Today, we’re addressing two terms you may have seen on my blog before, and will probably see many times again. They are the Lie your main character (MC) believes, and the Truth they will come to believe. Let’s take a closer look at these two important elements, as well as another element that ties into the Lie…

The Lie your character believes plays a huge part in storytelling. When your character believes a Lie, it leads to major consequences and events (aka, a plot). Without the Lie, your Positive Change Arc will be flatter than a pancake.

A Lie can take many forms, as shown in our two main examples:

In “Beyond the Mask,” Will believes that the only way to get redemption and love is to earn it.

Tad’s Lie in “In Time of Need” is that the only person he can trust is himself.

Now, as you probably know by now, I believe that we as Christian writers should weave God’s truth into our stories. But some of you may wonder… how can we do that without either being too vague or too wordy? Well, the answer to that question is the Lie.

Any secular writer would define the Lie as the character’s skewed view of the world around them (which, in a Positive Change Arc, the character will overcome by the end of the story). But in order to realistically portray characters from a Christian standpoint, you’re going to need to take this definition a step further. Your character’s Lie should be defined not only as a skewed view of the world but as a skewed view of God.

For example:

Will Reynolds’ Lie about the way to get redemption ties very neatly into the salvation message. While he does want to redeem himself to his Love Interest, Charlotte Holloway, he ultimately wants to redeem himself before God.

Similarly, Tad Griffin’s Lie about who he can trust also ties into the gospel. By the end of the story, he’s not only realized that he can and should trust other people, but he’s also realized that he must put his trust in God.

Here are a few more examples of Lies:

1. Revenge brings satisfaction (Judah ben-Hur, “Ben-Hur”)

2. You must live in the past (Carl Fredrickson, “Up”)

3. You have to do big things in order to be worth something (George Bailey, “It’s a Wonderful Life”)

4. God does not exist; the resurrection never happened (Lee Strobel, “The Case for Christ”)

5. Sadness is never a good thing and is totally useless (Joy, “Inside Out”)

(Note: At first glance, it may seem like George Bailey’s Lie doesn’t fit the story. I mean, he’s opposed to Mr. Potter because he believes the townspeople are worth something. However, the Lie is what makes him and Mr. Potter similar. While George only believes that his own life never made an impact, the far extent of his Lie would eventually end up at Mr. Potter’s belief… that only the rich and powerful can truly be worth something. Essentially, Mr. Potter represents what George Bailey could become. [More about this when we talk about the antagonist of a Positive Change Arc.])

The second element is directly related to the Lie… the symptoms. Since the Lie is such an important part of both your character and their arc, it will have a direct effect on the way they behave. And two characters who believe the same Lie will react differently according to their particular personalities. Their reactions may also differ because of other characters and their particular personalities.

Your character’s flaws can range from shame to anger, or from fear to disdain… so long as they stem from the Lie your character believes.

(Note: These symptoms will typically be your MC’s major flaws. As we talked about in our post on the Positive Change Arc protagonist, flaws are necessary to this particular arc. However, these flaws shouldn’t be random, which is why they should tie directly into the Lie as symptoms.)

In “Beyond the Mask,” Will’s main symptom is guilt. He knows he’s done a lot of bad things in the past, and he’s trying to redeem himself in order to overcome his guilt.

Tad’s biggest symptom in “In Time of Need” is mistrust. He believes he can’t trust anyone (especially God), which makes him extremely cautious and protective.

Here are more examples of symptoms:

1. Bitterness, hatred, and anger (Judah ben-Hur, “Ben-Hur”)

2. A gruff, irritable attitude that often comes out in impatient anger (Carl Fredrickson, “Up”)

3. A difficult, almost unwilling spirit accompanied by moodiness (George Bailey, “It’s a Wonderful Life”)

4. Hatred—or, at the very least, mockery—towards those who try to convince him of the truth (Lee Strobel, “The Case for Christ”)

5. An overly-joyful mindset that overlooks, ignores, or makes light of any bad situation (Joy, “Inside Out”)

Now let’s move on to the Truth your character will come to believe. This section will be fairly simple, since the Truth is really just the opposite of the Lie.

The Truth will continually pop up to haunt your MC along their journey, and will be represented by any Flat Arc supporting characters. As your MC begins to recognize the importance of this Truth, they’ll attempt to juggle both it and the Lie at the same time, which will pave the way for huge consequences later on. During the 3^rd Act, they will finally reject the Lie once and for all and fully embrace the Truth.

For example:

Will Reynolds will eventually embrace the Truth that, as Charlotte tells him, “Neither redemption or love can ever be earned. They are both gifts—gifts to be granted freely from the heart of God.”

The Truth that Tad Griffin will learn is that he needs help from both God and others, and that God can (and should) be trusted.

Here are some more examples of Truths:

1. Only love and forgiveness—found in Jesus Christ—can truly satisfy (Judah ben-Hur, “Ben-Hur”)

2. Letting go of the past will lead to a much brighter future (Carl Fredrickson, “Up”)

3. When lived generously, one man’s life can touch many others for good (George Bailey, “It’s a Wonderful Life”)

4. God exists and lives in the hearts of His children (Lee Strobel, “The Case for Christ”)

5. Sorrow is a part of life, and can accomplish changes that joy can’t (Joy, “Inside Out”)

Using these tips and examples, you should be able to craft a Lie, symptoms, and a Truth for your own MC’s arc. And once you’ve done that, you’ve completed a major step towards having an awesome plot!

In the comments below, tell me about an MC’s Lie… either from your own story or from your favorite book or movie!