“They don’t understand you, but they will.”- P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman
It’s not new that in great stories there needs to be set backs and character flaws that create meaningful conflict. However, it is not very often that you see writers utilize the power of disadvantages. I was really mesmerized by Just Write’s video on Game of Thrones. He talked about how each of the main protagonists in the story has something that they were born with that leaves them at a disadvantage in that world.
I saw the same technique being used in The Greatest Showman. The story is set in the 1800s which was not a very accepting time in America’s history. It puts several of the main characters at a disadvantage just for being who they are.
· P.T. Barnum is poor which limits how far he can raise his status
· Anne is black which limits who she can love, where she can live, and what work she can do
· Charity is a woman and in those days being a woman meant you were owned by your father until you were married off.
· Jenny Lind was born out of wedlock which quite literally brought dishonor on her entire family. Some children born out of wedlock weren’t even accepted by the family during those times which could leave them without familial ties and financial support.
Everyone in P.T. Barnum’s show had a quirk they were born with (ex. Abnormal height, excessive hair, skin markings) that put them on the societal sidelines. People have a hard time accepting what they can’t understand or what they’re afraid of, that was certainly the case in the 19th century and even now.
So, how can disadvantages be a beneficial storytelling tool?
1. Make the disadvantage an advantage
My favorite disadvantaged character of all time is probably someone you haven’t thought of in a while. That’s right, Rudolph. You know, the reindeer with a red nose. He was born with an abnormality that put him at a disadvantage. His nose was not only a strange sight to behold, it also put the people he loved in danger by attracting the snow monster. Because of this he was not accepted in his world. That is, until one Christmas Eve fell on a foggy night. Who saves the day? The one reindeer everyone had disregarded. His flaw became his strength and it taught everyone that he was important too, despite what he looked like.
Similarly in The Greatest Showman, P.T. Barnum finds most of his “freaks” in hiding or working jobs they hate because they’re not accepted. Their differences aren’t being put to good use. He instead shows them ways their particular look or skills could simply make people happy instead of afraid. Also, being poor turned out to be an advantage to P.T. Barnum. He is shown being very imaginative and creative, inventing a “wishing machine” for his daughters. We as observers get the sense that he wouldn’t be nearly as inventive or empathetic towards others if he had been born wealthy.
My second favorite disadvantaged character, Cinderella is also great but her disadvantage (being a poor orphan) never actually becomes an advantage to her like it does for P.T. Barnum. She doesn’t get out of her situation by utilizing some nifty skill she learned while being poor, she gets out of her situation by fitting into a shoe. You see the difference?
2. Make a statement/connect it to the theme
Through the various quotes said throughout the movie, the audience is taught the main theme: self-acceptance.
Here are some of my favorites:
“You don’t need everyone to love you, you just need a few good people.”-Charity Barnum
“A man’s station is only limited by his imagination.”-Jenny Lind
“No one ever made a difference by being like someone else.”-P.T. Barnum
The story is telling the audience to accept who they are, and know that being different is a strength. That’s powerful stuff. And that theme is conveyed most fluidly, through character arcs.
3. Create a compelling character arc
There’s nothing I love more than seeing characters grow to love who they are. The journey from self-hate to self-love is one of my favorite character arcs and that is something that a writer can do in a very convincing way by giving their main character a physical, mental or societal disadvantage. In Creating Character Arcs: The Masterful Author’s Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development by K.M. Weiland, she states that character arcs are all about moving your character from the thing they want to the thing they need.
P.T. Barnum’s character arc is all about him going from the thing he wants: to be accepted by everyone, to the thing he needs: To be happy with who he is, poor or not.
Similarly, Phillip Carlyle and Anne Wheeler go through character arcs about acceptance too. Phillip is stuck between wanting to continue to participate in New York’s high society (which would require him to give up Anne) and the less glamorous life of the circus which might actually make him happy. Meanwhile, Anne Wheeler is fighting off the thing she needs: To be with Phillip Carlyle despite their racial differences, in favor for what she wants: to not shake up the status quo for fear of being judged.
The Greatest Showman has earned its spot as one of my all-time favorite musicals. It has a lot of lessons to teach and will remain relevant for years to come.
Tell me about your WIP, have you been playing around with disadvantages?
