Please read Deconstruct a Trope first.
A deconstruction takes apart all the elements that form a trope, examines the nature of each one of them, puts them on a realistic world, gives them realistic origins, and then brings everything to its logical conclusion. A reconstruction takes the trope's deconstruction and deconstructs it. Confused?
A deconstruction can be anywhere in the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism; the deconstruction simply takes a trope's "logic" and takes it apart, the reconstruction tries to be its polar opposite without being unrealistic, either proving the deconstruction wrong or proving the straight trope right.
Deconstructions show off the flaws or realistic behaviors a trope could have in Real Life no matter how "unimportant" they might appear, a reconstruction takes every single Logical Weakness, realistic behavior,flaw, criticism and tries to counter it with another thing.
Understanding the deconstruction
Deconstructions exist for a reason, they try their hardest to use creativity and logic to show us how an idea looks in a realistic environment or with normally ignored flaws. The reconstruction accepts this criticism and (without ignoring the deconstruction too much) try to counter it with something equally believable.
For example, a deconstruction of The Hero may show him getting little recognition for his job, breaking down mentally, and accomplishing nothing in the grand scheme of things. How can these issues be resolved? Well, while the public at large may not acknowledge his deeds, the people he saves respect him, as do his loved ones. He has healthy coping techniques for psychological trauma, and therapists exist. And although he can't save everyone, he's able to make small differences that inspire others and gradually pave the way for larger changes.
Laws to reconstruct tropes
Take your deconstruction and think:
- how can I prove it wrong?note
- how can I subvert it?note
- how can I avert it?
- how can I invert it?
- how can I downplay it?
- how can I deconstruct it?note
- how can I fix the flaws?
Suggested Tropes
- A World Half Full: Even if a trope would have often-overlooked negative effects on the world, it may also have positive ones.
- Cyclic Trope: Deconstructing and reconstructing often leads to this.
- Decon-Recon Switch
- Earn Your Happy Ending
- Genre Throwback
- Good Is Not Dumb: The heroes work with logic, not against it.
- Heart Is an Awesome Power
- He's Back!
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk
- Justified Trope: A trope has a good reason to be there.
- Mental Health Recovery Arc: Trauma is acknowledged, but can be managed.
- Morality Kitchen Sink: Even if shades of grey are present, there can still be overall good people and overall bad people.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain
- Not So Similar
- Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: Sometimes villains really are just in it for themselves.
- Reality Is Unrealistic: Some so-called deconstructions aren't actually as realistic as people think, or aren't the only logical outcome.
- Screw Destiny: Reconstructing a trope subverts the idea that it would be doomed to fail.
- Sheep in Sheep's Clothing
- Shut Up, Hannibal!
- Troperiffic
- Tropes Are Not Bad: Reconstructions explore how tropes can still hold up under scrutiny.
- Worth It
