Literary Term: Narrative Origin: Old English (noun) Plot: “secret plan” Dictionary Definition: the sequence of related events that make up a story or novel. Also called… a storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story. Something Important: A plot is a casual sequence of events, the "why" for the things that happen in the story. The plot draws the reader into the character's lives and helps the reader understand the choices that the characters make. A plot's structure is the way in which the story elements are arranged. Writers vary structure depending on the needs of the story. For example… in a mystery, the author will withhold plot exposition until later in the story.