And let us define happiness as inherently implying “good fortune” .  

Let us define “good” and “ill fortune” as those of Lain . And let us define happiness as inherently implying “good fortune” .  

We first see Lain walking to school (on strange ground!), taking the train , and arriving at school. Her only friend, Alice, tells her about Chisa’s suicide, and berates her about not checking her email regularly .  

We first see Lain walking to school (on strange ground!), taking the train , and arriving at school. Her only friend, Alice, tells her about Chisa’s suicide, and berates her about not checking her email regularly.

When Lain gets home, the first thing she does is turn on her computer, to find a message from Chisa. They exchange a few words. We see that Lain is expressionless—she is simply curious . In view of the later circumstances, however, I would definitely move the plot below Normality towards Ill-Fortune. Loss of control over one’s personal life is not a pleasant thing for anyone to experience, least of all when it is caused by a person who is supposed to be dead.

When Lain gets home, the first thing she does is turn on her computer, to find a message from Chisa. They exchange a few words. We see that Lain is expressionless—she is simply curious . In view of the later circumstances, however, I would definitely move the plot below Normality towards Ill-Fortune. Loss of control over one’s personal life is not a pleasant thing for anyone to experience, least of all when it is caused by a person who is supposed to be dead.

The next day, Lain is sitting in English class when she drifts away. She sees the words on the blackboard become “Come to the Wired quickly,” and is teleported to a railway crossing where she is unable to prevent a four-eyed person with long hair from killing themselves on the track. She is startled by her teacher, who catches her crying and sweating, no doubt having fallen asleep in class. Lower the plot, as the combination of the nightmare and the rude awakening afterwards would cause undesirable emotional disturbance (as well as off-screen untoward consequences) in Lain.

The next day, Lain is sitting in English class when she drifts away. She sees the words on the blackboard become “Come to the Wired quickly,” and is teleported to a railway crossing where she is unable to prevent a four-eyed person with long hair from killing themselves on the track. She is startled by her teacher, who catches her crying and sweating, no doubt having fallen asleep in class. Lower the plot, as the combination of the nightmare and the rude awakening afterwards would cause undesirable emotional disturbance (as well as off-screen untoward consequences) in Lain.

On her way to school the day after that, she encounters Alice alongside Reika and Juri. Reika mentions that they saw a girl like Lain in a club called Cyberia the previous day. Alice proposes offhand that it would be good to invite Lain to go to Cyberia with them that night. This is bound to raise a little bit of excitement in every person, if for nothing else, then for the novelty of it. Raise it to just below the B-E axis.

On her way to school the day after that, she encounters Alice alongside Reika and Juri. Reika mentions that they saw a girl like Lain in a club called Cyberia the previous day. Alice proposes offhand that it would be good to invite Lain to go to Cyberia with them that night. This is bound to raise a little bit of excitement in every person, if for nothing else, then for the novelty of it. Raise it to just below the B-E axis.