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Playing With / Survivor Guilt

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Basic Trope: Someone feels guilty that they survived something while another did not.

  • Straight: Alice and Bob are involved in a car accident. Alice dies of her injuries. Bob feels guilty that he survived while Alice died.
  • Exaggerated: Bob is the sole survivor when the city of Tropetown is destroyed. He feels guilty that he survived while all of his friends and family died.
  • Downplayed: Alice and Bob are involved in a car accident. Alice is severely injured, but survives, while Bob is unscathed. Bob feels guilty for Alice's injuries.
  • Justified:
    • The accident (and thus Alice's death) was caused by Bob's negligence. Bob feels guilty because the accident really is his fault.
    • Bob was in love with Alice, and feels that his life is empty without her.
  • Inverted:
  • Subverted: Bob feels guilty for surviving while Alice died. Charles reassures him that the accident wasn't his fault, and Bob cheers up.
  • Double Subverted: For a while, anyway. He's still traumatized by the accident, and deeply regrets Alice's death.
  • Parodied: Alice and Bob are cooking together when Alice accidentally cuts her finger with a knife. Bob expresses guilt that Alice was hurt while he was uninjured.
  • Zig Zagged: Alice, Bob, Charles, and Diane are involved in a car accident. Alice dies of her injuries while the other three survive with minor cuts and bruises. Bob feels guilty that he survived while Alice died. Charles is furious that Bob survived while Alice died. Diane just wants to know what's up with all the flashing lights and sirens.
  • Averted: Bob doesn't feel guilty that Alice died.
  • Enforced:
  • Lampshaded: ???
  • Invoked: Alice (or a third party) intentionally set up the accident to make Bob feel guilty.
  • Exploited: One of Bob's enemies takes the chance, and uses his guilt to drive him to suicide.
  • Defied: Bob mourns, but gets over it soon enough.
  • Discussed: ???
  • Conversed: ???
  • Deconstructed:
    • The guilt eventually gets into Bob's head, causing him to lose focus and break down.
    • Bob gets Driven to Suicide over being tormented by his guilt.
  • Reconstructed: Bob realizes that he can't feel guilt for any longer, pulls himself up, and eventually becomes stronger.

Tell me, why did I survive to guide you back to Survivor Guilt when so many other worthy electrons died?

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