In public policy communication, the ability to craft compelling narratives is paramount. Whether you’re informing the public, shaping policy discussions, or advocating for change, public policy professionals must use the best tools at their disposal to engage their audience effectively.
Perhaps one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal is Aristotle’s Dramatic Arc, a storytelling framework that has been used to engage audiences for hundreds of years. In this resource, we’ll explore how public policy professionals can harness the Five Essential Elements of Aristotle’s Dramatic Arc to create more persuasive and impactful policy narratives.
Understanding Aristotle’s Dramatic Arc
Twenty-five hundred years ago, Aristotle set out to understand what made some stories stick with an audience, and what made others seem to fall flat. He dissected the most popular stories of his day, and what he found was that powerful narratives shared certain elements, including a particular path.
This path—what we call Aristotle’s Dramatic Arc—is also known as the three-act structure because it consists of three main parts: the exposition, the rising action, and the resolution.
Exposition:
The exposition sets the stage by introducing the characters, setting, and context of the story. In policy communication, this translates to establishing the issue at hand, providing relevant background information, and framing the narrative within the broader sociopolitical landscape.
For example, a public policy professional seeking to communicate the urgency of protecting the Amazon rainforest might start by introducing the Amazon as one of the world’s most biodiverse and ecologically important regions. Such a narrative would provide background information on the threats facing the rainforest, such as deforestation, illegal logging, and agricultural expansion.
Rising Action:
The rising action builds tension and momentum as the story unfolds. In policy communication, this involves highlighting the challenges, conflicts, and obstacles that must be overcome to address the issue effectively. This is where examples and case studies can be particularly powerful in illustrating the human impact of policy decisions.
In our Amazon rainforest example, the rising action would delve into the escalating challenges and conflicts surrounding Amazon conservation. This could include stories of environmental activists fighting against deforestation, indigenous leaders advocating for land rights, and scientists documenting the impacts of habitat destruction on wildlife and climate. The rising action would build tension and urgency, underscoring the high stakes involved in protecting the Amazon.
Resolution:
The resolution brings closure to the narrative by resolving conflicts. In policy communication, this stage involves presenting solutions, outlining policy proposals, and inspiring action. This is the opportunity to offer concrete recommendations backed by evidence and to convey a sense of hope and possibility for positive change.
Continuing with the Amazon rainforest example, the resolution would present potential solutions and pathways forward for preserving what’s left of this vital ecosystem. This could involve advocating for stronger environmental regulations, supporting sustainable development initiatives, and empowering indigenous communities to manage and protect their lands.
A successful resolution might also convey a sense of hope and possibility, emphasizing the importance of collective action and international cooperation in safeguarding the Amazon rainforest for future generations.
Incorporating the Five Essential Elements of Policy Narratives into Aristotle’s Dramatic Arc
For the purposes of outlining a narrative, it’s possible to expand the three main parts of Aristotle’s Dramatic into what we refer to as the Five Essential Elements of Policy Narratives:
Inciting Event
The first essential element of policy narratives is the inciting event. The sole purpose of the inciting event is to show how the main character of the story had the balance of their life upset in some way.
In public policy communication, the inciting event could be significant policy development or a newsworthy event—anything that can capture the audience’s attention and spark their interest in the issue at hand.
The inciting event can occur in one of three ways: (1) it occurs because of a choice the main character makes, (2) it’s a coincidence—something unexpected, random, or accidental happens, or (3) an opportunity arises that requires the main character to take some kind of action. In other words, something spurs the character to act and begin a transformation of some kind.
Included in the inciting event is all the exposition that Aristotle found was important to helping the audience feel grounded. When does the story take place? Where does it take place? Who else besides the main character is involved? What’s the problem that needs to be solved? Providing the answers to these questions in the beginning of your story will situate the readers in a specific time and place where they can better understand the physical and emotional landscape of the story as quickly as possible.
Progressive Complications
The second essential element of policy narratives is the progressive complications. In this section of the story, the main character encounters obstacles, conflicts, and challenges that arise as the story unfolds, intensifying the stakes and driving the action forward.
In policy communication, this could involve revealing additional layers of complexity surrounding the issue, uncovering unforeseen consequences, or encountering resistance from vested interests or opposing viewpoints.
When deciding what to include in this section of the story, keep in mind some sage advice from one of the masters, Kurt Vonnegut, who said, that “Every sentence must do one of two things: reveal character or advance the action.”
Crisis & Climax
The third and fourth essential elements of storytelling are, respectively, the crisis and climax. The crisis is the pivotal moment in the story when the main character must make a decision that will change the course of their life and determine the outcome of the story. No matter what the main character decides, they will never be the same person they were at the beginning of the story.
In this section of the narrative, it’s important to make it clear to the reader what the choices are and at least imply what the possible outcomes of each choice may be. You’ll know that you’ve found a true crisis moment in a narrative when it’s possible that something bad or undesirable could happen regardless of what decision is made. More than anything, the reader wants to see how the main character approaches and makes sense of such a situation.
In policy communication, this could be a legislative showdown, a public outcry, or a breaking news event that forces policymakers to reckon with the consequences of their actions or inaction.
The climax, in turn, is the point in the narrative when the decision gets made—where the writer answers the question raised by the crisis: What’s going to happen next? The main character must confront the central conflict head-on, with the outcome hanging in the balance.
In policy communication, this could be a pivotal vote, a landmark decision, or a decisive moment of public opinion shifting in favor of a particular policy direction.
Resolution
The resolution is the conclusion of the story, where the main character either finds solutions to the challenges they faced—or not—either as a changed person or with a newfound sense of purpose. This is the part of the narrative where it’s appropriate to reflect on the themes that run throughout the story and consider how they relate to the larger message or purpose of the story.
In policy communication, this could involve the implementation of new policies, the achievement of key milestones, or the realization of the broader societal impact of policy decisions.
Incorporating Aristotle’s Dramatic Arc and its Five Essential Elements into policy communication can help public policy professionals craft more compelling and persuasive narratives. By engaging audiences with such well-structured stories that resonate emotionally and intellectually, public policy professionals can drive meaningful change and advance the public discourse on critical issues.
Remember, the power of storytelling lies not only in the facts and figures but also in the human experiences and emotions that bring policy issues to life. Embrace Aristotle’s Dramatic Arc and the Five Essential Elements of Policy Narratives, and watch your stories ignite passion, inspire action, and drive positive and lasting change.