Plot: The Storys Structure

1
Plot and Setting Language Arts 2006
Feature Menu
Plot The Storys Structure Basic situation
Complications Climax Resolution Setting and
Conflict Practice
2
Plot The Storys Structure
Plot is the series of events in a story.
Plot answers the question What happened?
3
Plot The Storys Structure
Most plots have four parts.
4
Plot The Storys Structure
You can diagram a plot like this
The resolution usually wraps up the loose ends
of the story.
The climax is the high point of the story.
These events are the complications.
End of Section
5
Plot The Storys Structure Basic Situation
The first part of the plot tells you about the
storys basic situation.
The basic situation usually answers two questions
Who is the main character?
What is the characters basic problem, or
conflict?
6
Plot The Storys Structure Basic Situation
A conflict is a struggle.
Two characters sometimes oppose each other.
One character might struggle against a whole
group.
7
Plot The Storys Structure Basic Situation
A conflict can be inside a character.
A character might struggle to overcome fear or to
gain confidence.
Finally, a character may also struggle with a
setting.
8
Plot The Storys Structure Basic Situation
When the conflict involves a setting, the setting
is often extreme or life threatening.
End of Section
9
Plot The Storys Structure Complications
As the characters try to solve their problem,
complications arise.
Complications are new problems that come up. They
make us wonder and worry about what will happen.
Complications create suspense in the story.
End of Section
10
Plot The Storys Structure Climax
Finally, you reach the climax, the most exciting
point of the story.
At the climax, you find out how the story will be
resolved.
End of Section
11
Plot The Storys Structure Resolution
In the last part of the plotthe resolutionthe
characters problems are resolved.
In a fairy tale
In a mystery
In an adventure
the clues are explained.
they all live happily ever after.
the survivors may be rescued.
End of Section
12
Setting and Conflict
Setting is where and when the action of a story
takes place.
Some stories, like trickster tales, can take
place almost anywhere.
The characters and the settings are different,
but the stories are basically the same.
13
Setting and Conflict
In many stories, however, setting plays an
important role.
The setting in these stories controls the action.
The story cant take place in another kind of
setting.
14
Setting and Conflict
In some stories, characters are in conflict with
their setting.
people surviving on a cold mountain with no food
animals trapped by a raging forest fire
a person marooned in a small boat in the middle
of the ocean
Why do you think this kind of setting and
conflict is used in so many movies?
End of Section
15
Practice
As the hot July sun slipped below the horizon,
a cooling darkness filled Central Valley. Lisa
had just fallen asleep when the windows of the
trailer rattled like a snake giving warning. The
trailer swayed back and forth. Lisa could hear
the baby screaming. Papa yelled, Outside! Get
out! Get out! Its an earthquake!
1. Who do you think the main character is?
2. What is the setting? When and where does the
story take place?
3. What do you predict the conflict will be?
16
Practice
As the hot July sun slipped below the horizon,
a cooling darkness filled Central Valley. Lisa
had just fallen asleep when the windows of the
trailer rattled like a snake giving warning. The
trailer swayed back and forth. Lisa could hear
the baby screaming. Papa yelled, Outside! Get
out! Get out! Its an earthquake!
1. Who do you think the main character is?
Lisa is probably the main character. We also know
that there are at least two other characters,
Papa and a baby.
17
Practice
As the hot July sun slipped below the horizon,
a cooling darkness filled Central Valley. Lisa
had just fallen asleep when the windows of the
trailer rattled like a snake giving warning. The
trailer swayed back and forth. Lisa could hear
the baby screaming. Papa yelled, Outside! Get
out! Get out! Its an earthquake!
2. What is the setting? When and where does the
story take place?
The story takes place in July in Central Valley.
The sun has just gone down, and the characters
are in a trailer.
18
Practice
As the hot July sun slipped below the horizon,
a cooling darkness filled Central Valley. Lisa
had just fallen asleep when the windows of the
trailer rattled like a snake giving warning. The
trailer swayed back and forth. Lisa could hear
the baby screaming. Papa yelled, Outside! Get
out! Get out! Its an earthquake!
3. What do you predict the conflict will be?
The characters will struggle to survive the
earthquake. The conflict is with the setting.
19
Practice
The earth groaned, and a river of mud slid
down the canyon. The family huddled together in
the dark. Mama tore up a sheet to make a sling
for Papas broken arm. Papa shined his flashlight
on the wreck that used to be the trailer. It
could explode, he warned. Dont get any
closer.
This passage takes place a little later in the
story.
4. What complications have taken place?
20
Practice
The earth groaned, and a river of mud slid
down the canyon. The family huddled together in
the dark. Mama tore up a sheet to make a sling
for Papas broken arm. Papa shined his flashlight
on the wreck that used to be the trailer. It
could explode, he warned. Dont get any
closer.
4. What complications have taken place?
- A mud slide occurred. - Papas arm is broken. -
The trailer is wrecked. - The trailer could
explode.
21
Practice
The baby kept screaming. Lisas mother said,
I have nothing to feed him. What are we going to
do? Suddenly the earth rumbled again. Lisa
looked back at the trailer and saw fallen
electric wires dangling all over it.
5. What new complications come up?
6. What do you predict the family will decide to
do? Why?
22
Practice
The baby kept screaming. Lisas mother said,
I have nothing to feed him. What are we going to
do? Suddenly the earth rumbled again. Lisa
looked back at the trailer and saw fallen
electric wires dangling all over it.
5. What new complications come up?
- The baby doesnt have any food. - The earth
rumbles again.
23
Practice
The baby kept screaming. Lisas mother said,
I have nothing to feed him. What are we going to
do? Suddenly the earth rumbled again. Lisa
looked back at the trailer and saw fallen
electric wires dangling all over it.
6. What do you predict the family will decide to
do? Why?
Lisa has to go for help. Their situation is
getting worse. Papa cant go because of his arm,
and Lisas mother is taking care of the baby.
24
Practice
Lisa stumbled down the side of the canyon. She
could hear a siren coming closer. The lights of a
helicopter shone on her like a spotlight. Stop!
Help us! she cried, frantically waving her arms.
The copter clattered to the ground.
This passage takes place later in the story.
7. Why is this event probably the climax of the
story?
Lisa The baby The mother Papa
8. Write a resolution for this story. What
happens to the family?
25
Practice
Lisa stumbled down the side of the canyon. She
could hear a siren coming closer. The lights of a
helicopter shone on her like a spotlight. Stop!
Help us! she cried, frantically waving her arms.
The copter clattered to the ground.
7. Why is this event probably the climax of the
story?
When the helicopter sees Lisa and lands, we know
the family will probably be rescued.
26
Practice
On Your Own
Fill out a diagram like this one, tracing the
plot of a movie or book you know well. Try to
find a story in which a character struggles with
a setting that threatens his or her life.
27
Plot and Setting
The End