ABSTRACT
Don’t worry too much at this point if you are not sure what the unconscious desire or need is. Part of the task of writing a first draft is to discover your characters and your story. It might be that you won’t discover key things until after you have finished the draft. But bear in mind the fact that all stories are – to greater or lesser degrees – based upon the conflict between what the protagonists consciously think they want, and what they unconsciously desire. A character might express himself as good and loyal, and might be perceived so in his actions by the other characters. Where the drama lies is in seeing if, when exposed to temptations, ‘road blocks’, new opportunities, etc., the sleeping inner desires are aroused. There is an interesting moment early in Macbeth, where the king is speaking of the traitor Cawdor, who had been previously one of the most trusted:
There’s no art To find the mind’s construction in the face: He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust.
