Chapter One Plot

Plot is the first and most obvious quality of a story. In fiction it is the sequence of events or actions which are related to one another. It may be simple or complicated, loosely constructed or closely-knitted.

Related literary terms in this chapter:

Action is generally introduced by the exposition. It rises to a crisis or climax during the process of development.This movement is called the rising action. The falling action, which follows the crisis or climax, shows a reversal of fortune for the protagonist. In a tragedy this reversal leads to disaster, while in a comedy it leads to a happy ending.

Allusion is usually a reference in a work of literature to a person, place, or thing in another work of literature, art, music, painting, mythology, or history.

Climax refers to the turning point of a story, usually the moment of the greatest tention, interest, or suspense at which the outcome is yet to be decided. All action after the climax is referred to as the falling action, or resolution. The term “crisis”is sometimes used interchangeably with climax.

Conclusion (also called falling action, or resolution, or denouement) is the final unraveling of the plot, the resolution of the mystery, or “the untying of the knot”, generally involving not only a satisfactory outcome of the main situation but also an explanation of all the secrets and misunderstandings connected with the plot complication.

Conflict is a struggle between two opposing forces or characters in a story. Conflict can be external or internal and it often takes one of these forms: (1) a person against another person; (2) a person against society; (3) a person against nature; and (4) two elements struggling for mastery within a person. Conflict is an important element in plot development and provides, among other things, the basis for suspense and tension.

Crisis refers to a moment of high tention in the plot which may be momentarily resovled, but then an even greater crisis—the turning point in the action—may occur.

Exposition is the beginning part of a story in which important background information is given.

Foreshadowing is the process of giving the reader hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in a story. It is used to create interest and to build suspense.

Surprise Ending means an unexpected twist at the end of a story that is not predicted by the reader beforehand and it depends on an unexpected resolution of the main conflict.

Suspense is one of the qualities of a story that makes the reader uncertain or tense about the outcome of events and impels them to read on.