JOJO RABBIT

ACT 1

Protagonist: Jojo, a soft, uncoordinated, and cute 10-year-old

boy who wants to be a Nazi

Flaw: He’s a Nazi / hatred

Inner-Need: To feel in control and powerful

False Mentor: Imaginary Hitler

Objective: Become an official Nazi

Motivation: Belonging

Normal World: Hitler Youth Camp in Nazi Germany just before

Germany loses WW2

Inciting Incident: Accidentally blows himself up with a grenade

Response: Crushed; can’t even train anymore

Mentor: Rosie, mother, who is secretly anti-Nazi

Call to Action / Act 1 Break: Jojo finds Elsa, a Jewish girl,

hiding in their house

ACT 2

Antagonist: Elsa, Jewish girl living in their house

New World: Confined to his home, where a Jewish girl is hiding

Friends and Enemies: Yorki (friend), Klenzendorf (friend),

Finkel (friend)

Obstacles:
- Elsa threatens Jojo with his own knife if he tells anyone
- Elsa won’t find somewhere else to live
- Jojo can’t get the truth out of Rosie
- Rosie comforts Elsa and Jojo hears it
- At rehab, Jojo learns Germans found with Jews will die
- Jojo sets ground rules with Elsa, but she is stronger
- Rosie happy that the Allies are coming; Rosie yells at Jojo
- Elsa gives Jojo misinformation for his book
 - Jojo makes a fake letter for Elsa
- Hitler opposed to Jojo being around Elsa so much
- All Jojo’s old friends are moving up the Nazi ranks

Midpoint: Gestapo Agents show up looking for hidden Jews, and

Jojo doesn’t sell Elsa out

New-New World: Jojo doesn’t want Elsa to die; maybe he’s not a
Nazi

New Obstacles:
- Jojo will let Elsa pretend to be his dead sister, Inga
- Hitler mad at Jojo for being nice to Elsa

Ultimate Test: Jojo finds Rosie, dead; she was executed by the
Nazis for rebelling. Jojo supported these people.

ACT 3

All is Lost: “I have no one”; Elsa comforts him. Real Hitler

killed himself. Invaded by Allies. Everyone dying.

All or Nothing: Jojo gets Elsa; they’re going to leave

Final Fight: Imaginary Hitler confronts Jojo in a huge fight

(catastrophic failure). Jojo refuses to heil Hitler and kicks
him out the window (decisive action). Jojo and Elsa go into the
outside world (unexpected success).

Resolution: Jojo and Elsa dance together in the street, as

family. He’s no longer hateful and he’s learned that surviving
gives you power.