IMPORTANT: This is a very rough and general deconstruction that is meant to simply illustrate that this story follows the pattern described on the main page.
DO NOT attempt to write a story by following this deconstruction – it contains inaccuracies, critical stages have been omitted and it does not benefit from the latest insights; if you need an accurate deconstruction of this story, place an order at ../CustomServices.html#deconstructions
For other basic deconstructions, you may also want to do a search on our youtube channel.
You would be wise to gain a deep understanding of effective story structure by purchasing the complete 510+ stage Hero's Journey from ../ClassicHero.html and learning from our video lessons and tuition services at ../CustomServices.html ; you should also join the mailing list
[can also be deconstructed with Dega as the Supernatural Aid]
FADE IN: context: penal colony.
Goodbye to the Ordinary World and Ordinary Self: forget France; France has disowned you.
On a Journey: picking up their suitcases.
Creatures of the Ordinary World: the people watching in the streets.
Pushed out of the Ordinary World: the police force the convicts on.
Meeting the Loyal Ally: Louis Dega.
Romantic Challenge: Dega's wife.
Meeting the Hero: Papillion ["Papi"]
No Way Back: no you won't.
Meeting the Mentor: no you won't.
World of the Mentor: in the ship.
Hero's Capabilities / Danger / Warning: Papillon has a knife.
On a Journey / Pushed Forward: the boat sails.
Hero's Capabilities: Papi shoves money up his ass.
Symbol of Transformation: the butterfly tattoo.
Hero's Backstory: you're papillon; you killed a pimp; I'm innocent.
Mentor's Backstory: he spent nine years there.
Danger of the Journey and Transformation: 40% in the first year.
Ally's Backstory: Dega was the best counterfeiter.
Call to Adventure / Hero and Ally Polarization: you need protection.
Refusal: Dega doesn't think much of Papi.
This World: the hose down.
Foreshadow of the Transformation: I won't go to solitary; nothing personal.
Unbearable Antagonism: the dead man is killed and robbed.
Overcoming the Refusal: ok, I need protection.
Conscious Decision: Papi saves Degas' life.
Warning: Papi tied up like a dog.
First Threshold from Afar: looking at the islands.
Warning: you can't get away, the sharks, the current.
Threshold Guardians: the convicts turned guards.
First Threshold Marker: crossing the bridge.
Physical Change: he cuts himself to go to hospital.
Creatures of the First Threshold: the prostitutes; the integrated convicts; the people of the island.
Outer Cave:
Authority Figure: the warden.
Rules: the guillotine figure.
Meeting Allies: the old man wants 2100 to escape work.
Death: the beheading.
Resisting the Middle Cave: hoping the bribe will mean avoiding work.
Pushed to the Middle Cave: my family lost everything.
Middle Cave:
In Kilo 40.
Having to catch the croc.
Guards make money from the croc.
Inner Cave:
Clusiot shares antimalaria.
The dead convict. Sharing his food.
Polarization: Papi hisses at the converted convicts.
Push to the Belly of the Whale: I can get a boat.
World of the Belly of the Whale: catching butterflies.
Allies Nature: Dego catches the butterfly with his hands.
Warning: the butterfly man threatens to turn them in.
Pushed to the Transformation and Trials: if I don't go I'll die.
Pursued to the Transformation and Trials: Papi saves Dega's life and runs.
Polarization Decreases / Transformation: that man risked his life to save mine; for me that's a new experience.
Forced to the Road of Trials: Papi is double crossed and captured.
Trials and Transformation 1:
New World of the Transformation: Reclusion.
Transformation Mentor: our job is to process you, to break you physically, mentally and spiritually.
Rules: masturbate as little as possible etc.
Outer Cave:
Marker of Transformation: counting 5 steps to start.
Resisting the Transformation: we eat everything we get; press ups.
Marker / Foreshadow of the Transformation: how do I look?
Polarization Decreases / Transformation: Dega sends a coconut.
Time Shift: the old man next door is gone.
Resisting the Transformation: I'm still here you bastards.
Physical Change: the bat bites the leg.
Middle Cave:
Forced to Transform: the warden wants to know who sent the coconut; half rations and no light.
Push to the New Self: I accuse you of a wasted life; the penalty is death.
MIDPOINT: Developing Characters and Relationships / Decreased Polarization: Dega worried that Papi will tell; I would.
Transforming: laughing in the rain.
Inner Cave:
Resisting the Transformation: I don't get hungry; I was born skinny.
Transformed: now 13 steps.
Transformed: how do I look; you look swell.
Acceptance: Papillon calls the Mentor.
Death to the Old Self: you're dead.
Trials and Transformation 2:
Outer Cave: taken to hospital.
The gay boy doctor and the turnkey.
Transforming: getting stringer; Dega sends soup.
Developing Characters and Relationships: listen my friend, you owe me nothing.
Developing Characters and Relationships: the turnkey puts a flower in the boy's mouth.
Pushed to the Middle Cave: Clusiot tells Papi that Dega has arranged an escape.
Middle Cave:
Papi will kill the X-ray doctor if he double-crosses him.
Resisting the Inner Cave: you think I'm a whore, well I'm not.
Overcoming Resistance: Papillon agrees to him [the boy] coming along.
Resistance: Papi wants Dega to come along, but he won't.
Romantic Challenge: what do you think your wife is doing with the lawyer and all that money.
Inner Cave: escaping from the turnkey and over the wall.
Forced to the Inner Cave: Dega saves Papi's life.
Physical Change: Dega breaks his leg; setting his leg.
No Reward: The boat is a dud.
Trials and Transformation 3:
Outer Cave: the tattoo man appears.
Push to the Middle Cave: taken to the leper colony; hesitating at the door.
Inner Cave: with the lead leper; smoking his cigar.
Reward: the boat and money.
Meeting the Oracle: only a few weeks to Honduras.
Journey to the Sword: on the boat to Honduras.
Trial to the Sword: getting gangrene and operating.
Seizing the Sword: arriving in Honduras.
Separation: Dega left behind.
Forced to the Night Sea Journey: running with the other convict.
Near Death Experience: poison darts from the Indians.
Baptism: falling in the water.
Reward: waking up with the idyllic tribe.
Sexual Union: getting a girl.
New Self / Physical Change: the chief gets a tattoo.
Forced to the Atonement with the Father: the tribe leaves and Papi seeks refuge with the nuns.
Apotheosis: leaving the five years of solitary confinement; the sharks take the dead.
Convergence: Dega sees Papi on the island.
Magic Flight: taken to the island.
Denial: Dega runs from Papi.
Magic Flight: Papi pursues Dega.
Rescue from Without: the coconut drifts out to sea.
Crossing the Return Threshold: testing the bag of coconuts.
Final Antagonism: the coconuts bash the rocks.
Master of the Two Worlds: it happens every seventh wave.
Goodbye: hugging.
Freedom to Live: Papillon floats to freedom.
Fade out: Papi outlives the colony.
by Kal Bashir