Plot Structure

Here are two examples of a plot outline. Although I like both of them and I believe they are good examples, neither are 100% accurate… and I’ll explain why.

Diagram 1.—Great example.. It shows the major elements of plot (exposition, rising action, conflict, climax, Falling action, and resolution). And it includes definitions of each, but it is leaving out 1 element.

Foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is a device used by an author to warn their readers that something is going to happen. For instance, in a murder mystery. The murder is the major event that Diagram 1 happens (Conflict or it might be the Climax depending the story.) An example of foreshadowing is having either the character who is to be murdered, or someone close to them, dream about a murder… maybe they see who is being murdered, or maybe it’s foggy… all depends on how the author wants to portray it.

In Diagram 2, you can see the same problem. Leaves out Foreshadowing. Now the nice thing about Diagram 2 is that is provides added information.

Such as showing the Beginning/ Middle/End. Here’s the problem with that information. Not every story begins at the beginning and ends at the end.

What do I mean by that? Take a simple plot outline. Boy meets girl, they date, they fall in love, they get married, and they Diagram 2 live happily ever after.

What are the elements? They meet (exposition). We get to know something about them. They decide to go on a date (crises). First date, no problem.. But will there be a second date (rising action), a third (continuing to rise)… What if they run into an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend while on a date… that would cause tension. The fall in love (climax), or maybe the climax is when they get married (all depends on how the story is told. In our story, we’ll make it—when they

fall in love. Now when they get married, that is the denouement or Falling action. The conclusion would be that they live happily ever after.

Pretty simple, huh? Well, we know life is not quite that simple. In fact it’s nowhere near that simple. And in life, we often don’t see things from the beginning, unless we were there at the beginning. Maybe we didn’t meet our two lovebirds until they were married. Did you ever ask your parents how they met and fell in love? You are literally beginning the story of their lives from the middle. To see the beginning, you must ask and be told. Now, in stories… we often begin at the beginning. In cinema, they do something different. Look at Quentin Tarrentino films. For instance, Pulp Fiction… tell me where the beginning, middle and end are? It’s not easy. Even a movie like Dejavu, with Denzel Washington does not make it easy… even though the beginning, middle and end are well defined. But because the movie deals with time travel, it ―muddies the water‖ a little and makes us ask, is this the beginning, or not?

There are three types of plot structure: Linear – arranged in a sequential line.

Cinematic – non-chronological order. (the flashback) Contextual – each scene is independent of the others in the sense that it has its own characters and a complete, self-contained plot.

These three types are broken down in the textbook, ―Another Opening, Another Show‖. Which is used in many theatre classes around the county.

When you think about Climax… how do you determine whether it’s the climax, or just another crises in the story? I look at it this way. Think about Climax as the ―point of no return‖. From this moment forward, no matter what else happens, things can never be the same.

Take our little example from before: Boy meets girl, they fall in love, they marry, and live happily ever after. Why would ―they fall in love‖ be the climax? Because once you fall in love, it changes things forever. And we often verbalize it. ―It was never the same for me, after I fell in love!‖ Or, ―I can never love like that again!‖ The same thing can be said for, ―they got married.‖ If you’ve ever been married, let’s face it, good or bad, you will never be the same again. Once you’ve depended on someone, trusted someone, lived with someone, it takes a long time to get used to not having that person around.

Whenever my wife is out of town, or I am and we are separated by that distance, I miss having that person to talk to, to wake up next to. It’s just not the same.

This is plot structure, in a nutshell. There are many variations, but all must contain the basic elements, and if they don’t contain those basic elements, they do not compose a story.