I. Preamble
1. Background Information
Wings of Fire is a bestselling fantasy series by the author Tui T. Sutherland. It involves anthropomorphic dragons of different species who try to survive and prosper in a land torn by war and conflict. For more background information, refer to source [1].
For summaries of each book, refer to source [2].
2. Burden of Proof (Winning Conditions)
As specified in the debate’s description, the burden of proof is shared. Therefore, I win if I prove that books 6-10 of Wings of Fire were better than books 1-5, through any combination of measures gauging quality.
3. Framework
In this opening statement, I will aim to prove that books 6-10 of Wings of Fire, on balance, were better than books 1-5 of the same series, based on three objective characteristics:
- Originality (vs imitativeness)
- Depth (vs shallowness)
- Complexity (vs simplicity)
4. Abbreviations
Wings of Fire = WoF
Books 1-5 = “the first arc”
Books 6-10 = “the second arc”
II. Constructives
All of this is taken from source [2].
1. Originality (vs imitativeness):
a. The second arc of WoF stands out for its exceptional originality in terms of plot structure. The conflict echoes a historical war, through a few characters – a story in miniature. Through the lives of several characters who could not be more different, tragedy and drama unfold.
b. In contrast, the first arc of WoF is a hackneyed, generic version of the classical Hero’s Journey. A few “chosen ones” are taken from their comfortable lives, are prophesied to save the world, get by through luck and plot armor, and magically resolve everything (genocides notwithstanding).
2. Depth (vs shallowness):
a. As mentioned previously, the second arc of WoF has far more depth, both in themes, character development, and overall plot.
X. Themes in the second arc of WoF include complex philosophical questions such as nature vs nurture, free will vs determinism, and the existence of a soul.
Y. The character development in the second arc of WoF addresses the ability of people to change, to overcome cultural beliefs, and to consciously choose to defy their nature.
Z. The plot in the second arc involves several overlapping, yet distinct individual arcs of characters, which come together to form a greater picture.
b. In contrast, the first arc of WoF fails to have any meaningful literary depth – the themes are simply generic life lessons such as “don’t do things yourself” and “friendship can overcome anything” (yes, seriously).
3. Complexity (vs simplicity)
a. The second arc of WoF, to extend previous arguments, is obviously more complex.
b. The first arc of WoF, is a simple and generic story that can honestly be summarized in a few sentences.
c. All I have to do is prove that complexity adds literary value. Although excess complexity can be a barrier to understanding, which is obviously a negative, it’s clear that some level of a more advanced plot and development structure benefits a story overall.
III. Conclusion
In my opening round, I have clearly proved how the second arc of WoF is better than the first arc of WoF, in several meaningful ways. I have fulfilled my BoP, and look forward to my opponent’s response.
IV. Sources
Full forfeit, pls vote