Outline of Act One: The Preachers Son

I.        Preacher gives a passionate, fire-and-brimstone speech at church about the need for peace in the world. That people should defend peace at any price, just as our Lord Jesus sacrificed himself as a model for peace. He reads the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and compares it to how he killed people in the Civil War, but Jesus saved him. 

a.       A leader in the church just slightly older than the Preacher looks on with admiration and jealousy.  If only he had the same opportunities as the Preacher, he would be the one up there.

b.      An abused, yet attractive, woman enters church. She has scars and bruises on her face. The rest of her body is hidden in dark clothing. She sits and a woman pulls her children away from the woman.

II.      The Preacher’s Wife is cleaning rugs with other women of the community, beating them  mechanically. The dust from the rugs flies around in great, wispy tendrils that swirl like the arms of some misguided phantom engulfing everything in its path and then moving on as if it were never there before. It evens surrounds the four-year-old boy, the Preacher’s Son, sitting on the porch, oblivious to everything around him besides the two handmade dolls he is playing with, puppeteering them through the most important gunfight of their lives. He uses raspy voices one might imagine would come from an outlaw. He must see the outlaws when they come to collect the church's protection money.

a.       He watches outlaws approach the church and knock on the door. The Preacher comes out and puts gold in the men's hands. The Community looks on.

III.   The Preacher, his son and his wife eat a meal together. The Preacher is very intense, praying at meal, praying for peace. His Son acts very intense as well—but it is an act.

a.       The Son thinks the prayer is over before it actually is and looks up to his father, but the Preacher is not done yet, so his son quickly returns to his act. The Preacher Father at least pretends he doesn't notice. Sitting on the bench next to the boy, out of site from the father, are the dolls. The Son holds on to them. All he can imagine is growing up to be an outlaw.

b.      That night the Community sings songs of peace and looks up at the tranquil stars in the sky. The father tells the boy that God is up there, and up there no one hurts other people. God is their protector. The boys asks if that is like how those men protect them down here. The Preacher says that the Bandits are nothing like God. They pay those men so they don't attack us. The boy asks why doesn't God protect them down here if he does in heaven. The Preacher says he does, that is why people like The Preacher and The Preacher’s Son exist.  To shelter those who are abused by those greedy for money and power. He tells his son that is why he brought all those people to Utah and built this settlement. Someone has to change the violent hearts of the people in this area, and if we don't do it, the people will turn to the Mormons, only causing the violence to get worse.

IV.   The woman in black sleeps next to the church. She cries in her sleep. Her tears immediately get absorbed by the dry dirt of the desert.

V.      The next day the Son is playing outside with the dolls and his mother pulls a bucket of sand out of the well. She runs in to tell her husband that they are out of water. The Preacher comes out of the church with a shovel. His Son leaves his dolls on the porch and runs after his father. The Preacher beings digging a new hole for a well. The Son is helping nearby, digging his own hole in the dirt just a few feet away.  Other men join the Preacher. Water is absolutely essential.

VI.   The sun has shifted in the sky, but the men are still digging—no water yet. The Preacher’s wife and other women are tending to the men whom are feeling the heat. The blonde woman approaches the Preacher’s Wife. The Preacher’s wife comes for her husband.

a.       The Preacher and the woman meet in the Preacher’s home behind a closed door. The Preacher’s wife stands outside of the door. The woman shows the scars on her hands and arms. She asks for help. She grabs the Preacher by the wrist, wearing her black dress, with lace at the ends, like death grabbing onto him and asks him to shelter her from her abusive husband. She says that she will do anything if the Preacher will protect her … Anything. She doesn’t have anywhere to turn to.

b.      The Preacher says that he has to consider the safety of his people. She can stay in the church that night, but he will have to pray about what to do after that.

c.       The Preacher tells his wife to take her into the church.  She does. The boy is still outside digging in the dirt. His mother tells him to get inside, but he ignores her.

VII. That night the Preacher can’t sleep. He prays before a cross hanging on his wall and continues to looks out at the church.

a.       The Blonde Woman’s husband, the Bandit, sits atop a cliff looking down on the Preacher’s small community. His horse neighs as the Bandit empties a flask of whisky, which he then tosses, empty bottle and all, into the dry dirt.

VIII.                      The next morning exhausted looking men continue to dig for water. The Preacher’s Son also digs, and then he hits something hard in the ground. He uncovers a section of it, and silver light shines brightly in his eyes despite not a cloud in the sky. It is a silver metal that looks untouched by the dirt. The Son pulls the object up and is immediately entranced by whatever it is. The villagers shuffle by him to the church, but he doesn’t seem to notice.

