How to write a scene using SUBTEXT for television and film.

SUBTEXT: What it is and how to use it in a scenario?
By Krista Kaufman


On the Network show, The Big Bang Theory, in the episode about the division of property the Lion Sinister Contourné on the FLAG in the Big Bang Theory is unfavourable!

That is SUBTEXT using a prop. 

Any flag or Coat of Arms - Animal SUPPORT - which the LION is, is supposed to be in the favourable position, to do that it MUST be facing DEXTER on a FLAG to be favourable!

DEXTER, is the left when looking at it, BUT when symbol appears on a Coat of ARMS on a shield it is held by the shield bearer and is on the right which is why it is dexter! Looking at it we see it on the left. The support of the Lion is taken from the traditional coat of Arms and Flags of Royalty.

So, therefore ANY SUPPORT  in this case a LION COWARDLY on the flag, SHOULD be facing towards the LEFT or DEXTER to be favourable. THE FLAG on Big Bang Theory -IS NOT!

It is facing SINISTER, or right, as we see it. THAT is the UNFAVOURABLE POSITION, Unless on a Coat of Arms as a Support on the DEXTER side in which case it can then be displayed facing that way towards sinister and still considered favourable but otherwise separate on a flag it would read as being turned away from the battle and cowardly, just as this ATTITUDE of the LION shows it in the COWARDLY position! Again SUBTEXT!

DID the writers on the Big Bang Theory show USE SUBTEXT and the symbolism of FLAGS and Coat of Arms to REPRESENT that the Apartment Flag of Sheldon and Leonard, which represents SUBTEXTUALLY  -- both the INNER and OUTER psychology of the characters --AS SINGLEDOM -- living with a roommate for pro-longed years of life is to be considered by society as UNFAVOURABLE? COWARDLY?The writers are communicating THEME and MESSAGE by doing this. To make the comment that it is better to be in habitation in society living within its traditional and approved forms or otherwise it can cause an individual to have inner and emotional conflicts. How we perceive ourselves within the social context and how others perceive us matters. That is the underlying message of the episode. That people living in the traditional and familiar are at ease and comfort within their society and peer group but that outside the traditional norms or comfort zones they are not at ease and it can cause not only the individual but the society and group as a whole inner and outer conflicts.

The use of SUBTEXT by using the props as a device to allow the characters inner conflicts to be outwardwardly dramatized is a way to also communicate theme and message. For the writers to make subtle social comment. They do this by having the characters play out the scenario and show consequence of their actions. Often times the A-STORY in an episode is mirrored by the B-STORY and it is used by the writers to show all aspects and angles of life.The action followed by dramatic consequence. To show how it all plays out if different choices are made in a scenario.

In this episode of Big Bang Theory the characters journey and emotional arcs follow choices of two roommates. Sheldon and Leonard. Both now separating as roommates, growing emotionally and transitioning into new levels of adulthood and society by living with opposite sex partners.

In one scenario - Leonard and Penny who have recently gotten married and in the other scenario Sheldon, Leonards roommate now having to move out and on to new habitations where by he is living temporarily with a girlfriend Amy.

The scenarios show the implications of young men transitioning into maturity and shows the difference between the couples of how they are able to relate and when and where conflict happens in both married life and in single dating relationships.

 The writers are showing all choices and actions playing out.

We as a society watch shows with both an A-STORY and a B-STORY to see all aspects and eventualities if different paths were chosen. To watch and see how it all plays out.

Generally the traditional overtones of what is acceptable in society being rewarded and what is not accepted by society usually plays out in inner and outer conflicts finding obstacle and opposition until some sort of catalyst changes things.

Did the writers  BLATANTLY use the communication of deliberate SUBTEXT to further convey this to us? YES

Is the FLAG- In the recent episodes of the division of property one of the best examples of HOW to use symbolism? YES

The fact that when Leonard and Sheldon are fighting over the flag. Who will keep it now that they are living apart.  It is the communication playing out with the use of the subtext underlying in the flag, that they BOTH want to maintain their singledom. Or to hold onto the symbol and representation of their single life. They both struggle with the separation as former roommates and friends while transitioning to a new stage in life.

That they are both refusing to grow up, to be mature, and move on to co-habitation with partners, be it Leonard and Penny being married and or Sheldon and Amy in an unlawful state of partnership --"shacking up" -- in an unmarried state of partnership.

Are the writers  communicating that the characters, are wanting the traditional and symbolic in life? YES

 That Leonard especially, holds onto the flag at all costs, wanting the TRADITIONAL and SYMBOLIC, is it further level of SUBTEXT that he has issues dealing with life without the traditional and symbolic representations of society and life?  YES

The fact he and Penny went through issues with NOT being traditional when getting married is this now his need to act out to show those things really do matter to him?

