Unit 5 Lesson 6: Studying Plot

Question 1

What is a plot

Answer 1

the sequence of events that make up a story

Question 2

What does plot consist of

Answer 2

A story’s plot consists of the series of events that unfold over the course of the story.

Question 3

What is the plot of “Dusk”

Answer 3

In “Dusk,” written by H. H. Munro under the pseudonym Saki, the plot centers on Norman Gortsby, a discontented upper-class gentleman who is quick to judge the people he encounters while sitting on a bench in London’s Hyde Park. His quick evaluations of people lead Gortsby to misjudge an older gentleman and be swindled by a young man.

Question 4

plot structure

Answer 4

the way a story is told

Question 5

What do most plots follow

Answer 5

Most plots follow a basic plot structure that consists of five parts, or elements.

Question 6

Most plots follow a basic plot structure that consists of five parts, or elements. These five elements can be used to describe a plot:

Answer 6

Expostion, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

Question 7

What is the exposition

Answer 7

The exposition occurs at the beginning of the story. This is where the author introduces the characters and setting. The author might also hint at the problems or tensions that will drive the plot.

Question 8

What is the importantce of the exposition

Answer 8

The exposition is important because it helps readers understand the characters and their relationships. It also helps locate the action in a specific time and place.

Question 9

What would happen without the exposition

Answer 9

Without these expository details, readers might have difficulty understanding the characters and why certain events happen.

Question 10

What part of the plot structre moves the plot forward

Answer 10

rising action

Question 11

What is rising action

Answer 11

It begins when the main character, or protagonist, encounters their first conflict, opposition, challenge, or event that disrupts the status quo.

Question 12

What is the inciting incident

Answer 12

It begins when the main character, or protagonist, encounters their first conflict, opposition, challenge, or event that disrupts the status quo. This disruption is called the inciting incident.

Question 13

What does the rising action add to the story

Answer 13

The rising action builds suspense or tension as more obstacles arise.

Question 14

What do readers learn from the rising action

Answer 14

Readers learn more about the characters as they respond to these plot events.

Question 15

What are the chararteritscs of the strucutre of rising action

Answer 15

Consequently, rising action is the section of the plot designed to pull the reader into the story. The rising action is often the longest part of the story, and the suspense or tension increases until the climax.

Question 16

What does the rising action stop

Answer 16

The rising action stops at the climax.

Question 17

What is the climax

Answer 17

. The climax is the peak of tension and the height of action in the story. It is also the story’s turning point, as the protagonist confronts the conflict, problem, or challenge head-on and fully addresses it.

Question 18

Whena re the biggest questions of a story answered

Answer 18

The climax is often where the story’s biggest questions are answered.

Question 19

Is it easy to spot the climax

Answer 19

However, it is not always easy to spot the climax, and it is often open to interpretation, particularly in more complex stories.

Question 20

What is the falling action

Answer 20

Following the climax, tension in the story generally begins to decrease and the action slows. This is called the falling action.

Question 21

What happens during the falling action

Answer 21

This section of the plot structure is where readers discover the outcome of the climax.

Question 22

What might some authors do in the falling action

Answer 22

In some instances, the author may address secondary conflicts or deal with subplots or plot twists during the falling action.

Question 23

What ends the falling action

Answer 23

The resolution ends the falling action.

Question 24

What is the resolution

Answer 24

In this final part of the plot, the author ties up the story elements and concludes the story.

Question 25

What is dénouement ?

Answer 25

The resolution is also referred to as the dénouement. The

Question 26

What is a plot diagram

Answer 26

A plot diagram like this one is useful for visualizing the plot structure of a story. Notice that the diagram does not place the climax in the exact center of the story. This is a reminder that the parts of the plot structure are not equal in length.

Question 27

What are the five elements of plot structure?

Answer 27

exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, or dénouement

Question 28

What are the characteristics of the climax?

Answer 28

The climax is the peak of tension and the height of action in the story. It is the story’s turning point because the protagonist confronts the conflict, problem, or challenge head-on and fully address it. The tension in the story decreases following the climax.

Question 29

What is one reason to use a plot diagram?

Answer 29

A plot diagram can help you understand a plot’s structure by helping you organize details and see how the action moves through the plot.

Question 30

When describing a plot’s structure, think about the details in each section of the structure. Ask yourself:

Answer 30

• What details in the exposition tell me about the characters and setting? How are the characters related? What effect does the setting have on the plot? Are there any hints of future problems or conflicts?
• What is the inciting incident that signals the beginning of the rising action? What additional conflicts or obstacles confront the protagonist? How do the conflicts or obstacles affect the suspense or tension in the story?
• What action marks the climax? Why is this action a turning point? What questions are answered?
• How does the story’s tension decrease during the falling action? What is the outcome of the climax? Does the author address any additional conflicts or any subplots?
• How are the story elements tied up and concluded in the resolution? Is the resolution happy, sad, inconclusive, or surprising?

Question 31

linear plot

Answer 31

a plot in which story events are presented in the order they happen

Question 32

nonlinear plot

Answer 32

a plot in which story events are presented out of chronological order

Question 33

What are the two most common nonlinaer plot devices

Answer 33

Two of the most common nonlinear plot devices are flashback and foreshadowing.

Question 34

What is a flashback

Answer 34

a scene that interrupts a story’s chronological flow to tell events from the past

Question 35

What happens when authors use flahsbacks

Answer 35

When authors use flashback, they break the chronological flow by returning to past events.

