Discussions of plot include not just what happens, but also how and why things happen the way they do.
An author's selection and arrangement of incidents in a story to shape the action and give the story a particular focus.
The central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work
- The main character of a narrative
- Engages the reader's interest and empathy
- The character, force, or collection of forces in fiction or drama that opposes the protagonist and gives rise to the conflict of the story
- Opponent of the protagonist
A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work, that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.
Explains what has gone on before, the relationships between characters, the development of a theme, and the introduction of a conflict.
- The physical and social context in which the action of a story occurs
- The time, place, environment that frames the characters
- Used to evoke a mood or atmosphere
The struggle within the plot between opposing forces
Complications that create conflict for the protagonist
- The moment of greatest emotional tension
- Marks a turning point in the plot
Characterized by diminishing tensions
The conclussion of a plot's conflicts and complications