情境二十：为理想而牺牲
要素
主角
理想
被牺牲的资财、人或物
概要
主角为了理想放弃了一些东西。
变体
A
1. 为诺言牺牲生命
2. 为人民利益牺牲生命
3. 为尽孝牺牲生命
4. 为信仰牺牲生命
B
1. 为信仰牺牲爱情和生命
2. 为事业牺牲爱情和生命
3. 为国家利益牺牲爱情
C
1. 牺牲幸福，履行职责
D
1. 牺牲名誉，追求信仰
对某些人来说，为理想伤害自己是相当愚蠢的，但对大部分人来说，这种个人信念令人十分敬佩。
人们可能会疑问，这种自我牺牲，究竟出于个人信仰，还是为了获取他人赞誉？在某些社会环境中，殉难是家族荣誉（也是天赐于烈士的幸福）。
然而，我们大多数人决定牺牲前总会犹豫再三，这是因为自我保护的本能与自我牺牲的觉悟不断拉锯。因此，牺牲的故事要么感人至深，要么耸人听闻，这取决于当事者的具体行为。不管怎样，情感刺激使之成为一个有效的故事元素。
牺牲不必非要交付生命，真正的意思是放弃你不想放弃的东西。当某人牺牲想要的东西，去追求更想得到的东西时，往往陷入两难的境地。
Self-sacrificing for an ideal
Description
Elements
The Hero
The Ideal
The Creditor or the Person or Thing Sacrificed
Summary
The Hero gives up something for the sake
of an Ideal.
Variants
A
1. Sacrifice of life for the sake of one's word
2. Life sacrificed for the benefit of one's own people
3. Life sacrificed in filial piety
4. Life sacrificed for the sake of one's faith
B
1. Both love and life sacrificed for one's faith
2. Both love and life sacrificed to a cause
3. Love sacrificed to interests of state
C
1. Sacrifice of well-being to duty
D
2. The ideal of "honor" sacrificed to the ideal of "faith"
Discussion
Putting oneself in harm's way for the sake of ideals is, for some, quite stupid, whilst for many it demonstrates admirably high personal integrity.
It may be questioned whether such self-sacrifice is done for internal reasons of faith or for the external acclaim that will be gained. Martyrdom in some societies is considered a great honor for the family (as well as promising heavenly delights to the martyr).
Most of us, however, would think twice before sacrificing ourselves, as the instinct for self-preservation takes priority over the cognitive choice of sacrifice. This makes stories of sacrifice either moving or terrifying, depending on the action involved. Either way, the emotional stimulation makes it an effective story element.
Sacrifice need not involve giving of one's life. All it really means is giving up something that you would rather not give up. Often it involves a dilemma, where one desired thing is given up in favor of something even more desired.
