Plot

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Plot
6th Grade ELA
Plot is the literary element that describes the
structure of a story. It shows arrangement of
events and actions within a story.
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Plot Components
Climax the turning point, the most intense
momenteither mentally or in action
Rising Action the series of conflicts and crisis
in the story that lead to the climax
Falling Action all of the action which follows
the climax
Exposition the start of the story, the
situation before the action starts
Resolution the conclusion, the tying together of
all of the threads
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Exposition

• Setting- the time period
• (ex- Civil War, in the future, 1985, modern
  day).
• A book could have more than one setting and could
  go back and forth. Story could start out in the
  70s disco era, mostly at night but then skip to
  the year 2017, in a nursing home.

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Exposition

• Place Where the story takes place.
• (ex- a middle school, on Mars, in the country.)
• What kind of feeling does this place give you?
  This is important to the story because it sets
  the mood. (ie- gloomy place, poor place, exciting
  place)

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Exposition

• Facts necessary to understand the upcoming story
  that is about to unfold the background.
• The rules of the society at the time- ex.-
  woman cant go outside without an escort
• The types of people in the story ex.. Royals
  in England , runaway kids from an orphanage where
  the rule is you have to stay until youre 19, or
  two tribes of cats who can speak have been at war
  for years.

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Characterization The techniques the author uses
to develop and create personality, including a
physical description of the characters. Author
reveals character traits through dialogue, inner
feelings, and other characters talking about each
other.

• 1. Dialogue- Characters talking to each other .
  Dialogue uses quotation marks around what the
  character is actually saying.
• Example (use mine or write your own)
• You are always late and never have your
  homework, Max said to Kristin.
• (This shows Kristin is lazy and unorganized.)

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Characterization

• 2. Inner feelings of characters- Usually told in
  first person. What the characters are thinking.
  Whats going on in their mind.
• Example (use mine or write your own)
• I am going to just take a zero again. I am not
  interested in working hard towards an A this
  time. Who cares if I get a C- I cant find the
  study guide anyhow.
• (This shows the character is lazy and unorganized
  but is the characters inner feelings. Not
  necessarily said to another character)

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Characterization

• 3. Other characters talking about each other-
• You can learn about the characters by the way
  others talk about them.
• Example (use mine or write your own)
• Max- Wouldnt you be shocked if Kristin had her
  homework, Max said to the teacher.
• Mrs. Smith- Well, to be honest, yes. Kristin
  usually loses everything I give her
• (This tells you about Kristins character)

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Types of Characters

• Major ( main)- These characters have good and
  bad qualities. Their goals, ambitions and values
  change. If the character evolves ( changes)
  throughout the book as a result of the going
  through the journey or the conflict, this is a
  DYNAMIC character. A dynamic character grows or
  becomes more mature because of a higher
  understanding of life in some way.
• Protagonist- always a DYNAMIC character. main
  character
• The progatonist is the character who changes the
  most.

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Types of Characters

• Antagonist- the character(s) or force that
  opposed the protagonist.
• (Not always a person)
• Sometimes the enemy or the bad character.
  Doesnt have to be doing something bad, just
  causing a struggle for the protagonist.

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Types of Characters

• Minor- ( flat characters)- Have only one quality
  that sticks out . They might be a favorite
  character and likable or they may be mostly bad.
  The way to tell if a character is a minor
  character is if they mostly stay the same through
  the entire book ( one way or another). They do
  not learn anything about themselves or the world
  around them, and do not change inside. These
  characters are called STATIC characters.

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Point of View-

• 1st Person- narrator is a character in the story
  who can reveal only his/her own personal
  thoughts. What he or she sees is all we know.
  First person narrator cant tell us the thoughts
  of other characters
• Pronouns used
• I, me, we, us not in quotes.

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Point of View-

• 3rd person narrator is an outsider who can
  report what is happening.
• Pronouns used Usually the author is telling the
  story. Anytime we hear from the main character,
  its in quotes.
• Otherwise, the author uses he/she/they

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Point of View-

• 2nd Person- narrator tells the story to other
  characters using the word YOU.
• Pronouns used
• You or your- not in quotes

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Plot Conflict

• Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two
  forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no
  plot.

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Conflict

• Inner conflict (sometimes known
• as man vs. self or character vs. self.)
• A struggle inside the characters heart and mind
  usually involving a difficult decision. This is
  when there is a good voice and a bad voice
  fighting inside of the characters mind.
  Character has two opposing thoughts as to a
  difficult situation.

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Types of Conflict

• External conflict- Involves a character and an
  outside force.
• Character vs Nature
• Character vs. Society  
• Character vs. Character 
• Character vs. God/fate

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Types of Conflict

• Character vs Nature-
• EX Hatchett- When the character has to fight
  against the elements of nature  
• Character vs. Society-
• When the character has to fight against laws,
  school groups or the norms of a culture. Ex-
  Hunger Games

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Types of Conflict

• Character vs. character-
• Two characters have tension or a struggle
• Character vs. God/fate-
• A character is struggling with his faith or with
  what has been chosen for him by destiny

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More examplesPlot Man vs. Man Conflict
This type of conflict finds the main character in
conflict with another character, human or not
human.
The new one is the most beautiful of all he is
so young and pretty. And the old swans bowed
their heads before him. Then he felt quite
ashamed, and hid his head under his wing for he
did not know what to do, he was so happy, and yet
not at all proud. He had been persecuted and
despised for his ugliness, and now he heard them
say he was the most beautiful of all the birds.
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson
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More examples Plot Man vs. Nature Conflict
This type of conflict finds the main character in
conflict with the forces of nature, which serve
as the antagonist.
Its a Truffula Seed. Its the last one of
all! Youre in charge of the last of the Truffula
Seeds. And Truffula Trees are what everyone
needs. Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with
care. Give it clean water. And feed it fresh
air. Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that
hack. Then the Lorax and all of his friends may
come back. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
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More examples Plot Man vs. Society Conflict
This type of conflict has the main character in
conflict with a larger group a community,
society, culture, etc.
Im tired of living in a hole, said
Jenny. Lets fight for freedom! cried Bouncer.
Well be soldiers! Rough-riding Rowdies! Ill
be the general and commander-in-chief! The
Island of the Skog by Steven Kellogg
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More examples Plot Man vs. Self Conflict
In this type of conflict, the main character
experiences some kind of inner conflict.
Finally, Sams father said, Go to bed now. But
before you go to sleep, Sam, tell yourself the
difference between REAL and MOONSHINE. Sam,
Bangs Moonshine by Evaline Ness
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• Theme
• The main idea or underlying meaning of a literary
  work. It is the lesson that can be learned from
  the story. The theme centers around a lesson
  about life, or a belief about people . Theme is
  NOT a rule ( Dont judge a book by its cover).
  Theme is the authors belief about an important
  idea that applies to everyone.
• Theme must
• Apply to all people, everywhere in the world.
• Never mention specific plot elements of a story
  nor a characters name.

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• How do I figure out theme?
• To figure out the them, ask yourself
• How did the main characters conflict change
  him/her?
• How is the main character different because of
  what he/she has learned from his/her journey?
• What does the author want me to think about that
  would make me a better person.
• Theme is not a rule!

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• Not a theme Never judge a book by its cover!
  ( this is a rule)
• Theme The author wants the reader to explore
  what happens when someone judges a person based
  on _______ .
• Not a theme Always forgive your friends ( this
  is a rule) Theme The author wants the reader to
  think about how to forgive a friend when it is
  very difficult.
• Not a theme Never lie. (this is a rule) Theme
  The author wants the reader to follow the journey
  of gaining back trust when one has lied.