IX.    The Preacher enters mass and walks past the Blonde Woman. The Preacher gives his mass and the Bandit enters, and then interrupts the service. He says that he is there for his wife. The Preacher asks him if he put those markings on the Blonde Woman.  The Preacher asks the Bandit about the state of his soul. Does he realize what violence will do to him? He mentions how he did violence in the war too, but God has forgiven him.

a.       The other leaders of the church approach and the Bandit walk out.

X.                  The Preacher’s wife dolls out the last bit of water to the men digging. The Preacher’s Son is no longer by his hole.  Then one man hits water. It is brown and dirty, but it is life. Everyone celebrates.

a.       The boy sits on the other side of the house with the house with the shiny object between his legs. We see that it is a long handled pistol with a shiny jewel in its ivory carved handle. The happy Preacher goes looking for his son, sees his son and approaches him from behind. When the Preacher sees the gun, his countenance changes from joy to rage.  He grabs the gun and launches a verbal tirade on his boy: where did he find this, guns are of the devil, they dirty men’s souls. The Preacher raises the gun up in the air and grows more and more excited, accidentally pulling the trigger. The gun goes off. The Preacher asks the his son  where he found it. The boy points to the ground outside of the house.

b.      The father buries the gun under the house with the intention of getting rid of it later.

c.       At the preacher’s house later that night everything is quiet. The Blonde Woman is eating dinner at the Preacher’s table.

d.      The Preacher’s Son very quietly asks to be excused. The Preacher nods and asks his son for a hug. They hug and the boy runs off.

e.       The Preacher’s wife asks him where he put it (meaning the gun). The Preacher says he where he will never find it. The only place where he figured the little rascal wouldn’t look, because he is still afraid of the dark. He says that there was something eerie about the gun. It reminds him of something, but then he stops speaking. His wife kisses him on the forehead and leaves.

XI.                The Preacher’s wife puts her son to sleep.

XII. The house is dark. The Preacher walks through the house and puts his bible and rosary away. He lights a candle and kneels down to pray to a figure of Christ on the Cross. He begs Jesus to forgive him for what he done and bless his family with peace. Give his boy a peaceful heart.

a.       Then he hears a click. He looks up and the Bandit is pointing a pistol in his face. The Bandit tells the Preacher that no man takes what is his and lives. He says he checked the church and couldn’t find his wife, so where did they put her. He will spare the Preacher’s family if the Preacher tells him now where his wife is. The Preacher refuses to acknowledge. The Bandit makes a final threat. A second click is heard.

b.      The Preacher sees his son with the gun in his hand. It glimmers even in the dark. The Preacher reaches out one hand towards the bandit and one hand back to his son, so from above the Preacher has his arms stretched out like Christ on the Cross, foreshadowing what is about to happen.

c.       In the dark of night the Preacher’s home sits off in the distance, the outline of it lit by a crescent moon.  Suddenly a flash bursts forth from a window, followed by the loud crack from a gunshot. A moment later a second flash is seen, followed by a second loud gunshot.

End of Act One.

     

Character Arcs of Act One

The Preacher

Introduction - Tall, tan, dirty blonde, mid forties, dresses in white clothing heavily drenched in sweat. Wears black rosary, walks with a limp, appears intense, speaks with compassion and conviction about God's love, easily angered by violence, seems to know the bible in and out, protective, says he heard God call him to Utah to speak a message of peace to the people whose lives were marked by violence. He is loving to his family, but they are secondary to God's call.

Backstory/Motivations - He fought for the South in the Civil War in one of the Colorado Confederate Partisan Ranger units. Father was a Methodist preacher who was against his son fighting in the war. The Preacher was injured in war. He told the nurse taking care of his injury that he had sinned, killed people, children. His leg injury was God's punishment for what he had done. He told the nurse that he would do anything for God's forgiveness no matter what the price. The nurse reminded him of the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. "Then Jesus said to (Peter), 'Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?'"

The Preacher met wife through his father's church after he returned home to Colorado from the war. He was impressed by her quiet, but strong humility. He needed a woman who could stick with him through what God had intended for him. People of his father's church, including his father, were proud that he was going to spread God's message of peace to the bandits and victims of violence in Utah. Regardless of what happens to him, he believes there is nothing to fear because of Jesus suffering on the cross. He lead a band of people from Colorado to Utah and established a small settlement. The people look to him for guidance. He believes the Mormons have turned their backs against God and are part of the reason why violence has taken over Utah.  

