Nordonia High School English 9 CP Presented by Mrs. Tolin Mrs. Smith

It is an necessary element for any type of story. Without a good plot line, you have nothing... The most basic arrangement of events  PLOT IS THE LITERARY ELEMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE STRUCTURE OF THE STORY.

 CHRONOLOGICAL  FLASHBACK  IN MEDIA RES (in the middle)

5 MAIN PARTS TO THE PLOT STRUCTURE

Exposition: setting, characters & basic plot: the situation before the action starts Conflict: Main problem of a story. Four main types: man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. nature, man vs. society Rising Action: All of the events that lead up to the climax, the series of crisis in the story Climax: the highest point of interest, the most intense moment; the character makes a decision that cannot be reversed Falling Action: All of the action which follows the climax Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

 Demonstrate a universal truth  Emphasize a character trait  Accentuate a mood or feeling  Recreate a scene  Teach a moral lesson  Entertain  Challenge the reader’s intellect  Answers the question “what’s the point of stories that aren’t even true?”

The Environment in which a story takes place Includes both TIME & PLACE

 PROVIDES A BACKDROP FOR THE ACTION IN A STORY  ESTABLISHES ATMOSPHERE (SETS THE MOOD)  SHAPES CHARACTER & ACTION  REFLECTS CHARACTER PSYCHOLOGY

Example: using real cities or street names; describing a place as realistically as possible Example: smell of cookies during winter break; swimming in cold lake water  DETAILS: BUILD DESCRIPTION WITH REALISTIC DETAILS TO MAKE IT BELIEVABLE  SENSE IMAGES: APPEAL TO SENSES, WHICH HELPS READER RELATE TO PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

 WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL BACKDROP? DOES IT CREATE ATMOSPHERE/ SHAPE CHARACTERS’ ACTIONS/REFLECT INNER THOUGHTS?  WHAT TECHNIQUES DID THE AUTHOR USE?

The central source of tension and drama that makes a story interesting to read and gives it purpose

 Character vs. Character › Conflict between 2 people or 2 groups of people › Examples: family troubles, bullies or romantic trouble

 Character vs. Society › Between individual and larger groups › Examples: outsider in a strange culture, a struggle to “make it” in the world

 Character vs. Nature › Individual and the natural world › Examples: Fighting a force of nature › Surviving a plane crash in the desert

 Character vs. Self › Psychological conflicts within a person › Examples: Overcoming a drug habit › Grieving over loss of loved one › Making a moral decision

 Story Problem › Try to state the problem in one sentence  Elements of plot › Include both the conflict and the climax

 DIRECT: The author tells the readers details about the character directly › Even though she was the youngest, Sarah was the smartest of all three sisters  INDIRECT: The author shows the character in action and lets readers make their own interpretations › At report card time, Sarah received an A in all subjects, unlike her sisters.

 Character’s Name  Physical Appearance  How the character is dressed  Occupation  Home & Surroundings  Habit’s and Actions  What other characters say about him or her

 Defined by the qualities that make them think, act and feel in certain ways. › Values: What people, places or things are most important in the character’s life? What does he or she value most? › Feelings: What Emotions does the character feel most strongly? › Goals: What are the character’s greatest hopes? What are they working to accomplish? › Problems: What other characters or circumstances are keeping the character from achieving his goals?