Storytelling is much more than having a good idea. Yet many people don’t think of themselves as storytellers because they lack confidence in their creativity. They think that their story ideas aren’t good enough. And that is where they are mistaken.

We are all storytellers. Everyday we tell stories. Much of the time we think in story as well, the stories we tell ourselves.

I’ve been thinking about the movie. ‘Groundhog Day’ of late. It’s based on the concept of a character who has to repeat the same experience every day over and over. There’s still currency in that idea today. Things keep getting worse for Phil Connors. He feels himself a victim of circumstance. His life continues to deteriorate until finally he lets go of the chip on his shoulder and begins the long journey of becoming the best person he can be.

I was curious about the turning point in the story and looked into the script development. The scriptwriters had good ideas in abundance. The challenge was to come up with story dynamics that ‘worked’. There are a limited number of story forms that ‘feel right’, that have a ring of authenticity about them. Usually it is put at seven universal story archetypes. The limited number is the reason that stories work for everyone.

In the case of ‘Groundhog Day’, it’s a case of less is more. What was dropped from the original script made the story stronger. Giving the audience too much backstory diluted the main character’s agency. Something we don’t know from the movie, is that Phil has been unhappy in love. His ex has cast a spell on him so that, Groundhog Day, the 2^nd of February, was repeated until he is able to love selflessly. He alone experiences thousands of possible possibilities for this one day in a seemingly endless series.

Groundhog Day in the town of Punxsutawney is the day nearing the end of Winter when ‘Phil’ the groundhog ventures out of his den. If he can see his shadow he knows that spring is on the way, if not he goes back into his den for another month.

In the movie we only see Phil’s reaction to what has befallen him, the ‘why’ isn’t relevant. It would distract him from what he really needs to do thereby prolonging the agony of it all. Knowing the reasons for his internal ‘Winter’ doesn’t give insight on how to move on. He simply has to let go and rebuild essentially by trial and error.

If the story archetype for ‘Groundhog Day’ were comedy, we could expect to find a single moment of insight to came in a flash. If it were a tragedy, things would get worse and worse up to the point of annihilation. If it were an underdog story, we expect a moment of victory. But it is none of these. Rather it is a Redemption / Rebirth story, reminiscent of the ancient myth of Persephone and the Rites of Spring.

Redemption stories look for all the world like tragedy in their early stages. Phil is narcissistic and neurotic behaviours, but we like him anyway and maintain hope for him in spite of his, galling behaviour. There are enough comedic elements in the script to keep us amused by his folly.

If not in a moment then, what are the events that turn the story around? Ultimately, something in Phil’s internal world changes. He is exhausted by his own cynicism and sarcasm. He releases his victim persona simply because he can’t maintain it any longer. But doing good for others and contributing to society is not enough.

On one scene he finds a homeless man gravely ill. Phil takes hime to hospital where he dies. On the rerun, he seeks the old man out early in the day and gives him lots of nourishing food. That evening he finds the old man already dead in the street and Phil simply has to accept the finality of death. When the time comes, there is nothing more to be done. He accepts that he is not a ‘god’, and finally he is free to be the best human he can be. He is firmly on the path to redemption and in due course his rebirth comes in the form of requited love.

The movie shows it’s age and is rather smulchy for my tastes. I’m slightly embarrassed by how visceral my reaction is to it’s skilful story craft, it is a block buster after all. But I do enjoy the timelessness of its message.

We are experiencing a collective groundhog day. Just like for Phil the TV reporter, there is no easy answer. For us it is to climate change. Yes, there are already many good things happening, amazing things, but collectively we are not yet ready to see our own shadow. The narcissism and neurotic thinking of the Western world view is not yet visible. A breakthrough came for Phil when he realises that he cannot control death, he must accept it as part of the cycle of life. We are not only born of the Earth, we must return to her as well, whether through the catastrophic bushfires across the country or the gradual process of death and decay.

The process of redemption demands energy to rebuilding detail by detail. No-one can be left behind. Miners families cannot be asked to pay the price for what benefits everyone. Those without the power or confidence to envision a different future must be carried by those who do. Rebirth happens at the point of being able to say, “No matter what happens tomorrow, today is a good day. We have done all we can possibly do.” Accepting the cycle of life allows the authentic individual to be revealed.

We on Spaceship Earth can see our reflection in the crew of the stricken Apollo 13. The tagline of that movie, ‘Failure is not an Option’, is a good reminder here. For it may be that Climate action could rely less on redemption and rebirth in favour of the Journey and Return story archetype. The latter would activate sensibilities and strengths needed to do the near impossible. To quit our addiction to conflict and do what needs to be done together. Refuse failure as an option and embrace climate convergence. Acknowledge the great work already under way, the turning point of the story comes ⅔ of the way in. The hard work of restoration through trial and error starts long before everyone is on board.

Tags: Storytelling