Sex and Story: The Genesis of Narrative Structure

I have a theory.

It is, at least in my mind, a rather elementary observation. And yet, I've never personally heard it repeated by anyone. Never read it in a book or heard about it on television. A google search on the topic returns zero relevant results. And so, I decided to write this article, so that perhaps this theory can be tried and tested.

The theory is this:

Story structure is derived from sex.

To explain:

Across all cultures, throughout the entirety of recorded history, mankind has produced and consumed stories on a level that cannot be measured. From essential epics such as The Aeneid or The Divine Comedy to an oral account of that one time you lost your car keys, humans have always had an affinity for a good story.

While the content of these countless stories is as varied and unique as one could imagine, their structure is quite comparable.

Beginning. Middle. End. A story without one of those three elements feels inherently incomplete and unfulfilling.

Beginning: We are introduced to the world of the story. Middle: Rising action comes out of dramatic conflict. End: The conflict reaches a conclusion and resolution.

This structure is not a Western concept. Nor is it a modern concept. It can be found in all cultures, in all periods of time.

So then, where did such a thing come from? What was its motivation? Our model of storytelling is not a naturally occurring phenomenon. It didn't exist before we invented and coined it. It took bright human minds to examine our existence and interpret patterns and concepts and apply them to storytelling.

These observations came from different humans in different corners of the world, and yet their result is nearly identical. Stories tend to build tension towards a conclusion and then release that tension. I believe this comes from a basic human experience: sex.

Sex is a main cornerstone of our existence. It is understood by every culture. It dictates large portions of our behavior and cognitive processes. It is a universally occurring aspect of the human condition. Fundamentally, the experience of sex is akin to the structure of a story.

Initially, there is a period of arousal. Interest is invoked and fascination is instigated.

Then, there is a period of intercourse. Sensations are heightened and the encounter builds towards a finale.

Finally, there is a climax that represents the peak of all that has happened before it.

 

And after really good sex, there is a moment of rest and reflection after the climax. After orgasm, the body resets. We need a moment to relax before we are ready for another round.

The same can be said for stories.

I believe this inherent path from arousal to intercourse to climax is identical to that of beginning to middle to end. I further believe that our understanding of story comes from a similar understanding of sex. We build, we peak, we relax.  

Perhaps one could argue that the inescapable cycle of birth, life, and death could be the catalyst for such a structure. However, this model is far more abstract and imprecise. No other metaphor for story and climax is as pertinent and universal as the comparison to sex. And since sex predates our existence as storytellers, I believe it is a natural conclusion that the structure of our stories is inherently sexual.