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I have a story idea for a science fiction tragedy where the protagonist starts off with a central flaw that he eventually overcomes. However, it ultimately doesn't matter because humanity has the same central flaw, and this only becomes apparent at the very end of the story.
It feels like it will work and result in more of a sting in the tail of the story, but I haven't been able to find any confirmation that this is a viable type of story.
So, can the protagonist in a tragedy have a positive character arc, only to be crushed by the realization that humanity can't change like he has? Or is that too dislocating for the reader?
And if it does seem viable, do you know of any novels of that sort? I'm curious to see how someone else handles such a story type.
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Consider for a moment a SciFi/Fantasy story, where our Intrepid Hero must journey across the world/galaxy. Along the way, they discover that aliens/elves/dwarves/goblins aren't as bad as they thought, and overcome a xenophobia/racism that they didn't even realise that they had.
In the end, they return home, only to realise that everyone they used to know is just as xenophobic/racist as they used to be.
There are then two ways that this can be played: either to show that the protagonist is no longer satisfied with their old life, and rides off into the sunset for another adventure, or to show them as a Paragon: they are proof that these people can change, under the right circumstances, but that those circumstances aren't anything they'll ever come across at home. The protagonist can then either leave, heading for More Enlightened ShoresTM, or they can stay - either holding themselves apart from hoi polloi, or trying to encourage them to change (with the option of direct action - campaigning, debate, etcetera - or indirect action, leading by example instead of by preaching)
Take a moment to consider The Hobbit. As much as Bilbo may grumble and complain and object about Gandalf foisting an adventure upon him (his flaw here being complacency - hobbits being perfectly happy to sit around in the Shire all day, repeating the same motions time-after-time), upon his return, he soon starts planning his next adventure - a trait which earns him some disapproval from his neighbours (but only mild and minor, since his adventure has made him remarkably Rich, and so he is merely 'Eccentric' rather than 'Weird')
And, of course, with his steady stream of exotic visitors, and by regaling wide-eyed children with fantastical tales, he slowly starts to corrupt the youths with the idea that one day, just perhaps, they might have an adventure of their own...
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