WONDERFUL! Thanks for the feedback and the compliment and WOW! That is a great feeling, isn’t it? I am thrilled I could help.

The Perfect Storm is troublesome. Namely because it is a narrative nonfiction. But even narrative NF is scaled over a three act structure. And I have slept since I read the book (and watched the movie). One might say it could be Bobby Shatford (and those who support him), who desperately tries to convince the captain and the crew who back the captain that mere money is not worth more than the crews’ lives.

He very nearly gets his way as he vainly tries to talk them out of the madness.

But it is desperation and pride that pushes the captain (and the part of the crew who believe they have what it takes) to go ahead and try to outmaneuver the storm anyway.

It’s only under duress–when it’s clear that the ONLY chance they have to make it is with ALL hands on deck—that Bobby convinces his betrayers to unshackle him. He rises to the occasion to help those who turned on him and does all he can to save their lives even though they stabbed him in the back over…money.

Yes, Bobby dies, but he dies a NOBLE death unlike the prideful captain who, through a mixture of money concerns and inflated ego, believed fresh fish more important than human life.

It’s the captain’s inflated sense of his abilities—PRIDE—that leads his men to their doom. Pride that has been exacerbated by his financial situation at home.

Bobby, however, from the beginning, while game to go out fishing, is wary and willing to cut bait and go if things take a turn for the worse.

When they make the catch of a lifetime, he’s overjoyed. But he is ALWAYS cautious and concerned about the wellbeing of his fellow fishermen.

When the refrigeration breaks down, Bobby doesn’t really need to ponder what they will do at all. Haul ass home. There IS no question.

‘Screw the catch and we’ll figure out the finances later.’ That is why I believe he would be the protagonist.

The story is set up as a tragedy. But Bobby rises to the occasion in that it’s easy to be a good caring man on land. But what about when your life and the life of everyone around you is at stake? Can your character stand up to the test of fire?

The captain clearly failed. Bobby did not.

In my current WIP I’m having trouble coming up with a BBT. Basically, it’s a story of a woman who is investigating her father’s disappearance who, it turns out later in the story, has been euthanized and had his brain uploaded into a computer along with those many others. Not sure if this is a man vs. man or a man vs. society story.

Glad to hear that you are on the mend and as always I enjoy your posts.