I recently re-watched the movie Seabiscuit, a film adaptation of Seabiscuit: An American Legend (1999) by Laura Hillenbrand. I had seen the movie several years before I picked up a keyboard with the intention of writing my own novels, but seeing the story for the second time gave me a chance to analyze it from a writer’s perspective.
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SECOND CHANCES
The movie is set in 1930’s depression-era America, a time when many people lost everything except their longing for a second chance at life. The plot follows four independent characters who had suffered in different ways, but whose paths converge to result in a surprising accomplishment.
AND PARALLEL PLOTS
Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) was a wealthy and powerful automobile magnate, but the loss of his only child in an automobile accident destroyed his marriage. On a trip to Mexico with several friends, Howard became interested in horse-racing, though he knew little about the sport.
Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) was an over-the-hill trainer known for his unusual methods and devotion to rehabilitating injured animals. He uttered a crucial line in the film, “You know, you don’t throw a whole life away just ’cause he’s banged up a little.” Although Smith was referring to a horse, the quote clearly referred to all the main characters.
Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) was a young man from an educated family whose parents were ruined by the depression. Bitter and angry, Pollard’s love of horses pushed him into becoming a jockey even though he was considered too big for the sport.
Seabiscuit (10 different horses played the role of Seabiscuit in the film) was a grandson of the great Man o’ War, but hadn’t amounted to much as a race horse. He was considered lazy and untrainable by those who tried to turn him into a winner. Besides, he was small for a thoroughbred. Hardly the stuff of champions
COMING TOGETHER
The four characters lived in parallel universes until Howard considered getting into the horse-racing business. Deciding against the well-known, successful trainers, Howard hired Tom Smith, and Smith, in turn, opted for the unlikely Seabiscuit as the horse to train. Then he went even further afield when he hired Pollard as the jockey. This was a team of misfits, all looking in different ways for a second chance at life. As Howard explains to a crowd in a memorable scene: “The horse is too small, the jockey too big, the trainer too old, and I’m too dumb to know the difference.”
You can see where this is going. Seabiscuit began to win races, and soon the horse was heralded as the best racehorse on the west coast. But the real horse-racing establishment was housed in the eastern United States. And it was there that the magnificent stallion War Admiral reined supreme. (Pun intended.)
In 1937, War Admiral won the Triple Crown, only the fourth horse do so, and was also named “Horse of the Year.” A majestic animal, War Admiral inspired awe in any who witnessed his races. So, of course, Charles Howard wanted to match his upstart steed against the best.
Samuel Riddle, the owner of War Admiral, had no interest in committing his champion to a head-to-head contest with Seabiscuit. He had nothing to gain and everything to lose. But Charles Howard took his message to the masses in 1938, and convinced people who were themselves yearning for a second chance at life to see a match race through the lens of the underdog. Howard’s strategy worked, and Riddle finally agreed to the match race, though on the terms that it had to be run on War Admiral’s home track.
The “Match of the Century” was held on November 1, 1938. According to the Wikipedia entry on Seabiscuit, 40,000 people showed up at Pimlico for the race and another 40 million listened to it on the radio! Since Pollard was still recovering from a broken leg suffered in a training accident, George Woolf, a well-known jockey and friend of Pollard’s, was aboard Seabiscuit for the showdown.
THE RACE
Knowing War Admiral liked to go immediately to the front, Smith’s strategy was for Seabiscuit to jump out to an early lead and set the pace, which he did. Smith also instructed Woolf to let War Admiral catch up in the backstretch, which he also did. Running shoulder-to-shoulder, the two horses rounded the final turn.
In a charming bit of moviedom that I doubt actually happened, George Woolf turned to the jockey astride War Admiral as the horses entered the homestretch and said, “So long, Charlie.” Then Seabiscuit pulled away and won the race by four lengths.
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So TKZers: What do you think of the use of parallel plots? Have you used parallel plots in your novels? Do you ever knock your main characters down and give them a second chance at success? Have you ever used both parallel plots and second chances in the same story?
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Two teams of female sleuths follow parallel plot lines to decipher the clues and discover a killer. But the only thing waiting at the finish line is more danger.
Good morning, Kay. Thank you for this. I don’t use parallel plotting — I can barely follow along with the device in reading, let alone writing — but I used to like it!
I haven’t seen Seabiscuit but thanks to your review I am going to give it a shot.
I enjoyed your pun on “rein” though it occurs to me that under current journalistic and educational standards there is a substantial portion of the reading public who wouldn’t get the joke.
Have a great week, Kay!
Good morning, Joe! If you get a chance to watch Seabiscuit, let me know what you think about the way it was put together. There’s even an anti-climactic segment in the film. I understand why they included it, but I think it may have been better if they had left it out.
I get what you mean about “current journalistic and educational standards.” Why does the word “entropy” keep popping up in my mind when I read a news story?
“Rein” vs. “reign” is a pet peeve of mine. People know so little about horses that they say “reign in” instead of “rein in.”
Iberian royalty travel a lot. That’s why the reign in Spain stays mainly in the plane.
I thought it was the Spanish horses that stayed manely in the plane.
