Arc analysis: Redefining character arcs for 'constant' characters.

This article challenges the prevailing Anglo-American screenwriting assumption that a protagonist in a successful screenplay must undergo an emotional transformation, often called a "character arc." It introduces a new model called "Arc Analysis," which accounts for both the internal (emotional) and external (situational) worlds of a character, enabling the analysis of emotionally "constant" protagonists who do not change internally but remain consistent throughout the narrative. Using the film *Jaws* (1975) and its protagonist Chief Brody as a case study, the article demonstrates how Brody's arc is shaped by external changes, conflict, and internal choices without significant emotional transformation, contrasting with the changing arcs of other characters. The proposed definition of a character arc emphasizes the "emotional shape" created by a character's internal choices in response to external change and conflict, broadening the concept to include both transforming and constant characters and encouraging a more nuanced understanding of screen narratives.