elements of fiction: plot

fundamentals of plot

• literary theme: the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work
  • can be conveyed using characters, setting, dialogue, plot, or a combination of all of these elements
  • in simpler stories, the theme may be a moral or message, eg. “don’t judge a book by its cover.”
  • in more complex stories, the central theme is typically a more open-ended exploration of some fundamental aspect of society or humanity

plot arcs

• exposition
  • derived from lain exposito, or
  • a setting or showing forth;
  • narration; 
  • explanation
  • exposition: the background information on the characters and setting explained (most often) at the beginning of the story
  • will often have information about events that happened before the story began
• rising action: dramatizes the specific events that set the conflict in motion
• turning point: often occurs midway through the story before further complications prolong the suspense of the conflict’s resolution
  • not always present in every work of fiction
• climax: the emotional high point of the story
  • the point where the character(s) attempt to achieve goals in the face of obstacles
• falling action: the events begin to wind down and point the reader toward the conclusion
• conclusion: resolves the conflict to a greater or lesser degree. Sometimes the conclusion introduces an unexpected turn of events or a surprise ending

types of plot

• dynamic plots vs. static plot
  • dynamic plot: often spans a long period of time and show characters changing from one “state” to another
  • static plot: often short and involve little change in time or character progression

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