An overview of the literary element plot, with examples from contemporary culture. In preparation for a response essay. Made for ENGL 151L.

1. How will this end?
An introduction to Plot

2. Start with Plot
If we’re watching or reading something and we
don’t care what happens next, it’s either a badly
written story, with a poor plot, or a factual work of
non-fiction that’s trying to inform us, not entertain
us.
Stories are about entertainment and engagement.
Storytellers learned long ago that we have more fun
and focus better if we’re curious about what
happens next – or even anxious or scared. And so it
makes sense to start the semester with plot.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 2

3. This Lecture and Essays 1 & 2
In Essay #1,* due in Week 4, describe your reactions to one
piece from Weeks 1-4. Then tie that reaction to one literary
element covered to that point – plot, character, narration &
point of view, or setting. Show how that one element helped
create your reaction. You’re expected to apply knowledge from
that element’s lecture and reading.
In Essay #2, due in Week 6, compare and contrast how 2 pieces
use one element from Weeks 2-6. So if you like and understand
this lecture, you could make it count in 2 essays and perhaps
even score some Bonus Points. (All lectures include optional
Bonus Point offers that can be turned in any time.)
*Extended Essay 1 Option: Discuss a 2nd element for up to 25 extra points. To earn
the full 25, cover the 2nd element in depth. All attempts will earn some extra points.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 3

4. Something’s going to happen
any minute now!
Do you like films in which a
clock counts down to
disaster, as in Independence
Day? If so, you like your
fiction with a strong plot.
There’s a deadline, an
ultimatum, a ticking bomb, a
rush to overcome obstacles
by the time X happens. In
Independence Day, X is just
the annihilation of the whole
human race. No pressure.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L
A good plot builds suspense and keeps us
watching, listening or reading. Every read
a book so good you don’t stop to eat?
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5. “In which we learn…”
These are the opening words of Neil Gaiman’s
novel Stardust, which was made into a film of the
same title. It then states a (fantasy) fact that
should make readers curious:
“Chapter One, in which we learn of the village
of Wall and of the curious thing that occurs
there every nine years.”
Well what happens every nine years? The plot has
begun.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 5

6. Plot moves story forward
 Exposition – We meet “the characters, their situations, and usually a time and
place “ (61). Usually but not always at the start. Might be in a flashback. Plants
the seeds of a coming conflict.
 Foreshadowing – At any time before the climax, hints are given about what is
to come. In Deadpool 2, the hero comments on the heavy-handed foreshadow.
 Inciting incident – Something, or someone, happens and the characters’ situation
is knocked off balance. They run to or from something. They’re motivated.
 Rising action – As the characters move, conflicts and problems build tension and
reveal who they really are. As we know people better, we care more, leading
to more suspense.
 Climax – Moment of most suspense, tension, danger. The turning point. All
may be lost. Or not. We hope not (if we care about the characters).
 Falling action – Questions resolved after the climax. The cool down time, the
big wedding. Usually short.
 Conclusion or Resolution – We see the characters in their new situation,
sometimes a reversal of their starting situation, as in the Doonesbury panel on
p. 59. Can you think of a film that ends with a reversed situation? Send me
title, plot summary and your critique of the ending for 10 Bonus Points.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 6

7. Exposition
The Exposition part of the plot gives readers/viewers enough information to know
what’s going on but not so much background detail that the going never gets going.
We need to know “the characters, their situations, and, usually, a time and place”
(61).* More than that can bog us down. The action has to rise, and soon.
In sci-fi movies, there’s often an expert who explains things to a main character early
in the story so we can be filled in too. In other movies a voice over may fill us in, or
one character will reminisce to another. Or the information might just scroll by in
weird text across the dark sky of space. Long ago in a Galaxy far away . .
Additional exposition may be needed mid-story. The 2017 film Get Out gives this
brilliantly by way of a promotional sales video made by the group that has captured
the main character. In it, we find out along with him the inhumane details of what
they intend to do, and how. That the video is meant for “customers” of the vile
process makes it even more plausibly detailed. And creepy.
Can you think of a film that fits in large amounts of information – the “data dump” it is
sometimes called – with skill? Tell us about it in the forum.
*All page citations in lectures are to The Norton Introduction to Literature.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 7

