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How to anchor your story to something bigger

Every great story lives inside a larger frame – culture, ideology, religion, class. When you anchor your story with a bigger societal issue, it stops being one person’s viewpoint and starts creating real, lasting impact. Here’s how one film did it – and how you can too. By Dr Erin O’Dwyer

When Kramer vs. Kramer was released in 1979, it hit like a thunderclap.

On the surface, it’s a simple domestic drama about a father suddenly left to raise his son when his wife walks out. But beneath the story, something bigger is at play.

The film struck a nerve because it was pinned to the social issues of its time: divorce, custody, women’s rights, the shifting role of men in parenting. Audiences weren’t just watching Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep – who both won Academy Awards for their performances – they were watching their own world unfolding on the screen.

That’s the Law of the Big Other in action.

(And if you haven’t seen the film, watch it, it’s brilliant. It also won Best Picture and Best Director Oscars.)

Every story lives inside a larger frame

Every great story lives inside a larger frame – culture, ideology, religion, class. A story without this anchor risks feeling small, insular, personal, even forgettable. But when a story connects to something bigger than the individual, it resonates across time.

What’s remarkable is how Kramer vs. Kramer still speaks today. Family law, gender roles, and the way courts weigh “the best interests of the child” are still fiercely debated. The film’s emotional pull endures because the same social issues endure.

Every great story lives inside a larger frame – culture, ideology, religion, class.

Storytelling for business

If you’re a leader, or shaping a leader’s public voice, the lesson is clear: anchor it to the Big Other. Don’t just share what your leader did – show why it matters in the broader context of politics, policy, industry or society. That’s what turns a personal anecdote into a credible, authoritative narrative. And over time, that’s what builds trust with audiences.

The art of storytelling – for creatives

For writers, artists and storytellers, the takeaway is similar. Your characters, plots, narrative arcs and images don’t exist in a vacuum. Pin them to a larger social order and your work becomes more than entertainment – it becomes part of the cultural conversation. That’s what gives it marketability. That’s what gives it staying, and selling, power.

Final thoughts

When you connect your story to the bigger forces shaping society, you give it reach, relevance and enduring impact. That’s how Kramer vs. Kramerturned a custody battle into a cultural moment – and why your story, too, can carry impact beyond your own horizon.

Whether you’re leading a team, shaping a campaign or drafting a book, remember: the story that resonates is never just about you. It’s about how you reach your audience, and the world they live in.

At Good Prose Studios, we help you tell better stories.

The Story Game Plan is our signature service: a high‑impact strategy session plus ongoing guidance to help you tell stories that cut through. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gnyG3Z56

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