Mornin’, Ma’am…
Great post – ties in nicely with JSB’s yesterday about finding one’s way through the act two slog… what have the other characters been up to or about to do… create that/those parallel plots that, like Seabiscuit, come together at the end of act two or beginning of act three…
And isn’t the “knocking down to get back up” a large part of what’s s’posed to happen in act two any way?
Good morning, George.
Good point about how this ties in to JSB’s Act Two Slog. Since there are multiple plots, the author can keep each of the sub-act two slogs to a minimum. Makes me wonder if there’s a maximum number of parallel plots an author can juggle before losing control of the story.
“knocking down to get back up” — I guess it works because every human being can identify. (Some horses, too!)
Thanks for the comments. Have a great week.
Parallel plots are great when they work. (Signed, Captain Obvious). A parallel plot doubles the writer’s task, because each plot must do the same work (structure; a character worth following; rising action, etc.) That’s what makes King’s The Stand and Koontz’s Strangers so instructive. They did it with half a dozen parallels!
Good morning, Captain! I decided on this topic after listening to the chapter on “Subplots and Parallel Plots” in your “How to Write Best-Selling Fiction” Course.” (Re-listening, actually.)
I’ve never read “The Stand” or “Strangers,” but half a dozen parallel plots seems like a lot. Is there an optimal number for us mere mortals? Four sounds reasonable to me.
In my romantic suspense books, my characters normally have conflicting plots/arcs. In the end, though, I think I’ve written the same book 30+ times. They get second chances as they learn that what they thought they wanted might not have been the case.
“They get second chances as they learn that what they thought they wanted might not have been the case.” I like the way you put it, Terry. That adds another dimension to the story.
If you’re writing the same story over and over, your readers seem to like it that way! And 30+ is a great accomplishment.
Great post, breaking it all down. We love that movie.
Good morning, Michelle.
Yes, the movie is interesting in several ways. Great acting and very nice structure. I think it was nominated for Best Picture. (It was in the running, but didn’t win. 🙂 )
Have a great week.
Kay, underdog protagonists and second chances give us hope in hopeless times. Much needed these days. Rocky immediately comes to mind.
Studying parallel plots is a great education in technique for writers. It’s difficult to achieve a good balance where all plot lines are compelling and one doesn’t overwhelm the other. My new thriller, Until Proven Guilty, combines three different plot lines happening at the same time and it kicked my butt. However, I learned a lot about structure.
Thanks for a good start to the week.
Good morning, Debbie.
Yes, I was thinking about your book “Until Proven Guilty” when I wrote this. You managed to keep the parallel plots in sync with each other so the reader didn’t get lost. That’s not an easy job, but you pulled it off nicely.
Have a good week.
[Blushing] thank you, Kay!
Excellent post, Kay. And as George said (above) this ties in nicely with yesterday’s post by JSB.
I’ve tended to use a more one-track, linear plot with my current fantasy series, but your post and Jim’s post have me thinking. Before I started my teen fantasy series, I was working on a wounded-warrior thriller series, and I used parallel plots in the two books (unpublished). I’m going to look at adding a single parallel plot line for the hidden antagonist in my fantasy series.
I’ve used second chances in a couple of my teen fantasies, where the rightful ruler in the alternate world has been overthrown, and the Mad River Magic gang joins the dethroned ruler to help him retake his rightful position of power.
Thanks for a thought-provoking post!
Good morning, Steve!
“I’m going to look at adding a single parallel plot line for the hidden antagonist in my fantasy series.” This sounds intriguing, Steve. The antagonist’s point of view in a parallel plot. I look forward to reading it.
Have a great week!
I love parallel plots–they make for very interesting stories. Don’t think I’ve watched Seabiscuit & will have to put that on my list. As a follow up to yesterday’s discussion with JSB and advice from Stephen J. Cannell, I’m curious how far into the movie time-wise those different people started crossing paths in Seabiscuit. There’s my homework assignment. 😎
Good morning, BK.
I also like parallel plots, but like JSB said, each one has to be done well to make it work.
I wish I had noted how far along in the movie the characters met, but I don’t know. It’s a good homework assignment, though. Let us know if you check it out!
Good morning, Kay! Great post. I have needed to watch Seabiscuit forever–I remember the book being very popular at the libraries I worked at after it was released and have heard great things about the film, too.
We did watch the 2021 version of West Side Story last night, which has parallel plots: the Jets, the Sharks, Tony trying to make good after being released from prison, Maria wanting to chart her own course, and the two star-crossed lovers meeting at a dance where gang rivalries threaten to boil up. Tragedy, in the end. I prefer happy endings, but there’s undeniable power in the convergence of the storylines. Also, the 2021 version features a new character, Valentina, who stands in for Doc the druggist, and is played, by the great Rita Moreno, who turned 90 In December when the new version was released.
I’ve written one novel with two parallel plots, my space opera Spice Crimes which featured a space freighter captain and her crew being lured away from their ship on holiday, and an unwitting pilot whose partner is in cahoots with a criminal syndicate to steal the ship because of a secret cargo it contains. It was tricky balancing the two storylines–which of course must converge because the space freighter captain and crew are trying to get their ship back–save for the two crew members who were asleep aboard the ship when it was stolen. The unwitting pilot needs to figure out the truth about the ship she thought she was liberating.