Is he just avoiding dealing with it in its primary role in the A-STORY and the writers are using this B-STORY development to SHOW Leonards inner struggles along his journey? YES

Did they FURTHER use the flag SUBTEXT as writers showing BOTH AMY and SHELDON in the episode talking about JOINING together of flags, to represent THEIR cohabitating and JOINING together?

Is this the writers way, to show visually, that Sheldon has inner conflicts about this and struggles?

The use of joining together flags,   as SUBTEXT -- and the fact the BEND of DIVISION on the flag he chose to represent it was the traditional symbol of illegitimacy, bastardization--  is something outside the traditional state of matrimony! DID he Sheldon do this SUBCONSCIOUSLY -- BUT ON PURPOSE? Did the writers employ this as a device to CLEARLY illustrate Sheldons subconscious struggles and UNEASE at living in sin? He was raised in a Christian home and it is going to affect his make up psycologically and guilt about how he lives and makes babies. So was it their device to show subtextually how he has struggles and inner feelings underlying the scenario?Again it uses the flag as a prop to do this, to show SUBTEXT! Sheldons character KNOWS what the symbolism of flags are so it is very meaningful when the SUBTEXT demonstrates his inner choices outwardly!

Was it ON PURPOSE they used FLAGS which use the TRADITIONAL BEND of DIVISION from SINISTER to DEXTER the traditional SYMBOL FOR ILLEGITIMACY and BEING a BASTARD or UNLAWFUL heir or rights holder. The favourable BEND and division joining together being the DEXTER TO THE LOWER SINISTER> His flag choice wasn't! It was opposite! He chose that to talk about *JOINING* together!

DID THEY ON PURPOSE USE TWO FLAGS JOINED USING THAT SYMBOL and DIVISION of BEND together to SIGNIFY DRAMATICALLY that the FACT that AMY and SHELDON are NOT lawfully married and therefore ANY cohabitation or JOINING together by the two of them is somehow ILLEGITIMATE and unlawful?

The LAYERS of actual  TRADITIONAL SYMBOLISM go deep on that episode! The MANY LAYERS OF SUBTEXT, that are subtly communicating to us, in an almost subliminal way with  the overtones of the CONTEXT with which the PLAYERS in the scene find themselves! Using the props to illustrate the inner journey which the actors did a great job playing it all out on screen creating the outer journey and conflicts to show the drama unfolding on screen!

It seems to be a primary example of HOW to use SUBTEXT and how to layer multiple levels of communication to the audience. To expect MORE from them! To raise the bar and demand participation in the agreement to understand the scene on so many levels!

Is this WHY shows like Big Bang Theory stay on the air season after season? While so many others get canceled and go off the air?


Just the use of Sheldons penchant for the TRADITIONAL as that is how he was raised. His subconscious choices of the flags that he did choose that to represent JOINING together, ONES symbolically that he KNOWS are the symbol of the division and joining to be illegitimate and unlawful bastardized, then what ARE the writers trying to communicate to us with that?

The recent events of SHELDON and NOT AMY wanting children to be made, the fact he was raised traditional as opposed to her. Is this FORESHADOWING of the CONFLICTS that they will encounter; which then creates the drama. Raises the stakes? ELEVATES DRAMATIC CONFLICT?

This shows us all HOW the writers of a television series interweave symbolism, traditional societal messaging and themes within the context of  environment while  using props in a scenario and how it is showing the conflicts both inner, which then drives the outer conflict and subsequently causes  drama that plays out in every scenario of life.

That is WHY the writers on Big Bang Theory are award winning writers! They do employ these skills at such a level as to raise the bar in writing television. The series overall is deserving of its accolades!

THOSE are the skills we as writers have to practice, develop and employ to improve the quality of our work and to be able to compete in the field at the level required to get produced and shown on network television today!

I just thought I would share this example as I found it to be one of the best ones there is that dramatically illustrates both visually in the scene with the use of the props -being the flag- and its symbolism, to stand for the inner conflicts the characters that they are facing and living out. It seems like the more that the writers need to communicate the complex psychological nature of the INNER CONFLICTS they employ SUBTEXTUAL dramatic scenarios to have the players act out their subconscious before our eyes. They let it all unfold in an easy to understand context using the subtext as a dramatic device! It shows us all how to use the props in a scenario to do this, by using the subtext of inner conflict to cause and create the conflict externally which is inherit to the drama playing out on screen.