3 acts:

• Story unfolds;
• Plot thickens, crash;
• Rise from ashes, victory;

4 criteria:

• What is the message?
• How is message conveyed?
• Did the protagonist change, as the result of going through the events?
• Did the audience/reader change, as a result of watching/reading the change in the protagonist and events?

5 stages of a story:

• What is the issue?
• What are the options, pros and cons of each?
• What option did the protagonist take, and why?
• What happened?
• What did the protagonist learn?

3-4-5 for Sight

3 acts:

• Story unfolds: Kajal, China;
• Plot thickens, crash: CR, research, Kajal’s 2^nd surgery failed;
• Rise from ashes, victory: come out of deep slump, eventually learned that we are ultimately limited and we need to ask for help, victory (Maria)!

4 criteria:

• What is the message?  While we as human beings do need to work hard and do our best, but, we are all ultimately limited, we need to be humble and ask for help;
• How is message conveyed? Through the story of Chinese immigrant to America.
• Did the protagonist change, as the result of going through the events? Yes, from a well-protected child to a fighter (in China) and from a self-confident a bit corky doctor to a human being with more wisdom recognizing that we are all ultimately limited (in US).
• Did the audience/reader change, as a result of watching/reading the change in the protagonist and events? Yes, audience learn that while we do need to do our best, but also, we need to recognize our own limitaitons.

5 Stages of a story:

• What is the issue? Will Kajal see?
• What are the options, pros and cons of each? After the first failed surgery: Option #1: Do not another surgery (safer, but Kajal will have NO chance to see); Option #2: DO do another surgery (riskier, but Kajal will HAVE a chance to see);
• What option did the protagonist take, and why? Initially chose Option #1 (no more surgery), for fear of failure and the risk of disfiguring Kajal, but the tragic and difficult events in CR and his courageous and successful fighting through it (erhu, study the impossible college exam) convinced him that he could do it, so he changed his mind and picked Option #2 (DO do another surgery), a plan further emboldened by baby-in-a-jar memory in CR and subsequent invention of AMCL;
• What happened? Kajal 2^nd surgery totally failed even with the new technology, he was devastated; dug himself out of the deep slump with his family’s help, and at the crucial moment of Maria’s surgery, recognizing that he is ultimately limited and does need help, prayed, and Maria saw!
• What did the protagonist learn? While we as human beings do need to work hard and do our best, but, we are all ultimately limited, we need to be humble and ask for help;

What are the sub messages of Sight?

1. Seeing beyond our pain (Kajal);
2. Seeing beyond our circumstance (Ming’s parents)
3. Seeing beyond ourselves (we are ultimately limited, our life means much than just ourselves so we need help others)
4. Seeing beyond our own culture (no matter what races or nationality, human beings are very much the same, desiring peace, security, love, honor and tradition)
5. Seeing beyond our polarization (we are living in a beautiful country here in America, having freedom, we should appreciate it so much more by being willing to work together, and find common ground)