Designing Principle
Start by turning the designing principle of your story into a theme line. The theme line is your view about right and wrong action, in this story, stated in one sentence. As you look again at the designing principle, focus on its key actions and their moral effects.

The direction of whether the two main protagonists can find their way into what it means to save their universe morally.

Theme Line Techniques
Look for any techniques, like symbols, that can condense your moral statement to one line or can encapsulate the unique structure you will give to your story.

In this story we look closely into whether life or death is justified due to wrongdoings.

Moral Choice
Write down the key choice the hero must make near the end of the story.

The main protagonists need to make the decision of whether their lives are worth living to save humanity or if their casualties are multiplied but they get to live.

Moral Problem
After reviewing your work on premise, state in one line the central moral problem your hero will confront throughout the story.

The moral problems that they are faced with are based on the fact that humans and beasts seem to blend together morally, making it difficult for both of them to see the difference in the worthiness of life itself.

Characters as Variations on a Theme
Starting with the hero and the main opponent, describe how each major character approaches the central moral problem of the story in a different way.

Damien – he has the role of serving the empress and finds himself questioning whether or not the empress is making a right decision or if even he is making the right decision

Aldous – throughout time we can clearly see how he escaped the clutches of society in order to benefit himself, being so selfish makes him question whether or not he’s also making the right decision when contemplating taking someone’s life

Maliya (evil) – she is the pure evil in the story, being Damien’s mother and inheriting the destruction of the universe. she utilizes the pain and suffering of humans in order to enact pure damnation

Values in Conflict
List the key values of each of the major characters, and explain how those values will come into conflict as each character tries to reach the goal.

Aldous finds himself confused when he comes back to society from his long break after being exiled from Silias. Making his way back into Wysteria, the views on his new position are much different. When he brings back his values on how he perceives life it confuses most of the public.

For Damien, he has changed by the flow of Silias, he thinks much differently and how he believes the life of others can be sometimes meaningless to himself as long as they have done one thing wrong to him. Unlike Aldous, this makes it difficult for him to develop strong relationships.

MORAL ARGUMENT

For homework

Detail the moral argument you will make through the structure of the story, using the following sequence.

Hero’s Beliefs and Values
Restate your hero’s essential beliefs and values.

Damien believes that as long as the empress tells him what to do, he will do it regardless of what outside opinions there are. Eventually down the line we can see him develop a different thinking – this even being encouraged by the empress.

Moral Weakness
What is your hero’s main weakness when it comes to acting toward others?

Damien has become cold over the years based off of the fact that there is such a high standard for him based off of his Etnik family name. He doesn’t seem to have any time for himself which makes him lacking in any other enjoyment he can reach out of his life.

Moral Need
What must your hero learn by the end of the story about the right way to act and live in the world?

When Damien comes back to being with Aldous, the both of their values make  them stronger and kind of fixes the both of them. Aldous brings life back into Damien and Damien brings reality back to Aldous. With the both of these contributing together, this makes the both of them more approachable in society.

First Immoral Action
Describe the first action your hero takes that hurts someone else in the story. Make sure it is an outgrowth of your hero’s great moral weakness.

In this story, we are able to see that Damien first hurts someone significantly, and that is being his brother Rufioh. When Damien chooses to go to war after they finish the academy, Rufioh finds that there could be a better way to keep the Etnik name relevant in society. After Damien comes back from war decorated with many of the lives he took on the battlefield, this creates a major gap between the two brothers and makes it hard for them to come back from it.

Desire
Restate your hero’s specific goal.

Damien’s major goal in the story is to make sure that he prevents his mother from taking the universe from him. If we think a little more closely, it may actually just be pure revenge that he is seeking out on his mother. He still has respect for his father and mourns his loss.

Drive
List the actions your hero will take to win that goal.

Damien leads and trains a group of people and the militia of Silias. He tries to create alliances with the surrounding countries in an effort to make their masses much larger and more man power against his mother.

Immoral Actions 2
In what way, if any, are these actions immoral?
   Criticism : For any immoral action, describe the criticism, if any, that the hero receives.
Justification : How does the hero justify each immoral action?

The actions are clearly immoral to the public eye. Killing people off regardless when there are other pressing issues like the beasts that threaten humanity makes him become very intimidating and fearful. He doesn’t actually say anything, in fact he finds the public’s view on him quite flattering.

Attack by Ally
Explain in detail the main moral attack that the ally makes against the hero. Again, write down how the hero justifies himself.

When Aldous comes back from Wysteria and reunites with Damien, Aldous is shocked by what he has grown into. He becomes skeptical of if this is even the person that he remembers. With this being said, he confronts Damien about his attitude and the actions he keeps pursuing and he is met with Damien convincing him that this is the end of the world and it’s either you live trying or die with all the regrets in the world.

Obsessive Drive
Describe when and how your hero becomes obsessed with winning. Put another way, is there a moment when your hero decides to do almost anything to win?

When Damien goes to war against Linfell and Lord Raphael, when they come face to face, Damien becomes blinded with rage as he is met with a foe much similar to him. He begins to see only the terrible things about Raphael, even if it is ironic.

Immoral Actions 3
While obsessed with winning, what immoral steps does your hero take?
Criticism : Describe the criticism, if any, that the hero faces for these actions.
Justification : Explain how the hero justifies his methods.

Damien in this case, attempts to take the life of someone who seems to resemble his exact shadow.

Battle
During the final battle, how do you express which values, the hero’s or the opponent’s, are superior in this fight?

During this fight, Maliya’s values overwhelm the people that are fighting against  her. The truth of the Etnik name bleeds and creates confusion about whether Damien and Rufioh are two people that they can trust. Much of the time Maliya was seen to be a gracious warrior. Her motives now visible of her reawakening the Maker and creating the destruction of worlds shakes the people facing against her.

Final Action Against Opponent
Does your hero take a final action against the opponent, whether moral or immoral, before or during the battle?

Damien has to make the decision whether or not to let someone else take the life of his mother or if he should take his mother’s own life with his bare hands.

Moral Self-Revelation
What, if anything, does your hero learn morally at the end of the story? Be sure that this insight is about how to act properly toward others.

In the end, Damien learns that the decision to be selfish and end his own life is far more damaging than it is heroic. He listens to his people and finds a way to equally fight the battle without doing what he usually does and holds the burden on his shoulders.

Moral Decision
Does the hero make a decision between two courses of action near the end of the story?

At the end of the story Damien chooses between ending his life or not.

Thematic Revelation
Can you think of a story event in which you express your vision of how human beings should act in some other way than through the self-revelation of your hero?

Any time that Damien is met with people introducing him to new aspect or perspective of life I find it to be very enlightening to him and humbling.