Script Analysis of Misery

1.Question: Whose story is it? Explain why this is the central character. What does he or she want? What does he or she need? Explain how this distinction helps reveal this as primarily a subjective or primarily an objective drama. Answer: Misery is Paul Sheldon’s story. He is the central character because his decisions drive the drama of the story. Paul’s “want” is to become a real writer again and get away from the “Misery” business. Paul’s “need” is to survive Annie Wilkes. While the story has both subjective and objective dramatic moments, it is primarily an objective drama because the need is survival and most of the tension of the film surrounds whether Paul will be able to survive.

2.Question: What is the point of attack? Why? Answer: The scene when Annie shaves Paul and reveals she was following Paul during the blizzard and watching him prior to blizzard. This is the first hint to the audience of trouble and is the “distant thunder” of what will become the main tension, Paul escaping from Annie.

3.Question: What is the main tension? When does it begin? Answer: The main tension is whether Paul will be able to escape from Annie. It begins when Annie discovers that Paul has killed Misery and that she hasn't really called his publisher and no one is going to rescue him, “If I die, you die.”

4.Question: What is the midpoint? Why? Answer: The midpoint of the story is when Paul is physically unable to get out of the house and races back to the bedroom. This is the scene with parallel action, as Annie drives home while Paul races back to bed. The reason this is the midpoint is because it narrows the focus of the main tension. Paul will not be able to physically escape from Annie. Instead, he will need to outsmart her.

5.Question: What is the culmination? When does it occur? Why is that the culmination? Answer: The culmination is when Paul is hobbled by Annie with the sledgehammer. It occurs at the end of the second act and is the moment when Paul has lost all hope. This ends the main tension. Paul is not going to escape from Annie.

6.Question: What is the twist in the third act? Why? Answer: The twist of the third act is when Buster is shot in the back. It is a twist because it is a justifiable surprise that ends our new hope introduced in the third act that Buster will save Paul.

7.Question: What is the resolution? Why? Answer: The resolution is when Paul delivers his new book to his publisher, which satisfies his main want, to become a “real” writer again.

8.Question: Identify one sequence and break it down: when does it being and when does it end? Whose sequence is it? What is the sequence tension? Is there an event around which the sequence is shaped? Answer: Sequence #7: Fight to the death
a. The sequence begins when Annie shows Paul the gun and he realizes he is going to have to kill her to escape.
b. The sequence ends when Annie clubs his legs. He fails to kill her.
c. Whose sequence: Paul
d. Sequence tension: Will Paul kill Annie with the knife and escape?
e. Event: Paul takes the kitchen knife

9. Question: Give an example of planting and payoff. Answer: An example of planting and payoff is the single match, which Paul uses to light his cigarette. It is planted early on in the story as a ritual he performs after finishing a book. The payoff is later in the story when Annie brings him his ritual materials that he will use to destroy the final chapter of “Misery’s Return” and fight his way free.

10.Question: Cite a scene which is primarily for revealing character rather than moving the story or plot forward. Answer: A scene which is primarily for revealing character is the “pig” scene, in which we discover Annie has a pet pig named Misery. This scene does not reveal any plot information, but is strictly about Annie’s character, demonstrating her obsession by naming her pig Misery and her ignorance by referring to Leonardo DaVinci as “that dago.”

11.Question: Cite one instance of mystery, surprise, and suspense. Answer:
a. Mystery – When Paul discovers Annie’s “memory lane” book, we are reading clipped articles about Annie’s past and trying to figure out what she has done in the past.
b. Suspense – When Paul picks the lock and is able to get out of his room and search around the house. The suspense is due to the parallel action as Annie makes her way home.
c. Surprise – When Annie shoots Buster, it comes to our surprise as an audience.

12.Question: Give two examples of the use of elements of the future. Answer:
a. We learn Paul has killed off Misery in his newest Misery book in an early scene with Lauren Bacall. When Annie gets the new Misery book, our anticipation of Annie discovering Misery’s death is heightened.
b. When Lauren Bacall calls Buster and asks him about Paul, it advertises a future event: will Buster find Paul?

13.Question: Give one example of a special use of a costume and a special use of a prop. Answer:
a. Costume: Paul’s arm sling. Paul initially needs the arm sling to recover, but goes on to use it to hide the knife. He also wears it longer than he needs to in order to feign injury.
b. Prop: The typewriter. It is used both as a tool for writing and a weapon in Paul’s final effort to escape.

14.Question: Give one example of scenes of preparation and aftermath. Answer:
a. Scene of Aftermath: After the suspenseful scene when Paul has picked the lock and Annie comes home, the aftermath is the scene when Annie gets Paul his pain pills at his request and takes him back to bed. This is for the audience to wind down and digest the suspense that just occurred.
b. Scene of Preparation – When Paul fills a piece of paper with the pill powder, the audience knows we are preparing for a future event, his attempt to put her to sleep.