Thanks for another entertaining and informative post! Have a wonderful week.
Good morning, Dale.
I didn’t realize there was a new version of “West Side Story.” How wonderful that Rita Moreno has a role in it. Her performance in the original movie is unforgettable.
I like your description of the two story lines in “Spice Crimes.” I guess we could say parallel plots add spice to stories. (I know — groan. 🙂 )
WESTSIDE STORY’s music reflects the different plots and character groups, and the blending of the songs and attitudes comes together in a reprise of “Tonight” where Tony and Maria are singing about love while the Sharks and Jets are singing about killing each other. A very powerful moment in the film. ENCANTO does the same thing with “We Don’t Talk about Bruno.”
Great points, Marilynn. It was a very powerful moment. Also, loved ENCANTO as well, and seeing it do that with “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”
Mornin’, Kay. I’m familiar with the movie, but I can’t recall if I’ve seen it. Brain’s a little slow today. Need caffeine STAT.
In my Grafton County Series I have parallel plotlines–the main plot (string of murders) and another plotline involving a continuing thread of a deputy who made one huge mistake in CLEAVED (Book 2) and can’t outrun the past. Might be why I’m emotionally spent after writing them. Then it fades and I’m ready to start the next novel. 🙂
Good morning, Sue. I know what you mean about caffeine. I can only get online in the morning with a cup of coffee in hand.
Very interesting that you’re keeping the double plot line going through a series. I can see why that would be hard to do, but a great idea.
Have a good week.
Great movie, Kay. Watched it awhile back, maybe have to dig it out again.
I’m too new at this to even know if I’m using parallel plotting! Ha!
…I’m too dumb [inexperienced] to know the difference… That’s me.
But it’s something I’ll pay attention to in the future, and continue my learning curve.
Have a great week!
Good morning, Deb!
“…I’m too dumb [inexperienced] to know the difference…” Yep. We all know this feeling. I’ve found JSB’s books and courses very helpful.
You have a great week, too.
War Admiral was also from Man O’War. A lovely horse.
I’ve not read the book, but the movie plot is that rarest of structures, the wagon wheel. A number of characters are heading toward one event. If you read THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY by Thornton Wilder in high school, you will remember it well. A bridge collapses and kills five people. A priest wonders, “Why these five people, not someone else?” He examines their lives. The five people and their lives are the spokes of the wheel that head to that event.
Most of my novels had tight plots with minimal subplots because of genre necessities, but I got to pull out all of the stops with STAR-CROSSED, my science fiction romance. A human planet’s male population is almost wiped out by a plague so the culture evolves into women in control and men as protected breeders in a harem system. I had not only the hero and heroine’s story of innocent love in a brutal harem system, but the parallel story of the hero’s best friend Kellen who faces that brutality. The world building also needed subplots to propel the main story forward. I had six viewpoint characters, and the novel was 120,000 words. Good times.
Thanks for your insight, Marilynn. The wagon wheel is an effective image of the individual plots (spokes) coming together at the hub.
Also, thanks for the synopsis of “Star-Crossed.” An intriguing and complex story.
This post ruined my week.
Now I’ve got to go to the library and pick up my Seabiscuit DVD and my copy of The Bridge of San Luis Rey instead of digging dandelions out of the lawn like I should. Parallel plots were something I had no knowledge of until today, although it
Why, oh why does TKZ give me all this homework? Yer workin me to death.
It is interesting that both Seabiscuit and War Admiral had some familial ties.
You think that could have figured in? Who really knows what horses think about?
Have a great week, y’all.
Ha! Those dandelions are just going to have to wait for another season.
Yes, Man o’War was quite the sire. Seabiscuit was a grandson, but War Admiral was closer to the flame – he was MoW’s son. I guess that makes the two offsprings cousins(?)
We all have the same complaint about homework. Ain’t it grand? 🙂
Don’t worry about dandelions. Up here where I live, they are garden flowers like all the rest of the native flora.
My first book had just two parallel plots. David tells his story looking back from (his) present day. Sharon is gone when the book opens, so David synchs his story with her diary. Easy.
My thriller is mostly linear, with occasional visits to what other characters are doing. This was not much of a challenge, either.
I began a screenplay, “Cup of the Carpenter,” with 12 initial characters, but put it on the back burner as potentially too complex. (Or too violent.) I like the concept, though, and I have the ending, and may revisit it someday.
“so David synchs his story with her diary.” That clause caught my imagination. Sounds very intriguing!
Also, “Cup of the Carpenter” is a powerful title. Hope you get back to the screenplay.
Have a good week!
Horse feathers!
Enjoyed reading this post. Unlike most here, I’m reading it late at night and my brain is too tired to figure out if I use parallel plotlines…
Glad you stopped by, Patricia. I can identify with the “late at night” brain. Mine goes on vacation when the sun goes down.
have a great week.