'''Basic Trope''': A traumatic event that makes a character more cynical than before.
* '''Straight''': Bob became a cynic after his sister Alice was killed in a car accident.
* '''Exaggerated''':
** Bob tripped and scraped his knee, and he is barely the same person he was before.
** DespairEventHorizon
* '''Downplayed''': Bob became somewhat less trusting after his entire family was brutally murdered on his birthday.
* '''Justified''':
** The event with his sister left Bob traumatized; his new personality is a coping mechanism.
** Bob developed PTSD or other emotional problems due to the terrible experience.
** Bob believes that the accident was [[GuiltComplex his fault]], regardless of whether it really was.
* '''Inverted''': Alice's fate makes Bob realize how precious life is. He becomes much more optimistic as a result.
* '''Subverted''': Alice is killed and Bob looks like he's about to have a FreakOut...but this turns out to be his EstablishingCharacterMoment as ThePollyanna.
* '''Double Subverted''': Bob ends up being blamed for everything by his parents and this turns out to be his actual CynicismCatalyst.
* '''Parodied''': Alice suffers some minor nuisance (like a graze). Bob is still traumatized.
* '''Zig Zagged''': How much Alice's fate affected Bob varies DependingOnTheWriter.
* '''Averted''': No one's personality changes as a result of physical or emotional trauma.
* '''Enforced''': Can be CreatorBreakdown.
* '''Lampshaded''': "Bob's been pretty harsh, I wonder what made him that way..." "Probably [[TheLostLenore a dead loved one]]; AbusiveParents; [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking stolen lunch money]]; [[DoomedHometown a lost home]]; or something like that."
* '''Invoked''': Bob's EvilMentor Claire arranges for Alice to have a tragic accident to toughen Bob up.
* '''Exploited''': Claire guesses that Bob's cynicism is down to some tragic event, looks into his past and finds out about Alice. She uses this knowledge to manipulate him.
* '''Defied''': Bob vows not to let Alice's accident get to him.
* '''Discussed''': "How's Bob doing?" "I'm worried about how this might change him..."
* '''Conversed''': "Oh look, a cynical brooding character. I bet he'll have an episode devoted to whatever upset him so much".
* '''Implied''': Bob is seen brooding over...something. How much it has to do with his attitude isn't explored.
* '''Deconstructed''':
** Bob's cynical personality is the result of him selfishly pushing other people away to avoid being hurt in the same way again.
** Bob's cynical personality only shows that he is not strong-willed enough to deal with the problems of the world.
* '''Reconstructed''': Bob has made (or makes) peace with his past, but the event still marks the point where his younger, more naive, self "grew up".
* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': Bob is given a tragic backstory to avoid letting his cynical behavior make him less sympathetic.
* '''Played For Laughs''': Bob's guilt over the incident is shown as disproportionate and it being brought up brings up many NotSoStoic moments.
* '''Played For Drama''': Bob is a tortured, sad, pathetic soul who hides behind bitterness. Said bitterness makes people who're unaware of his backstory distrust him and leads to many tragic misunderstandings.
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