Plot

Evil Plotting Raccoon


Plot is not merely “a chronological arrangement of incidents” but a careful crafting of events so that they appear to be in “a causal and inevitable arrangement.” The plot of a story should represent a clear beginning, middle, and end, of the action according to Aristotle in his Poetics.

A Handbook to Literature, 11th edition, by William Harmon

 Shapes of Plots


Freytag's Pyramid

Gustav Freytag’s pyramid is the most ubiquitous
visual representation of plot structure.


Kurt Vonnegut on the shapes of stories

Kurt Vonnegut lecturing on the shapes of stories
University of South Carolina Aiken Lecture Series
September 23rd, 1997
Etherredge Center, Aiken, SC


Example of a plot summary

Freytag’s Pyramid used to provide a
plot summary of George Orwell’s 1984
(spoilers, of course)

 

The Literary Web

 

Conflict Characterization Plot Point of View Setting Tone Theme Figurative Language Main Assertion Sub Assertions Explanation Examples