1. Table of Contents
Page # 1
Plot Structure and Theme Notes

2. Breaking down stories…
Plot Structure
Breaking down stories…

3. Conflict
Conflict is the struggle between two forces in a story.

4. EXTERNAL CONFLICT
An external conflict is between a character and an outside force.
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Society

5. MAN vs. MAN A character struggles with another character.
Protagonist vs. Antagonist
The classic “good guy” vs. “bad guy” situation

6. MAN vs. NATURE
A character struggles with a force of nature (natural disaster, desolation, animal, etc.)
Usually, the character is struggling to survive.

7. MAN vs. SOCIETY
In this conflict, a character or a group of characters fight against the society in which they live.
The character fights against social traditions or rules (fight for freedom, rights, for a cause etc.)
Society becomes a “character” of its own
Usually used to comment on positive or negative aspects of real society (SATIRE)
Can you think of any examples?

8. INTERNAL CONFLICT
An internal conflict is between a character and his/her self.
Man vs. Self

9. MAN vs. SELF The character’s struggle takes place in his/her own mind.
Usually has something to do with a choice (choosing between right and wrong), or it may have to do with overcoming emotions or mixed feelings.

10. OTHER TYPES OF CONFLICT
Man vs. Supernatural
Gods, ghosts, monsters, spirits, aliens, etc.
Man vs. Fate
Fight for choice; fight against destiny
Man vs. Technology
Computers, machines, etc.

11. Types of Conflict External Conflict – a conflict that is observable
Internal Conflict – a conflict within a character's mind; a difficult decision

12. Plot Components
Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action
Complication: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax
Exposition/Basic Situation: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts
Resolution/Denouement: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

13. Types of Linear Plots Plots can be told in Chronological order
Flashback
Flash Forward
Foreshadowing

14. The Three Little Pigs
The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest thing to do.
The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house.
The third little pig built his house out of bricks.
Once upon a time there were three little pigs and the time came for them to leave home and seek their fortunes. Before they left, their mother told them " Whatever you do, do it the best that you can because that's the way to get along in the world.
Exposition – background information

15. One night the big bad wolf, who dearly loved to eat fat little piggies, came along and saw the first little pig in his house of straw. He said "Let me in, Let me in, little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig.But of course the wolf did blow the house in and ate the first little pig.
The wolf then came to the house of sticks. "Let me in ,Let me in little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig. But the wolf blew that house in too, and ate the second little pig.

16. Complication
The struggle
Exposition
Opening of a story / background

17. The wolf then came to the house of bricks
The wolf then came to the house of bricks. "Let me in , let me in" cried the wolf "Or I'll huff and I'll puff till I blow your house in." "Not by the hair of my chinny, chin chin," said the pig. Well, the wolf huffed and puffed but he could not blow down that brick house. But the wolf was a sly old wolf and he climbed up on the roof to look for a way into the brick house. 
The little pig saw the wolf climb up on the roof and lit a roaring fire in the fireplace and placed on it a large kettle of water. When the wolf finally found the hole in the chimney he crawled down and KERSPLASH right into that kettle of water and that was the end of his troubles with the big bad wolf.

18. The most exciting part of the story
Climax
Complication
The struggle
Exposition
Opening of a story / background

19. The next day the little pig invited his mother over
The next day the little pig invited his mother over . She said "You see it is just as I told you. The way to get along in the world is to do things as well as you can." Fortunately for that little pig, he learned that lesson. And he just lived happily ever after!
Climax
Complication
The most exciting part of the story
The struggle
Resolution/Denouement
The ending
Exposition
Opening of a story / background

20. Plot:
Romeo and Juliet, two kids from warring families, fall in love. After Romeo murders Juliet’s cousin, he is banished from the city. Juliet devises a plan to fake her own death in an attempt to escape to Romeo. Tragically, he finds her before he is told of the plan and believes she is dead. He kills himself. Juliet awakens. She kills herself.
Moral:
Don’t go against your parents’ wishes.
Topics:
Love
Feud
Friendship
Loyalty
Hatred
Theme:
Young people in love against all odds can be so passionate and unrealistic that tragedy results from their dramatic intrigues.
Directions:
With your partner, create a definition for each of the terms (plot, moral, topic, theme) based on the examples from Romeo & Juliet.

21. Theme
Theme is…
the central, underlying and controlling idea of a work of literature
the idea the writer wishes to convey about the subject—the writer’s view of the world or a revelation about human nature.

22. Good theme statements…
Are expressed in a whole sentence, not just a word or phrase.
Love

23. Good theme statements…
Account for all the major events of the story, not just certain ones.

24. Good theme statements…
Are universal! That is, they can apply to other people, perhaps us.
Important understanding: A good theme statement does not specifically name the people or events in the story, but is more general.

25. Good theme statements…
Are not clichés or morals.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
You should try hard or you might fail.

26. Good vs. Poor Theme Statements
Suppose you were going to write a theme statement for Romeo and Juliet.

27. Poor Good love teenage love is usually doomed
always look to see if someone's really dead before killing yourself from grief
members of feuding families shouldn't fall in love
a boy and girl from warring families try to be happy, but end up dead from a set of mistakes
The bad blood of feuding families may eventually bring doom, not only to those who create the feud, but to the next generation.
Young people in love against all odds can be so passionate and unrealistic that tragedy results from their dramatic intrigues.

28. How to Interpret Theme
IDEAS ABOUT LIFE…

29. 1. “Theme” and “subject” are not the same thing.
The subject is just the topic (which can usually be stated in a single word, such as love.)
The theme is the lesson about the subject. A theme should be expressed as a statement.

30. 2. Think of how the protagonist changes.
Does the main character change in some way?
Does the main character realize something that he or she did not know before?
Example: How does Ebenezer Scrooge Change in A Christmas Carol?
Example: How does Marlen change in the movie Finding Nemo?

31. 3. How is the conflict resolved?
The way a story’s major conflict is resolved usually is related to the major theme or message.
Example: How is the conflict resolved in The Tortoise and the Hare?

32. 4. Does the title hint at something?
The title is often a hint for a major lesson in the story.
Example
What is a possible theme for The Boy Who Cried Wolf?

33. 5. Test your statement of the theme.
Does your statement of the theme apply to the whole piece and not just one part?
Does it apply to multiple characters?
Is it contradicted? If so, it may not be a major theme.

34. 6. What do you know about the author?
Knowing about an author’s background often allows the reader to better understand that author’s message.
How did the author grow up?
Did the author have any traumatic experiences?
Does the author have any strong beliefs?

35. 7. There are different ways to express theme.
The best literary works often have more than one theme.
A complex story is likely to have many lessons.
People can have different opinions about theme (and that is perfectly fine).
Ultimately, an interpretation of theme depends on how well one can argue a position.

36. Theme Statement Sentence Frame