Scott at 2012-09-18 14:52:19:

David, I'd say so. 'Conversion' is another way of expressing transformation, but one thing I like about it that transformation doesn't quite convey is the sense that the change is about something INSIDE the character 'converting' into something expressed OUTSIDE the character through their actions. Again per Cummings, "Become what you are." Self-actualization, if you will. I realize that is somewhat different than the typical sense of a conversion experience or conversion into a specific religious faith, but as a metaphor in terms of dynamics present in many / most movies, I think there is value in thinking about conversion as an expression of the Protagonist's metamorphosis.

A2Jason at 2012-09-18 17:11:16:

What I love about this concept of "Conversion" that you are presenting is that it gets us thinking about the emotional story happening inside the Protagonist separately from the physical "Plot." What is the "greater self" that the Protagonist longs to become? What is preventing the Protagonist from that metamorphosis? I can see how illuminating the Protagonist's "Conversion" path helps to make the audience care more about the main Plot journey that they are undertaking - and heightens the theme. Sure, it is important to complete the mission and save the day, but it is truly admirable to address and overcome personal flaws for the sake of becoming a better human being.

Win Vahlkamp at 2012-09-25 23:26:53:

I attend a Vineyard Church here in Sugar Land, TX and I love my church for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons is one of our movement's values - "Come as you are, but don't stay as you are." This post makes me reflect on that value and also how our inner stories are reflected and acted out in our outer actions. As I've read here numerous times and in other places "show, don't tell." People don't come up to you and say "I'm going to hit you now because I'm angry" (except in movies when it's really stinking funny). They get angry and hit you out of that anger. Or they feel compassion and feed a homeless guy. It's so fascinating to see a person have a sudden conversion experience. They come in mean, sad, broken, addicted and they leave a changed person. It's like they suddenly see the world differently and from that experience, they change. For some it's very immediate, like being completely healed of addiction. For others it takes more time and work. Scott, your comments about transformation compared to conversion certainly make me think. Is a prerequisite to conversion some kind of transformational experience? A conversion results in a new man/woman. Likewise after conversion, transformation continues as the new person behaves and acts differently. But it's also an iterative process whereby you have a transformational experience which results in a paradigm shift of life causing one to see the world differently and out of that new paradigm act differently. Hopefully each new experience and ensuing paradigm shift/epiphany causes one to lean more into life; to press into life and live, rather than retreat from life and die (figuratively or literally). All of which constitutes a life story. All some very interesting topics. Thanks for the posts!