1. Parts of Plot Plot: The sequence of events in a story.
Exposition: The basic situation of a story—this is where the reader learns the background information necessary to understand the story.

2. Exposition Example
The reader learns Liz lives in an apartment by herself.
Liz is 25-years-old.
Liz is tired from a long day at work as a nurse.
Liz is talking on her cell-phone to her best friend Julie as she walks to the door of her own home.

3. Parts of Plot
Rising Action: The part of the story which occurs between the exposition and climax. Here is where conflicts occur which build up the story and make it interesting.

4. Rising Action Example
Liz hears some strange thumping sounds coming from the inside of her apartment as she is about to put her key in the door.
Liz tells Julie she hears something.
Julie suggests she calls the police.
Liz tells Julie that she was probably imagining the sounds but still hears them.

5. Parts of Plot
Climax: The turning point or highest point of action in a story. The main conflict is typically resolved after this place.
At the climax the protagonist realizes what has to be done to fix the major conflict of the story and then acts on this decision.

6. Climax Example
Liz opens the door to her apartment and sets her bag by the door.
Her heart jumps when she sees a pair of black shoes peeking out from under her living room curtains.
The curtain moves slightly.

7. Climax Example
Liz bravely walks up to the curtain and picks up a heavy candlestick on the way.
She strikes the candlestick against the curtain, and at the same time, something grabs her hand from behind the curtain.
Liz drops the candlestick, and a tall man with a black mask emerges from behind the curtain.
Suddenly, her front door is flung open.

9. Parts of Plot
Falling Action: The part of the story which occurs after the climax and before the resolution. Here is where loose ends are tied up toward the end of the story.

10. Falling Action Example
The police emerge, and the masked man releases Liz from his grasp.
He quickly exits her home through the open window, but is met with the gun of a policeman.
Julie had called the police for Liz.
Liz realizes many of her possessions are knocked over or broken.

11. Parts of Plot
Resolution: The final outcome of the story.

12. Resolution Example
The police try to comfort Liz while taking her statement.
Liz packs some possessions to take to Julie’s house for the night.
She decides to invest in a second lock for her door in the morning and to install a burglar system. She knows it will be difficult to continue living in her home.

13. Parts of Plot Climax Falling Action Rising Action Resolution
Basic Situation or Exposition