Escape stories

Disciplines > Storytelling > Plots > Classic story types > Escape stories

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

People get away from someone or something. Escape stories are often where one or more people escape from some form of capture and confinement, but the escape may also be from some disaster or other natural disaster.

There are often two parts to escape stories: the first part is the actual escape from capture and the next part is the flight to freedom and accompanied chase. Escape stories may major on either of these or provide a balance of action across them.

Example

The Colditz Story
O Brother, Where Are Thou
Snow White

Discussion

Escape stories can echo teenage desires of escaping 'imprisonment' in the family home. They may even hark back to natal imprisonment in the womb and escape into the world.

Remember how children play games of capture and release, for example wanting family members to hold them and then let them be powerful in their escape and bold in their running away.

Change stories of escape can echo being trapped by the past and consequent breaking free to a better future.