Tropes and Cliches

Story Telling through Relationships: In General

So this is another writing elements I see and many people use when trying to tell a story. One way is through how characters interact with other characters. How is this storytelling? Well, in most of the stuff I watch, played, or read most of the story is told through one's relationship. 

This can establish something that the writer can't explain. Also, it doesn't have to be romantic relationships. People always assume writers mean romance when talking about relationships. Friends, familys, mentors, they all have a relationship with the main character(s) of a story. Establishing something can show more in a character than actions or words. So when someone says "It's a matter of perspective" it's really that. From the outside we see one thing, but we get more info about a character and how they relate to another, we can sort start to paint a picture.

Let's look at the Last Airbender ( the show, not that god awful movie) Zuko's relationships are readily established between his uncle, parents, and sister. Iroh treats him like his own son, and wasn't even mad a Zuko when he sold him out. Zuko's father Ozai literally burned his face for speaking out of turn to his general, banished him with the condition of him returning with the avatar who was possibly a dead airbender or a waterbender. We're not going into Azula because she scares me a little. This can play into his character and his whole arc as a whole. 

Another example, in the Percy Jackson series and by extention The Heros of Olympus series, the relationship between the campers of Camp Half Blood and their parents tell us somethings dear Uncle Rick never really went into details about. Some of them come from a single parent home and the realization of having many half siblings stings a little. And one thing that sticks out is that Hermes was the default cabin for unclaimed demigods. So imagine years of having some weird quirk or ability that is associated with a minor god and being stuck in a cabin full of people who have already been claimed. Do you know how many kids would feel relief or joy of knowing who their parent is? Also some felt like pawns in a fight that they didn't even start or like they don't matter because they weren't claimed by their godly parent.

Looking at romantic relationships, it's harder for me to discet because I'm not a fan of romance, but they can give you a look at a character. Looking at Romeo and Juliet ( not the best example), a simple miscommunication, well more so lack of communication, lead to the death of the title characters. Hell, the play even established their families had a beef  for so long no one even remembers what started it. We just know that they hate each other. This lead to a forbidden romance. Also Mercutio's relationship with Romeo is widely debated. Many people he had a bromance without the b, but it was more so onesided and Rosaline never existed ,leading many to believe that Romeo was bi, but who knows , it's all up for interpetation. 

Hell friendships and mentors are the main part of most of things I watch. Young Justice starts with the proteges of the League's heavy hitters going behind their back and establishing their own covert team. Their friends are strained due to secrets, lies, and betrayals through all three seasons. Why? A lot of deaths happen, secrets that could have saved someone was omitted, and a lot of relationships were put on the line. Hell, one spoiler, M'gann literally fries Aqualad's brain because she was under the assumption he killed Artemis. Now Nightwing omitted this because they felt if too many people knew, their plan to expose the Reach and The Light would fall apart, which it almost did due to Aqualad getting the equivalent of a labotomy with a side of electroshock therapy. 

This trope is actually pretty broad due to the many types of relationship a person can have with someone else. This can range from something like family to lordship to mentor. There are so may things you can explore.