8. Strong foreshadowing in Get Out
In the very suspenseful recent film Get Out even the title
foreshadows what’s to come. In addition, the main character’s
best friend warns him not to go to the country. And yet he
goes. Someone there screams at him “Get out!” Yet he stays.
The disturbing details pile up until he realizes he has to get
out. But he can’t. That’s the horror part.
No wonder the film has such a high rating on Green Tomatoes.
It keeps warning us that something bad is going to happen,
and then something bad happens. The plot goes into high
gear as we wonder how this character we have come to know
and like can ever possibly get out. No spoiler here. Watch it if
you haven’t.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 8

9. Inciting incident
Nearly every story (not to mention every bad day) has one: an
incident that gets the action going (incites it). A letter comes, an
old friend knocks on the door, a space ship appears in the sky,
Santa’s reindeer get sick, the virus escapes the lab, someone
inherits a million dollars but to get it they have to ____ .
In “Sonny’s Blues,” a math teacher reads that his younger
brother has been arrested. The news begins a review of their
relationship and a new phase.
What’s your favorite movie? Does it have an inciting incident?
Tell us about it in the forum.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 9

10. Rising Action
Suspense rises as characters try to overcome Obstacles and work out internal
and external Conflicts.
To use Independence Day again, the Jeff Goldblum character, David Levinson,
discovers the timer counting down to an alien invasion. He's in New York. He
must get to The President in D.C. to warn him.
But he doesn’t know how to drive (obstacle). He fights the chaos to find his
father, who does know how to drive, and they head for D.C.
But everyone is leaving D.C. so . . . traffic (obstacle). And his dad drives so
slow (obstacle). But they get there at last. They pull up in front of the
Whitehouse and David rigs up a Satellite phone to call his ex-wife. Oh did we
mention…little obstacle here: David’s ex-wife a) has been refusing to speak to
him, and b) happens to be the chief of staff to The President.
Yes, OBSTACLE. She’s won’t talk to him or let him through to the president.
M e a n w h i l e . . . the clock is ticking down to the alien invasion.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 10

11. Climax
The climax is when suspense and tension are highest.
It’s that moment when you do not go for popcorn. In
Titanic, the action climaxes when the ship is about to
go down. Will they make it?! Perhaps the emotional
climax is the moving scene in the water when Jack
sacrifices himself for love. (I still think two could have
for on the piece of wood.)
Climax is in the eye of the beholder. In the hands of a
skilled storyteller though most of the audience should
be on the edge of their seats at about the same time.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 11

12. Resolution
After the climax, tension drops. There’s relief, humor, joy,
peace. The writer might let us know where everyone is or
where they’re going next. In Independence Day, the scientist
and his ex get back together after he and Will Smith save the
planet. In Get Out, the friend who warned the main
character not to go to the country gets to say “I told you so.”
And in Titanic we see literal snapshots of the good life the
surviving half of the happy couple lived after the disaster.
This after-climax time is sometimes also called the
Denouement – French for untying the knot (the knot of the
plot that is). Whatever we call it, it’s a satisfying part of the
plot.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 12

13. This diagram comes from an engrade wiki about plot. You can compare
it to the plot diagram in our book, on page 61. That one includes the
Inciting Incident. Where would you place that in this diagram?
Consult the Wiki if you decide to use Plot in Essay 1 or 2 and want to
write from a larger base of knowledge.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 13

14. Not every story is heavily plotted
Plot is about drive, danger, ambition, fear, suspense
and surprises. Not all stories rely heavily on plot.
“Raymond’s Run” is an example. Events do change
Hazel, but there’s not a lot of suspense. And yet most
students enjoy this story. Perhaps it’s the style of her
voice and thoughts, her humor, or her realization and
new humility at the end. We might call “Raymond’s
Run” a lightly plotted character sketch.
If plot is the element you choose to focus on in your
Response essay, match it with a piece that has a plot
you can see.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 14

15. Those Twisted Plots
Wait, what, Frank killed Lila?
How to Get Away with Murder fans were rocked by the
ending of season 2. Flashbacks supplied the missing puzzle
pieces that made it all come together. Er, sort of.
The Statue of Liberty showing up at the end of Planet of the
Apes is a famous, if dated, example of a plot twist. Spoiler
alert: They thought they were on another planet run by apes
when really they were on a future earth. Run by apes.
In the Forum we may discuss plot twists that worked well
and others that felt contrived. Where do you stand on the
ending of The Sixth Sense?
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 15

16. TMU (The Marvel Universe)
In super hero stories, characters overcome
tremendous inner and outer obstacles as they strive
to meet their goals, escape their doubts, face their
inner demons and enemies to achieve their destiny.
For up to 10 Bonus Points, send an email about a
fictional character who inspires you. What obstacles
and conflicts do they overcome? What does their
journey reveal about their character, and about
human (or superhuman) nature? How are you like
this character?
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 16

17. A thought about Plot
Some writers say plot is an over-rated, artificial way
to think about a story. Stephen King explains that he
doesn’t plan out plots. He just puts someone in a
situation and writes to see what happens.
Life has put all of us in situations from time to time,
maybe even from the start. Story telling was first
born – and lives on through every new media that
comes along – because it lets us reflect on all that
happens to us, and all that we make happen as we
reach for our goals and dreams.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 17

18. Plot in Poems?
Most poems are not plotted. Poets are more interested in the
sounds of language and get as much as they can out of each
word and juxtaposition of words. BUT, if you can show that a
certain poem does have a plot of sorts, that’s interesting and
could make a good essay. Longer poems – such as Poe’s “The
Raven,” Frost’s “Home Burial,” or Randall’s famous “Ballad of
Birmingham” – are more likely to be plotted.
Your opinions matter: What if you choose a piece you feel has
a plot and I disagree? No problem. Essays are not about my
opinion on any given piece; they’re about what you think and
how you express and back up your thoughts. If you see
evidence in the piece to support your view, go for it.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 18

19. Plot Questions for Essay #1
a Response Essay
• Did this piece make you wonder How will this all turn out? If not, might not be a
good piece to use with plot plot. If it did, where did it do that? How?
• Are the conflicts more internal or external -- characters battling with
themselves or someone/thing outside? A mix? Break it down in your essay.
• How did the pace affect your experience? Does the pace slow down in one
scene? What affect does that have? See pp 57-58 for more about pace.
• Are events told in the order they happened, or jumbled? Do they start in the
middle? How did that affect your reading? Any confusion? Less when re-
reading? In a Response essay, your reading experience is important.
• What part / moment felt like the climax to you? Anything foreshadow that?
• Is there little action but still some type of suspense for you? Great. Explain that.
• Is there lots of action but no real suspense? Weak plot? Feel free to be a critic.
Sometimes an oppositional stance makes essay writing easier. Shows you’re
thinking and committed.
Also see “Questions about Plot” on page 66
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 19

20. Plot Questions for Essay #2
a Compare-Contrast Essay
• How plotted is each piece? What type of plot (p. 65)?
• Which one did you enjoy more? Did plot differences have anything to do with
that?
• What created curiosity or suspense for you in each piece?
• How well do the authors fit in needed exposition?
• Does one rely on flashbacks more than the other?
• Does each piece include obstacles & conflicts that force characters to make
choices and change? Which one does that more?
• Are the obstacles mainly inner or outer (psychological or social)?
• How exciting is each climax? Which one works better for you?
• What foreshadowed the climax? (Re-reading will help you see the hints that
point to the climax.)
• Do both pieces have a resolution section?
• Would one piece have been better if it had a plot more like the other piece?
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 20

21. Going to the movies soon?
Earn Bonus Points
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L
Use this simple graphic mentioned earlier or the one on page 61 to chart the plot of a film
right after you see it. Just write a few words about what happens in each section. Or put
your analysis into a paragraph or two. Feel free to adapt the graphic. Your film may have
much less or more rising action, for example, or have a long flashback that has its own
parallel plot. Have fun with it.
10-20 Bonus Points. For the full 20 include a critique: How well did the plot work? Any
implausible plot twists, boring data dumps, confusing flashbacks, jerky pace, disappointing
or unbelievable climax?
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22. A Tip for Essay Choices
My goal in this course is to build your confidence as
a writer & communicator. Toward that end, I leave
many choices up to you. In Essay #1, you choose a
piece from Weeks 1-4 to respond to. You also
choose a literary element from the same weeks.
You could start with the piece – pick something you
had a strong reaction to – and then match it with an
element. OR, start with the element – pick one you
feel you understand fairly well – and then select a
piece where you feel that element is prominent or
interesting.
Introduction to Plot. ENGL 151L 22