Elements of Plot (pp. 32-33)
“Hooking” the Reader’s Curiosity
I. PLOT
• A series of related events, each
event connected to the next, like
links in a chain.
PLOT
• Each event in a plot “hooks” our
curiosity and pulls us forward to
the next event to satisfy that
curiosity.
When “story” hooks our curiosity
• Monster
hook . . .
• The monster, preparing to
paralyze his latest
challenger, looked at his
victim . . .
•. . . and saw he was
chewing gum.
PLOT
• Right away, we wonder what’s
going to happen. Why isn’t
the victim afraid, the way she
should be???
• The dragon withdrew his venomous
talons and asked the young person
if he was laughing at him.
• Why? the reader wonders.
• Is the monster especially funny
looking?
• Is he very insecure?
• Monster?
PLOT
• If our curiosity is aroused by
these events, we wait for
successive ones with mounting
suspense.
• We want to know:
•“What happens next?”
PLOT
• This build up of suspense is how plot
works.
• A series of related events plants the
hook of curiosity in us, making us
read to find out:
•What happens next?
II. Conflict
• We care about what happens
next in a story because we’re
hooked by a conflict, or
struggle.
A. External Conflict
• External Conflict –
• When the conflict takes place between a
character and another person or between a
character and something nonhuman.
Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Man
• The struggle might take place between two
characters
Man vs. Society
• Man vs. Society
• The struggle might take place between a
character and a whole group of people
Man vs. Nature
• Man vs. Nature – The struggle might take
place between a character and something
nonhuman - - a typhoon or a shark or gas in
the mine pit or a computer virus.
B. Internal Conflict
• Internal Conflict
• When the conflict takes place inside
a character’s mind or heart.
Conflict: Man vs. Self
• Man vs. Self
• The struggle can also take place
within a character’s own mind and
heart.
Man vs. Self
• The desire to be peaceable might conflict with
an urge to knock the stuffing out of a bully
Man vs. Self
• A desire to win someone’s friendship might
conflict with a fear of rejection
Conflict
• The MAIN CONFLICT of the story “drives” the
story to its CLIMAX. The most intense and/or
emotional moment of the story.
• The CLIMAX concludes (ends)
the MAIN CONFLICT.
• Throughout the RISING ACTION of the story,
there are many “complications” - - which can
also be classified as Man vs. Man, Man vs.
Society, Man vs. Nature, and Man vs. Self
Story
• Stories, like houses and human
beings, need a structure or
framework to hold them together.
• Plots are usually
built on four
major parts,
which make the
“frame” of the
story.
III. Bare Bones of Plot
A. Exposition
• Exposition is the basic situation of the
story.
• This is the opening of the story where
–the setting
–the characters
–their conflict
. . . are introduced
Cinderella - Exposition
• Once upon a time there lived a young girl
named Cinderella, who was as beautiful
as she was good. But she was totally
detested by her evil step-mother and two
nasty and jealous stepsisters. Cinderella
longed to go to the prince’s ball - - but it
was simply out of the question. After all,
Cinderella was just a kitchen servant.
Exposition
• Just a servant girl
B. Rising Action - Complications
• Complication
• . . . is when the main character takes
some action to resolve the conflict and
meets with more problems
• such as danger, hostility, fear, or even a new
threatening situation.
• The rising action of the story.
• (Keeps readers interested!)
Cinderella - Complications
• A fairy godmother promised to get Cinderella to
the ball if she obeyed one rule: “Be home by
midnight.” Dressed in the most beautiful gown
and wearing tiny glass slippers manufactured on
the spot by her fairy godmother, Cinderella went
to the ball. No one knew who this dazzling
beauty was. The prince fell in love with her at
first sight, but she had to flee at midnight. One
of the dainty glass slippers was left behind as
she ran out of the palace.
Complications
• “Be home by midnight.”
C. Climax
• Climax
• . . . is the key scene of the story
• - - that tense or exciting or terrifying moment
when our emotional involvement is greatest.
• Now we find out what the outcome of the
conflict is going to be.
Cinderella - Climax
• The prince made a house-tohouse search for the foot that fit
the tiny shoe. The stepsisters
shaved off parts of their big feet
to try to squeeze into the slipper,
but no luck. The prince found
that small foot on Cinderella.
Climax
• House-to-house search for a girl whose foot
will fit in the small glass slipper
D. Resolution (Denouement)
• The final part of the story.
• The resolution occurs at the end of the story
(may only be one paragraph!)
• Now all the struggles are over and we know
what is going to happen to the people in the
story.
• The resolution “closes” the story.
Cinderella - Resolution
• Cinderella married the prince and
they lived happily ever after. The
stepsisters and the cruel
stepmother, however, suffered
ghastly punishments for their
misdeeds.
Cinderella - Resolution
Exposition, Complication (the Rising
Action), Climax and Resolution . . .
• These 4 “bare bones” support a
series of events intended to hook
our curiosity.
• If one of these elements of plot
is weak, the story falls apart.
The End