The Little Mermaid – Obstacles October 12, 2009

“If the protagonist and his objective constitute the first two important elements in the construction of a story, the various obstacles collectively constitute the third. Without impediments to the attainment of the protagonist’s desire there would be no conflict and no story.” – The Tools of Screenwriting

Before the sea witch gives the little mermaid the potion, she tells her that with every step it will feel like treading upon glass. The mermaid accepts this. Then the witch says that once the mermaid takes human form, she can never return to the sea again. Also, should the prince marry someone else, the morning after he marries another, the mermaid’s heart will break and she will become foam on the crest of the waves. The mermaid agrees to all of this.

 

The primary obstacle comes in the form of payment. The sea witch wants the mermaid’s beautiful voice. How is the little mermaid princess suppose to get the prince to fall in love with her without being able to speak to him? Still she gave her voice to the sea witch and took the potion.

She drank the potion on the marble steps of the palace. By sunrise, she had legs and before her stood the prince.

The Little Mermaid – Conflict October 12, 2009

“Conflict is actually created not by histrionics and excessive behaviors but by a character wanting something that is difficult to get or achieve.” – The Tools of Screenwriting 

As stated in objective, what the little mermaid wants is clear: she wants to be with the prince. What makes her objective difficult to achieve is the simple fact that she is a mermaid and he is a human. 

The little mermaid goes to a sea witch, and the witch already knows what the princess wants. “You want to get rid of your fish’s tail and have two legs instead, like human beings on earth, so that the young prince will fall in love with you, and you may gain an immortal soul.”

While the sea witch is able to give the princess a potion to make her have two legs, nothing is ever too easy in fairytales…