Lesson 8 — Activity 1: Reviewing the Elements of Plot

Plot is the term used to describe the events that take place in a story, novel, or play. Depending on the length of the work, the plot may be fairly simple or quite complicated. Most stories contain certain similar elements and follow the same basic steps to create interest in the reader. The plots of most stories follow the pattern of having a beginning, middle, and end. Events are described in the order in which they occur. In most cases, we can describe the events of the plot using the pattern below. This pattern is called the plot outline.

Introduction or Exposition — most stories start by introducing the reader to the main characters and describing the setting of the story; that is, where and when the story is taking place. The introduction gives us some idea of what the story will be about.

Rising action — as events in the story get more complicated, interesting, and exciting, the story is developed in more detail.

Climax — as the rising action leads to the most interesting, suspenseful part of the story, we reach the climax of the story where we are about to learn how everything will turn out.

Falling action — if there are some events that happen after the climax while the story comes to its end, they make up the falling action. In some stories, there is no falling action other than the conclusion.

Conclusion or Resolution — the conclusion is the end of the story where we find out how the climax turns out.

Some stories, especially detective and mystery stories, contain a denouement as part of the falling action. It explains all of the extra details or questions that might be left unanswered after the conclusion of the main events of the story.

Everyone knows the story of The Three Little Pigs. Look at the diagram below which shows the plot elements for this well-known story!