What (Plot)

The action of a story, the happening, is the plot. A literary plot consists of three parts:

1. The beginning or exposition.

   The author must present sufficient information about characters and situations for us to care about the outcome of the people involved. This portion introduces relationships among people and people, and people and things. It also locates the story in time and place.

2. Middle or body.

   The "proof" of the story, the happenings. This involves conflict, and/or complications. This section shows cause and effect, a necessary element for literature. It also contains such aspects as tension, suspense, reversal, foreshadowing, etc.

3. End or conclusion.

   This must be a satisfying resolution of the events, problems, conflicts, etc. It need not be a happy ending, but it usually leaves nothing unresolved — unless this is the intent.

There are three basic types of plots:

1. Revelation of character: the character(s) remains unchanged by events, is static, but more is learned about him. (e.g. “Spinoza of Market Street”, “The Day I Got Lost” by I.B. Singer, “Luck”, Twain, “Confrontation,” Wells.)

2. Character in a state of revolution, changed by the events of the plot. (e.g. “The Necklace,” de Maupassant)

3. Characters are necessary adjuncts, but action dominates. (“The Flying Machine,” Bradbury, “The Most Dangerous Game,” Connell, “To build a Fire,” London)

It may be the case that we become more interested in the events than in the characters. Thus we must consider what it is about these events that reveals or changes the personalities ( the literary characters) of the persons in the story. What about the pattern of events which either reveals or changes the character of these characters?

Whatever the pattern of events, however many, whatever kind, they must fit together smoothly, without any gaps or overlaps. Edgar Allan Poe gave the classic definition of this relationship: "no part can be displaced without ruin to the whole." Aristotle wrote that the events "must represent one action, a complete whole, with its several incidents so closely connected that the relocation or withdrawal of any one of them will disjoin and dislocate the whole." Thus the story must demonstrate both coherence and unity. Coherence is the logical, orderly relationship of the parts; and unity is concord, or agreement, one-ness.

How might this unified action be visualized?

In a traditional work of fiction the plot moves toward a resolution, a point at which the conflict, or the struggle that the main character undergoes, is resolved, and the final outcome of the action becomes clear. Beginning in the 20^th century, however, in an effort to capture the uncertainty and confusion of life in the modern world, many fiction writers turned away from this traditional plot structure by ending their stories without a resolution. Instead, writers often constructed plots that move towards an epiphany, a moment when a character has a flash of insight about himself, another character, a situation, or life in general. There are also types of stories which conclude with a surprise ending (“The Necklace,” “The Open Window”).

But plot is the container, the vehicle, for presenting character, separable only for purposes of discussion. It is the 'stuff' of fiction. And it is joined to character by language, the style of the writer.