Prompt 2

When Foster applies the precept written by King Solomon he means that all writing and stories share concepts with each other. For example everyone has a basic understanding of what a hero is. They know this because countless stories have used the basic idea of the hero in their narrative. This repetition of these ideas and concepts throughout people’s lives creates expectations for what characters will do or for the general direction the story will take. Take, for example, a story about Superman. The story does not need to take the time to describe what Superman is because everyone already has the general idea ingrained within them that Superman, as a hero, does heroic things. This assumption allows for the story to instead explore who Superman is and further develop him as a character. Authors can also take advantage of these expectations by subverting what people may assume about a concept. This can be used to further develop a concept in people’s minds or even for parody of popular ideas. Take the idea of an anti-hero for example. In a story an anti-hero will fill the role a hero would normally fill but lacks certain qualities a hero should have. This twist on the idea of what a hero is allows for further exploration of what it means to be a hero by showing what a hero is not. However, the word anti-hero still contains the word hero. The concept of an anti-hero would not exist if it were not for the concept of a hero already being established.  By taking these well-known concepts and using them in different ways authors continue to expand on them.