Parts of a plot Types of Character

1. Exposition 1. Major Characters

a. Beginning of the story org, a. Prominent figure in the story
characters and setting are 2. Minor Characters
introduced a. Observers, only momentarily
2. Rising action involved in the action
a. Complications happen, 3. Complex
conflict is revealed a. Has several traits, some are
3. Climax contradictory also called
a. Turning point, character round character or three
makes an important decision, dimensional
highest point of emotion or 4. Simple
tension, main character’s a. Has one or two traits, also
moment of truth called stereotypes, stock
4. Falling action / denouncement characters, flat characters,
a. The things are sorted out two dimensional
events that help resolve the 5. Dynamic
conflict a. Character changes in the
5. Resolution story
a. Last scene 6. Static
a. Character remains same
Conflict throughout story
 A challenge that a character has to Point of view
resolve a. First person
 An obstacle that gets in the way of a a. I, me or we
characters goals b. Second person
 Struggle between opposing forces a. You
c. Third person
Kinds of conflict a. He, she, it, they
 Internal d. Limited
o Character is at war with a. POV is limited to what
him/herself a certain character
o Ex. Tell-tale heart knows as this
 External character also
o Character is at war with functions as the
another character or an narrator of the story
outside force e. Omniscient
 Man Vs Man a. Knows everything,
 Man Vs Self including me he
 Man Vs Nature / thoughts and feelings
Environment of characters
 Man Vs Society f. Unreliable narrator
a. When narrator is mad
or naive and
Theodore incapable
of striving at a valid
interpretation of the
facts that he or she
presents us
NOT SURE IF INCLUDED
Questions for Conflict/ Theme
 What was the main dilemma of the characters?
 How did the story resolve the dilemma?
 What are the issues tackled in the story?
 Does it impart a lesson and if so what is it?

Other terms related to the plot

 Deus ex machina
o Latin, means “God from the machines
o Based from Greek dramatists’ tradition of bringing a god in and solving the
situation
o Use chance and coincidence to untangle the plot
o Sometimes the reader feels cheated
 Foreshadowing
o Hints of what will happen Ex: The Chaser
 Organic
o A plot that has a beginning, middle, and end
 Episodic
o A series of self-contained stories
 Epiphany
o A realization by a character or the reader
 Slice of life story
o A mere description of an aspect of life or a moment in a character’s life, but leads
to an insight Ex: Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield