Plot Click the radio for the annoying song clip

Plot: What makes a good story Plot:  What makes a good story? What is it about a story that makes you say, "this was really good!" Chances are that the action in the story had something to do with your response.  If an author writes, "The king died and then the queen died," there is no plot for a story. However, by writing, "The king died and then the queen died of grief," the writer has provided a plot line for a story.

Plot A plot is a causal sequence of events, the "why" for the things that happen in the story. The plot draws the reader into the character's lives and helps the reader understand the choices that the characters make. A plot's structure is the way in which the story elements are arranged. Writers vary structure depending on the needs of the story. For example, in a mystery, the author will withhold plot exposition until later in the story

Exposition: the part that sets the scene, introduces characters, and provides antecedent action. Antecedent action is what happens before the story, poem or play began or what happens offstage

Conflict (AKA complications) (AKA crisis) Moments of high tension. These moments can cause characters to respond and the plot to progress.

Rising Action : The rising action is the collection of smaller moments of conflict or tension, but they are not the main crisis – they are simply building up the tension and suspense.

The moment of highest tension at which the outcome will be decided. Apex / Climax The moment of highest tension at which the outcome will be decided. The moment when all the conflict comes to a boil. It is a critical turning point in the play such as when a character makes a critical decision.

Falling Action (Denouement: “untying the knot”) The complications are resolved. The pieces all begin to fall into place.

Resolution The End! The final outcome.

This is one scholar’s visualization of plot Crisis Climax Crisis Crisis Rising Action Falling Action Exposition Resolution This is one scholar’s visualization of plot

Let’s use the fairy tale “Cinderella” as an example to review the different components of plot

Plot Diagram Put the elements of plot in the correct order. 1) Cinderella goes to the ball and dances with the prince. 6) The prince says he will marry the woman whom the slipper fits. 2) A fairy godmother appears and provides Cinderella with clothes, coach and footmen. 7) Cinderella and the prince marry. 3) Cinderella lives unhappily with her stepsisters and their mother. 8) The stepsisters prepare for and go to the ball. 4) Cinderella leaves hurriedly at midnight and loses a slipper. 9) An invitation to the palace ball arrives. 5) They live happily ever after. 10) The stepsisters try to force their feet into the slipper, but it fits Cinderella.

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10 6 4 7 1 2 8 9 3 5 Plot Diagram

Exposition: In Cinderella, we find out that Cinderella’s mother died and that her father remarried to a woman with two daughters. But we never actually see the mother die or Cinderella’s life before.

Rising Action : In Cinderella, the rising action would be the poor treatment of Cinderella by her stepmother and stepsisters, the promise that she will be able to go to the ball, and the work she does to get to go. Then, she can’t go, but her fairy god mother helps her, and she gets to go to the ball. She meets the prince, they dance, and they fall in love, but Cinderella has to run home leaving her shoe behind.

Apex / Climax: In Cinderella, this is when the prince comes to Cinderella’s house, and we don’t know if Cinderella will be able to escape from her room to try on the shoe.

Falling Action In Cinderella, the falling action is when Cinderella is able to escape from her room, try on the shoe, and the prince knows that Cinderella is the woman from the ball.

Resolution The prince whisks Cinderella off to the castle, they get married, and they live happily ever after.

Alternative Climax: Did you think that the climax in Cinderella was when she thought she wasn’t going to go to the ball because her mean step-sisters had ripped her dress and left her at home? Or did you think that the climax was when the bell strikes midnight and Cinderella must flee the castle?

Alternative Chart Another literary scholar argued that plots can have more than 1 climax. He suggests that stories can have multiple climaxes. He proposed a different chart to help visual the plot.

Plot Climax Rising Action Climax Rising Action Falling Action Climax Exposition Resolution

Plot Put the elements of plot in the correct order.

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Plot Diagram

A few more terms on plot that you should know

Suspense The pleasurable anxiety we feel that heightens our attention to the story, resides in our wondering how it will turn out. Will Cinderella get to go to the ball? Will the prince ever know who Cinderella was?

foreshadowing An indication of events to come Often creating anticipation (suspense) We know that Cinderella has to be home by midnight, and we guess that it might cause her problems later. We also know that her stepmother and sisters are mean and could also cause problems for Cinderella.

Epiphany Some moment of insight, discovery, or revelation by which a character’s life, or view of life, is greatly altered.

Epiphany Some moment of insight, discovery, or revelation by which a character’s life, or view of life, is greatly altered.

Characters The main character Protagonist Antagonist The main character This is not always a heroic person. They can have good and bad characteristics, or they can have all negative characteristics. The character who opposes the protagonist