Thursday, December 6, 2007

Plot and Conflict

Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It shows arrangement of events and actions within a story.

Plot Components:

Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts

Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax

Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action

Falling Action: all of the action which follows the climax

Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

Conflict:

Character vs Character:
This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with another character, human or not human.

Character vs Nature:
This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with the forces of nature, which serve as the antagonist.

Character vs Society:
This type of conflict has the main character in conflict with a larger group: a community, society, culture, etc.

Character vs Self:
In this type of conflict, the main character experiences some kind of inner conflict.