Elements of a Plot Diagram · On a plot diagram we draw a line connecting the incidents. If the...

M Carmichael

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CSS English

MAC

Plot is the term which describes all of the events that happen in a story, AND the conflict in the story.

Cowichan Secondary English

MAC

Conflict is very important, because it creates the tension, or suspense, that keeps us reading to find out what happens next.


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Conflict can be obvious and exciting, or subtle and gradual, but without conflict, there is no plot.


MACCowichan Secondary English

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Can you remember the main parts of a plot diagram?

MAC

Plot is the organized pattern or sequence of events that make up a story.

Every plot is made up of a series of incidents that are related to one another.


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This usually occurs at the beginning of a short story. Here the characters are introduced. We also learn about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we are introduced to the main conflict (main problem).



This is the first thing that happens in a story. (“Initiating” means “starting”).

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Each event that happens in a plot is called an incident. These are all incidents in the plot.

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Obviously, the longer a story is, the more thngs are likely to occur in the story.


On a plot diagram we draw a line connecting the incidents. If the incident is very exciting, we draw a steep line, as shown here.

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Of course, not every story is an exciting cliffhanger, and some plot diagrams can be very shallow.


Sometimes an incident is very exciting, such as when the protagonist has a life or death decision to make. This is a crisis.

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There can be more than one crisis in the rising action.


Often, following a crisis, the tension level often goes down, and the reader can relax a bit. This is an anti-climax.

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Not every incident is followed by an anti-climax.

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MAC

The rising action is everything between the initial incident and the climax.


MAC

This part of the story develops the conflict(s). A building of interest or suspense occurs.


MAC

This is the most emotionally intense moment of a story, and is usually close to (or identical to) the turning point of the story.

Often, the main character comes face-to-face with the main conflict and is forced to take action.


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All loose ends of the plot are tied up. The conflict(s) and climax are taken care of.


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The story comes to a reasonable ending.


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Happy ending The main characters get what they want.


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Unhappy ending The main characters don’t get what they want.


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Tragic ending The main character dies or suffers great loss.


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Surprise ending While the ending makes sense, it is not what the reader was expecting.


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Indeterminate ending

There is no clear outcome. The reader is left wondering exactly how the conflict would be resolved.


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Cliffhanger The conflict in a very exciting story is not resolved until the very last moment.


M Carmichael

CSS English

MAC

Where the protagonist makes a decision, or takes some action, that ultimately leads to the resolution of the story.


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When the narrator gives “hints” about events that occur later in the story.


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A minor storyline, secondary to the main plot.


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The “unknotting” of plot and conflict following a climax.


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The central struggle of a story, that adds dramatic tension (the reader reads on to find out what is happening).

The main conflict between the protagonist and someone or something else is called the “central conflict”


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Person versus Person Person versus Environment Person versus Situation Person versus Supernatural


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Intellectual conflict

Moral conflict

Spiritual conflict


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A problem with no “good” solution A choice between two or more undesirable

options


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A difficult problem with at least one “good” option

A problem where the character involved can hope for a happy solution


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The result of inserting one or more small stories within the body of a larger story that encompasses the smaller ones.

The opening part of the story usually has some exposition, while the closing offers a commentary.

Examples are Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, Heart of Darkness by Conrad.


Elements of a Plot Diagram · On a plot diagram we draw a line connecting the incidents. If the...

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