1. Plot What Is Plot? Conflict Plot Structure Timing and Pacing Flashback
Feature Menu
What Is Plot?
Conflict
Plot Structure
Timing and Pacing
Flashback
Flash-Forward
Foreshadowing
Practice

2. What Is Plot?
Plot is the series of related events that make up a story or drama.
Like links in a chain, each event hooks our curiosity and pulls us forward to the next event.
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3. (Your notes should look like this)
Plot: the events in the story. A good one pulls you along
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4. Conflict
Conflict is the struggle or clash between opposing characters or forces. Conflicts may be
external: firefighter vs. fire or
internal: firefighter vs. his or her fear

5. Conflict An external conflict may be a struggle between
Character vs. Character (eg. 2 friends competing in sports, 2 sisters fighting for their father’s approval)
Character vs. Group (eg. a character fighting against the prejudice of his classmates)
Character vs. Environment (eg. Tries to survive a storm, cross the sea, etc.)

6. (Your notes should look like this)
External conflict: Character against something outside of himself
1. Character against another character, (eg. 2 sisters fighting)
2. Character against a group of people (eg. Character fights prejudice)
3. Character vs. Environment (eg. Character climbs mountain)

7. Conflict
An internal conflict is a struggle that takes place within a character’s mind or heart.
Characters struggle with themselves to make decisions.
Characters have fears they can’t control, or feelings about other characters that are complex.

8. (Your notes should look like this)
Internal conflict: happens inside character’s head.
Character has a difficult decision to make
Character has fears, or complex feelings

9. Conflict Quick Check Is this an external or internal conflict?
Rainsford knew he could do one of two things. He could stay where he was and wait. That was suicide. He could flee. That was postponing the inevitable. For a moment he stood there, thinking. An idea that held a wild chance came to him, and, tightening his belt, he headed away from the swamp.
from “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell
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10. Plot Structure Plots are usually built in four major parts. Climax
Complications
Resolution
Basic Situation/Exposition

11. (Your notes should look like this)
Plot – 4 parts
Climax
Complications
Resolution
Basic Situation/Exposition

12. Plot Structure 1 Basic situation, or exposition
Opening of the story with basic background information
Introduces the main character, his motivation (what he wants) and the conflict that gets in the way.
Jorge wants to go to university in Bogota, but his family can only afford to pay the tuition at a local college in Armenia.

13. (Your notes should look like this)
1 Basic situation, or exposition
opening of the story
character and his conflict(s) introduced

14. Plot Structure 2 Complication
The main character takes action but encounters more problems
What seemed like a simple conflict, now is more complicated
Jorge goes to work on a nearby finca to earn extra money. There, he meets Maria, and the two start dating.

15. (Your notes should look like this)
2 Complication
Problem / Conflict gets bigger and more complicated

16. Plot Structure
3 Climax
The most exciting, important scene in the story with the highest tension
The character usually faces a decision and we learn the outcome of the conflict
Jorge and Maria argue about his leaving for university. Paul must choose to stay or go.

17. (Your notes should look like this)
3 Climax
Most exciting part
character makes choice and decides outcome

18. Plot Structure 4 Resolution Final part of the story.
The conflict is resolved and the reader learns how everything ends.
Jorge decides to leave for university in Bogota. Maria makes plans to visit him and wishes him well.
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19. (Your notes should look like this)
4 Resolution
Ending, resolution of conflict.
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20. Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is the use of clues to hint at events that will occur later in the plot.
Foreshadowing can make a story more exciting by increasing suspense.
(More on foreshadowing tomorrow)
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21. Practice
Choose a children’s story or fairy tale that is familiar to you.
Draw a plot diagram like the one shown here.
Add labels describing the key parts of the story’s plot.
Use your imagination to write a flashback that could occur in one part of the story.
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22. The End