You know the scene: A character, who once thought they knew the way of the world, is granted new insight that makes them realize just how wrong they were. (Warning: Multiple spoilers ahead!) It is the horrifying moment when Lila Crane realizes that Norman Bates is a killer in “Psycho,” or when Luke realizes in “The Empire Strikes Back” that Darth Vader is, indeed, his father. It may be silly or it may be tragic, but no matter the context, this moment of revelation is called anagnorisis.
Anagnorisis refers to the moment a character experiences a reality-shifting realization. In Aristotle’s “Poetics”—the earliest scholarship on dramatic and literary theory—the philosopher refers to anagnorisis as the point in a story when a character, once blind to reality, finally sees the true nature of things. It is related to peripeteia, a sudden reversal of fortune, when things go from good to bad. Aristotle explores and explains anagnorisis through the climactic moment of Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex.” Grasping the fact that he has fulfilled the Delphic Oracle’s prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother, the King of Thebes blinds himself in anguish.
Contrary to what these examples of anagnorisis may suggest, this moment in a narrative need not always be a bad thing. Aristotle defined anagnorisis specifically within the context of tragedy, but only because the philosopher’s treatise on comedy in “Poetics” may have been lost to time. More modern writers have long incorporated this type of realization into their narratives. Just think of all the romantic comedies about a character discovering that they’re secret royalty, like Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) in “The Princess Diaries.”
Stories on stage and screen have no shortage of great examples of anagnorisis, with many exemplary moments coming from these revelatory scenes.
“The Matrix” (1999, Lana and Lilly Wachowski)
“You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Though the “red pill” has taken on a life of its own in social and political discourse, this moment from “The Matrix” stands as a prime example of anagnorisis. After Neo (Keanu Reeves) has his mind freed from the Matrix, his eyes are opened to a horrifying reality as he gazes out into the endless void of human batteries. Reeve’s performance in this scene illustrates one of the key strengths behind this iconic role. The actor perfectly captures the absolute terror and genuine confusion of finding out that the world as he knows it isn’t just a lie, but one that hides a devastatingly ugly truth.
“The Sixth Sense” (1999, M. Night Shyamalan)
In one of the best twists in film history, the meaning of anagnorisis is embodied in Bruce Willis’s performance as psychologist Malcolm Crowe in “The Sixth Sense.” Upon discovering that he’s been dead since the film’s opening scene, Malcolm’s memory flashes back to earlier moments in the movie where strange behavior and haunting incidents are given new context. Willis stunningly captures the tragedy of the moment, reacting with physical pain as if he’s being assaulted by these memories; the reality finally sinks in when the bloody gunshot wound that dealt the killing blow reappears on his torso. As he comes to terms with his grief and accepts his fate, Malcolm’s tearful goodbye to his beloved wife is at once heart-wrenching and touching.
“Get Out” (2017, Jordan Peele)
For a more recent example, look to Daniel Kaluuya as Chris in Jordan Peele’s breakout horror hit. Chris has spent the entire movie suspicious of his girlfriend’s bizarre family, wondering at their strange behavior and the even stranger behavior of the very few black people around. But the whole time, he’s sure that his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), is on his side. Chris’ anagnorisis moment happens when he realizes that Rose has been colluding with her family for years to use Black men like him for their sick business. Kaluuya plays this tragic moment of revelation with fear for Chris’ life, as well as sadness that the person he loved never really existed.
There are a few steps performers can take to make their reality-altering revelations believable.
1. Study strong examples.
Anagnorisis is a common story element, so there’s no shortage of amazing examples. Find characters similar to the ones you want to play and study how actors performed these life-changing scenes.
2. Journal your own revelations.
While real life may lack the oomph of fiction, revelation can happen to anyone, anywhere. Think about revelations you’ve had in your life that have radically changed your perspective on things. Write down how you felt in the moment and explore what it was like to have your perception of reality so altered.
3. Get into character.
Understanding who your character is outside of the script is a huge part of making them believable. If your character experiences anagnorisis, try to imagine how they would realistically react. Would they be shocked? Sad? Angry? It all depends on who the character is beyond the story you’re telling.
4. Break down the realization into smaller moments.
Life-changing revelations don’t tend to be blink-and-you-missed-it moments. When anagnorisis happens in a story, the character experiencing it should adequately portray the complexity of their emotions. While different characters will have different reactions, most of them are likely to go through multiple emotional shifts in these scenes.