Who is he at the end of Act One - when bandit comes to kill him, he is more worried about the soul of the bandit and his son than he is for his own life. He knows that it's God's will whether he lives or dies, because if God wanted to save him he would send twelve legions of angels. When he realizes that the Bandit is going to kill him he releases his life to God and prays for his son's soul.  

Fatal Flaw - Sacrificing everything, including his family, to satisfy God's call.

The Preacher's Son

Introduction - Four years old, blonde, wears white, like his father, but his clothes are always dusty from digging in the sand. He tries to act tough from time to time, but it looks like he doesn't really know what he is doing--just imitating someone. He actually seems innocent, and lacks fears because of it. He likes to dig in the sand outside of his house and plays with handmade dolls like they are gunfighters. He is just keeps staring at the shiny gun that he finds in the sand, reflecting it's white light in his face. It's almost like he can't put it down.

Backstory/Motivations - He has helped his father dig wells around the home for water, which is why he enjoys digging in the dirt. He has seen his father's badges from the war, which his father kept for some reason. He is forced to listen to his father complain and preach against violence and bandits and Robber's Roost. His parents are very loving and protective of him and make him feel like there is nothing to fear. Violence only seems like a game. The only time his father gets angry, and then he gets really angry, is when his son acts aggressive or violent. His father's extreme behavior has made violence a Pandora's Box for the boy. He has seen a few bandits, whom to him look tough and angry, and his father acts tough and angry, when preaching, so the Preacher's Son tries to act tough and angry. But at this point, he is only acting, and he doesn't know what these emotions mean.

Who is he at the end of Act One -  He has just shot the Bandit and watched his father die in front of him. The mask of toughness and anger that was only a game has now become part of him. The intensity of seeing a bandit actually point a gun at his father brings up rage for the first time in his life. While his father's maniacal rants against violence made aggression attractive, the gun only fascinated him at first. At some point during the confrontation, something in him or something about the gun took over. And after he shoots the bandit the gun goes from something that fascinates him to something of an obsession that he may never be able to let go of.

Fatal Flaw - His obsession with violence

The Bandit

Introduction - sweaty, curly black hair under squat black hat. His clothing looks dirty and unkept. He is stocky, slightly overweight, often wears a devious look on his face until he gets angry and then there is nothing but hate. He acts threatening, possessive, rage filled. Knows how to act respectable when it suits him to gain an advantage on people he wants to hurt.

Backstory/Motivations - Beats his wife, drinks heavily, murdered people for fun, robbed horses, banks, trains, stagecoaches, a glutton for everything that gives him pleasure. Killed animals growing up. Father was a minister who beat him. From New York.

Who is he at the end of Act One - even when he has a gun drawn on him he will not let go of his need to control people. He would rather die than give in.

Fatal Flaw: Needs to control people, to own them. Addicted to power.

The Wife of the Bandit

Introduction: Quiet, physical signs of being beaten, hiding behind bonnet and dress, because of scars. Wears all black with lace on the sleeves. She is still slightly sexual underneath, blonde, attractive, looks like she once dressed in fancy, sexy clothing and still knows how to wear it.  Nervous, histrionic, but tries to hide it so it doesn't turn people off. It bursts out at times. Almost seems forced, fake, overly dramatic, desperate. Get the feeling that she is offering up her body if the preacher will protect her.

Backstory/Motivations - Grew up rich on a ranch in Texas. Attracted to handsome, slick loner that her parents couldn't stand, so she married him--the Bandit. She was rebellious. She was always attracted to trouble and wanted an easy, yet exciting life. Spent some time as a show girl just to piss off her parents. When the bandit was gone on his outlaw adventures she started to sleep around because she suspected he was doing it. His criminal activities drove him to drink heavily and when he discovered her infidelity he beat her for it and then didn't stop beating her. When she tried to get away he threatened to kill her. She started wearing clothing that covered her up after her husband accused her of trying allure other men. She is looking for someone to take care of her and will do almost anything to get to her previous life back with her rich family, who now don't seem so boring to her.

Who is she at the end of Act One - She is willing to put the Preacher and his family in danger, in order to protect herself and get herself out of a jam based on her poor decisions in life.

