Write-Up #3 Assignment
As Good as it Gets (1997) James L. Brooks
“Madness in Movies” Coordinated Studies
Brian Holt & JC Clapp, North Seattle Community College, 2012
Focus/Topic of Write-Up #3: Plot, Story, and Narrative
In most stories in Western culture, be they books, films, or oral tales, the narrative has certain basic
parts:
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Beginning: Introduce characters, setting, and background – sets the stage for the rest of the
story
Introduction of Conflict: All good stories have a conflict of some sort. It might be a mental
conflict, or it might be a conflict between people
Rising Action: This is where the tension builds – the conflict intensifies and the characters
often run into obstacles that thwart them
Climax: The conflict reaches its peak
Resolution: The conflict is resolved – the resolution isn’t always happy or pleasant, though
Ending: The theme or “so what?” of the story is clear
In films, there is the plot (syuzhet) and the story (fabula). The fabula or story is everything that
happens in chronological order, even if we don’t see it. The syuzhet or plot is the narrative structure
or way a story unfolds because of how it is arranged and organized.
Your Task (What your Write-Up should include):
1. Outline the six parts of narrative structure of As Good As It Gets
2. Discuss and analyze the difference between the story and the plot in this film, using examples
from the film to illustrate your points.
What your Write-Up should not include:
 a review (don’t tell us whether or not you liked the film – at all)
 a biography of the director or actors or a synopsis of what the director/actors say in the
“Director’s Cut” of the film
 the use of any research
Grading Criteria (10 points): We will be looking for these elements when we grade your Write-Up:
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Identification of the parts of narrative in the film
Discussion of the difference between the story and the plot
A minimum of 500 words (about 1 ½ pages)
A heading that includes the name of the film, the year, and the name of the director
Assignment typed in 12 pt. font, double spaced, and has 1 inch margins
No response, critique, review, evaluation, or reaction.
No ideas or word used from any other source
Grammatically correct and proofread – if there are extensive problems in this category, the paper as a whole will
not earn more than 6 points.