Question 36

What are the benifts of using flashbacks

Answer 36

Flashbacks are a good way for authors to provide background information about characters or events.

Question 37

What is forshadowing and what does it involve

Answer 37

a hint about future events in a story; Foreshadowing involves hinting about events that are going to happen in the future

Question 38

What do authors use foreshawdoings

Answer 38

. Authors often use foreshadowing to build suspense or tension. It can also be used to help readers anticipate possible outcomes.

Question 39

Is Flash-forward common in literature

Answer 39

Although not common in literature, authors can also use flash-forward

Question 40

What is flash-forward

Answer 40

flash-forward, which breaks the chronological continuity by jumping ahead to future events before returning to the present.

Question 41

Subplots are a typoe of

Answer 41

nonlinaer plot

Question 42

What is the exact menaing of subplot

Answer 42

a minor story told alongside the main story

Question 43

What are subplots

Answer 43

Subplots are additional storylines that add depth to the narrative. However, because the focus is on secondary events, subplots do not carry the same importance as the main plot.

Question 44

What are parallel plots

Answer 44

Parallel plots involve two or more plots that are connected by a common character, event, setting, or theme.

Question 45

Why are parallel plots nonlinaer

Answer 45

Parallel plots are generally nonlinear because they follow the actions of different protagonists and are often set in different time frames. Sometimes parallel plots come together at the end of a story.

Question 46

Why are flashbacks and flash-forwards nonlinear?

Answer 46

Both are nonlinear because flashbacks break chronology by jumping back in time, while flash-forwards break chronology by jumping to the future.

Question 47

What is the difference between foreshadowing and flash-forwarding?

Answer 47

Foreshadowing involves hinting about future events, while flash-forwarding involves the plot jumping to the future before returning to the present.

Question 48

How do parallel plots and subplots differ?

Answer 48

Parallel plots consist of two or more plot lines of equal importance. These plots are linked by a common character, event, setting, or theme, but they generally have different protagonists and can be set in different time periods. Sometimes, the plots come together at the end of the story. Subplots are additional storylines that add depth to the narrative. Because they focus on secondary events, they do not carry the same importance as the main plot.

Question 49

• Which plot description describes the nonlinear plot device of flashback?
• Prisha knew that something bad would come of this decision. Everything had been too easy. Always in the past, someone had raised an objection that got in the way of her plans.
  The thought of another night alone troubled Anton. Suddenly, he was eight years old again, waiting for his older brother to return from his date so he would have someone to talk to.
  María took the next step in preparing for her new job. She read the employee handbook three times, trying to commit some of the most important rules and requirements to memory.
  Suddenly, in his dream, Minh was transported to the future. He found himself in a valley that he knew was once rich and green. But in his dream, it was now a dust bowl, brown and lifeless.

Answer 49

The thought of another night alone troubled Anton. Suddenly, he was eight years old again, waiting for his older brother to return from his date so he would have someone to talk to.

Question 50

What type of plot structure does Munro employ in “Dusk”? Explain your answer.

Answer 50

Munro employs a parallel plot structure. One plot involves Norman Gortsby’s interaction with the elderly gentleman. The other plot involves Gortsby and the young man.

Question 51

In one or two paragraphs, explain why “Dusk” is an example of nonlinear plot development. In your answer, include evidence about the use of nonlinear devices, such as foreshadowing, flashbacks, or flash-forwards, and explain the type of plot structure the author uses.

Answer 51

Sample answer: While the author does not use flashbacks or flash-forwards, Munro does use foreshadowing. Early in the story, the narrator says Gortsby “was in the mood to count himself among the defeated.” We know from the narration that Gortsby is financially secure and could actually take “his place among the jostling ranks of those who enjoyed prosperity or struggled for it.” This suggests that the statement is foreshadowing Gortsby’s eventual defeat at the hands of the young con man. Another example of foreshadowing is the line, “‘I suppose you think I’ve spun you rather an impossible yarn,’ said the young man presently, with a suggestion of resentment in his voice.” This foreshadows the actual truth of his intentions, which Gortsby only confirms after being taken in by his swindle.

Munro uses a parallel plot structure to organize events. One plot begins when the elderly gentleman sits down next to Gortsby and Gortsby passes the time imaging the sad life he leads. The two men meet up again at the end of the story, when Gortsby returns to the bench to find the man searching for his bar of soap. The second plot centers on Gortsby’s interaction with the young man, including the young man’s pitch for help, Gortsby’s initial rejection of the young man’s claim that he has forgotten his hotel and is without money for lodging, Gortsby’s discovery of the soap, Gortsby’s search for the young man, and Gortsby’s apology and loan of money. The two plots come together at the end of the story when Gortsby meets up with the elderly gentleman, who is looking for his lost soap. Gortsby now knows that he has been conned by the young man.

Question 52

situational irony

Answer 52

a literary device in which an outcome is opposite or completely different from what is expected

Question 53

circular plot

Answer 53

the story ends with the same event, setting, or imagery as it began

Question 54

How do authors create a sense of mystery, tension, and surprise in their stories?

Answer 54

One way is by using a nonlinear plot. Unlike linear plots, nonlinear plots break free from the confines of chronological order and a single plot line. This provides authors with the flexibility to play with time, misdirect readers if that enhances the mystery or tension, create multiple story lines, and craft surprise endings. Consequently, nonlinear plots are a favorite of mystery and suspense writers.