Fatal Flaw - Her attraction to trouble and belief that she deserves an easy, exciting life despite how it affects others.

The Preacher's Wife

Introduction - Black, short hair, dark grey clothing. Strong, quiet humility. Brooding at times, and fiercely devoted to God and husband. There is a suffering aspect to her as if she is a martyred saint in the making. Works at church, cleaning and preparing.

Backstory/Motivations -The Preacher met her at his father's church when he returned home to Colorado following the Civil War.  Needed a woman who would stick by him in Utah. Her parents and the people of the church were proud that she had the strength to follow the Preacher to spread God's message of peace. They told her God has a glorious place for her in heaven. She believes this.

Who is she at the end of Act One - She continues her husband's calling. She raises her son in Utah despite what it may do to him. She is concerned with loosing her place in heaven now that she has to survive on her own.

Fatal Flaw - Too focused on how her actions on earth will give her rewards in heaven.

From Character Arc to Theme

If you search on-line you will find plenty of articles covering the subjects of character arc and theme. If this interests you, then I can point you towards a few that I have found to be most helpful. But since Weave My Tale is actually developing, creating and writing The Preachers Son, I will cover just enough so you understand the basics of the story's development in these initial posts.

In the The Preachers Son … Idea, Premise, Concept and Theme, I outline two important structures of the tale, which are Premise and Theme.

The premise is the general starting point, or foundation, of the story. The theme is where the story ends up following the action (or arc) of the characters.  Just for review, the premise of The Preachers Son is "The defense of the innocent ends in self sacrifice," and the theme is "sacrifice for the good of many." The premise is specific to the story, but the theme is more universal to stories in general because it is ultimately based on the actions of the characters, and the actions of people are motivated by universally shared drives.

Even though theme is ultimately determined by where the character ends up at the end of the story, to make the story interesting the character usually starts somewhere on the opposite end of the emotional, physical or mental spectrum and then grows towards a state of being that best illustrates the theme.This growth is referred to as the character arc.

In The Preachers Son, the character arc shows the main character's transition from a selfish person interested in his own needs to a person who is willing to make a "sacrifice for the good of many," which of course is this story's theme. This is a fairly common theme that is often found in stories involving physical confrontation (e.g., war, westerns, espionage, etc.). Soldiers place themselves in harms way, if not always for the safety of their homeland, then at least for the safety of their fellow soldiers. In fact physical conflict and self sacrifice fit well together, because the ultimate sacrifice a person can make for others is to risk their life in order to save another. This is why I find it only fitting that a story entitled The Preachers Son should in some way reference the most popular story of sacrifice in the western world, the story of Christ.

Have I given too much away already? Hopefully this gets your idea wheels spinning … for your own projects and if you're really feeling nervy, for Weave My Tale.

In my next blog entitled Character Arc of The Preacher's Son, I outline the arcs of the main characters through Act One based on a technique you can find in Larry Brook's book entitled, "Story Engineering: Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing" or at his blog www.storyfix.com.  

Robbers Roost, Grave Valley & the Sundance Kid

When I first came up with the idea for The Preachers Son, I imagined it taking place in Utah for plot reasons that will be revealed later in Act Two. Little did I know, however, that Utah has been the on-site location for many Hollywood films due to it's eerie, deserted landscapes and otherworldly-shaped rock out-carvings, which stand in defiance of gravity and just good sense. Beginning with Stagecoach in the 1920s, southern Utah in particular has been the location of the following films, to name a few: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Planet of the Apes, Robbers Roost, The Outlaw Josie Wales, How the West Was One and The Searchers.

                                          John Wayne, The Searchers, 1956

Another reason why Utah works for the story is because of a place called Robber's Roost, an impenetrable hideout founded by Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and their wild west gang the "Wild Bunch." There in that sparse wasteland filled with cactus, red dirt and dust devils, was a hellish place hidden from the law that only an outlaw could love.

                                          Butch Cassidy's gang, the "Wild Bunch"


Today, Hanksville, Utah, population 250, is the town closest to where Robbers Roost existed. When our tale took place in 1870, Hanksville was just a settlement that was part of a larger area known as "Grave Valley"-- a good name for the destination of a preacher trying to save the souls of a violent generation still reeling from the bloody Civil War. What that says about a preacher who builds his church and homestead so close to the hideout for infamous murderers and bandits is up for debate. But regardless of the father's mindset, "Grave Valley" was the perfect place--with the perfect name--to raise a child who would later grow up to be a gunslinger.