PLOT STRUCTUREWhat you will need to know for your PITCH and your QUIZ

Definition of a SHORT STORY

Short story means:• Fictional prose (written) selection that is not completely true to reality• Short (can be read in one sitting)• Story (it narrates an event or incident)

Definition of a SHORT STORY Con’tFour short story characteristics:• Revolves around one major incident• Revolves around one major character, usually contains no more than

three to 6 characters• Must have a conflict• May or may not have a definite outcome

A B

C

D

E

F

A – Exposition/ Introduction

B – Inciting Incident

C – Rising Action / Complication

D – Climax

E – Falling Action

F – Resolution / Denouement

Plot Structure of a Typical Short Story Even if elements are not revealed in this order, they are all usually revealed sometime during the story.

Exposition

• Time: The author may be specific (event happened at 1:00 am, August 29th, 1835) or vague (the time period is only implied). Usually the time period is made clear somewhere between these two extremes.

• Place: The events of every story must happen in some place. The author may choose to be vague or very specific.

Exposition Con’t• Antecedent Action: This is where the author describes events that happened before the opening of the story which lead up to the situation in the story.

• Atmosphere / Mood: Often evident at the beginning of the story, although mood can change as the story progresses.

• Introductory Characters: Characters will be introduced as the story progresses.

Exposition Con’t

B – Inciting Incident• This incident starts the story proper. It is the first incident that

introduces the conflict or begins the suspense.

RISING ACTION AND CONFLICT

C – Rising Action• Person versus Person: The protagonist finds himself or herself pitted

against some other person or group of persons. • Person versus Environment: Environment includes Nature and

Supernatural. The protagonist finds himself or herself pitted against some larger force such as nature, society, or fate.

• Person versus Self: The protagonist is pitted against himself and some element in his or her own nature.

Climax and Falling Action

D – Climax• The climax occurs when the story reaches the highest point of

intensity, interest or excitement, and the conflict from the inciting incident is solved.

E – Falling Action• The short story may not have falling action. It is the 'wrapping up' of

the story, where loose ends are tied up, and the author explains what happened to the characters after the climax.

F – Resolution / Denouement

Happy Ending: • When the protagonist solves the problem or conflict successfully, the

climax results in a happy ending.

F – Resolution / Denouement Con’tUnhappy Ending: • When the protagonist does not solve the conflict, but is beaten by the

forces against him or her, the climax results in an unhappy ending.

F – Resolution / Denouement Con’tIndeterminate Ending: • When the conflict is not solved. In this case, there is no real climax

and the ending of the story is undetermined.

Types of Linear Plots

Plots can be told in-Chronological order:• Starts with the earliest event in a story and follows the order in which

they occur.Flashback: • Events are reflected on in the past, before the time of the story.In media res:• Literally means “in the middle of things”, where the story starts in the

middle of the action and the exposition is revealed later.