1. Plot A Story’s Building Blocks
Elements of Literature
1st Course
By John Leggett

2. Plot Plot is what happens in a story.
Most plots have four parts that are like building blocks.

3. Basic Situation
Complications
Climax
Resolution

4. Basic Situation
The first block tells you about the story’s basic situation.
Who are the characters?
This is usually where you discover the conflict.
There are two types of conflict
Internal
External

5. Complications
In the second part of a plot, one or more of the characters act to resolve the conflict.
Now, a series of events takes place that make it very difficult for the character to get what he wants (complications).

6. Climax
The climax is the story’s most emotional or suspenseful moment. This is the point in which the conflict is decided one way or another.

7. Resolution
The resolution is the last part of the story. This is where the loose ends of the plot are tied up and the story is closed.

8. Internal Conflict
Internal conflict takes place in a character’s mind.

9. External Conflict
In an external conflict a character struggles against another person, group of people, or a force of nature.

10. Foreshadow
To make us feel suspense, storytellers give us clues that foreshadow, or hint at future events.