Plot elements
A plot is the sequence of events in a story that affect each other and lead to the final outcome. The term storyline is similar, though 'storyline' highlights the more major events, and similarly, the term synopsis refers to a summary of the story. The term 'plot,' however, refers to all significant events and actions in a story.
The core of the plot is the narrative or dramatic structure, plus other key story elements like characters, setting, theme, and perspective.
Contents
1 Narrative structure
The plot, narrative or dramatic structure refers to the significant events and the role they play in the development of events. This structure was first identified by Aristotle, and refined by other scholars such as Gustav Freytag, who defined the five key elements of plot structure (as illustrated by the Freytag pyramid).
- Exposition (or introduction): The background, characters, and setting are introduced and explained, and the general mood may be established.
- Rising action (rise, progressive complications). Events in the story start to become more complicated, and some form of conflict unfolds.
- Climax: The turning point, most exciting point of the story, final conflict, point of highest tension, or solution unfolds.
- Falling action (return or fall): Events leading to the resolution begin; complications and events begin to fall into place or get sorted out. Plot points are wrapped up, questions are answered, and all that happens as a result of the climax is finished.
- Resolution, catastrophe, denouement, revelation, or "rising and sinking": The final outcome of events. The antagonists (or tragic hero) meet their final downfall, conflicts are resolved, and the characters return to their normal lives. ('Denouement' is from French, literally meaning untying (of complexities), and 'catastrophe' is from Greek, literally meaning 'falling down').
For example, an action or superhero movie would typically introduce the hero and his/her background story, and establish his/her character, in the exposition. In the rising action, the villain and his workings are introduced, and the hero starts to learn of the villain and his actions. They face off in the climax, often with a protracted fight scene. Defeating the villain leads to the falling action, and the film conclucdes with a resolution. At times, it may be difficult to distinguish the falling action and the resolution, as they may blend together.
2 Narrative flow
Most often, standard linear narrative is used. However, special types of narrative flow may sometimes be used, which play with the standard structure, and subvert audience expectations.
- Linear narrative
- This is the most common narrative structure, where the story unfolds in chronological order, from beginning to end. It provides a clear and straightforward way to present the plot.
- Nonlinear narrative
- In a nonlinear narrative, the story is presented out of chronological order. Flashbacks, flash-forwards, and parallel narratives are used to reveal information or create suspense. of a nonlinear narrative. The Orson Wells film Citizen Kane was one of the first major Hollywood films to use this techniqe. "Pulp Fiction" by Quentin Tarantino is famous for this method.
- Reverse chronology
- A variation on the non-linear narrative, where scenes are shown in reverse chronological order. Christopher Nolan's "Memento" is a notable example.
- Time Loop
- A recurring situation or event repeats itself, and the characters are trapped in the loop, experiencing the same events repeatedly. This device has been used in some science fiction shows (like a few episodes of Star Trek), and can be used to explore themes of fate, choices, free will, and causality.
3 Narrative elements
Aside from the plot structure, other key narrative elements include the characters, setting, perspective (point of view), and theme.
- Setting
- The setting consists of the time and location where the story takes place. Aside from physical location and time or time period, this may also include mood or atmosphere, the social conditions of the characters, and environment (e.g., the weather conditions).
- Characters
- These are the persons who play significant roles in the story, and not just the persons, but also their personalities and personal qualities, physical appearance, and what they say, think, and feel. The key character is the protagonist, or the center of the story; the events of the story center around him/her or are told from his/her perspective. This is often the "good person", but not always. The antagonist is the opponent, enemy, or foil of the main character, and is often the "bad person." Characters may also be fully developed ("round" or three-dimensional), flat (one-dimensional), dynamic (undergoing personal change or growth), or static (not changing).
- Perspective, or point of view (POV)
- The story may be told from the perspective of the protagonist or others in first person, second person, or third person perspective. A third person narrator may have a limited POV, with limited knowledge of events, or an omniscient perspective, knowing everything in the story.
- Theme
- This can be the main topic, message, moral, underlying meaning, main symbolic meaning, or author's views on the story. This can be implied or stated by a narrator, symbolic elements, the nature of the resolution, or meaning that arises from the nature of the whole story. For example, an implied theme in a film might be the abuses commited by a government, how humans treat animals, or a philosophical question.
In addition, various tropes might be used, which are plot elements, types of events, types of characters, or other elements that might be used regularly in a particular genre.
3.1 Perspective techniques
The following special POV techniques might be used in film or TV.
- Breaking the fourth wall
- The characters acknowledge the audience or speak directly to the camera, blurring the boundary between the fictional world and the viewer. This is generally used for humorous effects, or used to create a unique narrative experience, for example, in films like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Deadpool."
- Cinematic point of view (POV)
- Camera angles and shots are used to show the audience the viewpoint of a particular character, which can lead to a more immersive experience, for example, in the film "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly".
- Metafiction
- The story acknowledges and addresses its own status as a work of fiction, which of course, often breaks the fourth wall. This can be used for humorous effect, or to be thought-provoking, for example, the film "Adaptation" with Nicolas Cage.
- Multiple perspectives
- A film might present the same events from the viewpoints of different characters, which allows the audience to gain a deeper understanding of the story and characters, or perhaps to subvert expectations. The film ‘’Melancholia’’ combines this with non-linear story telling to show us the same events from completely different perspectives.
- Voiceover or narration
- A character in the film narrates the story or part of it; or an omniscient narrator provides narration along with commentary or insights throughout the film. This can provide the audience insight into a character's thoughts or emotions, or provide extra context and explanation, for example, in Martin Scorsese's film "Goodfellas".
4 Plot devices
In addition to the above narrative elements, some plot devices may be used to develop the plot. See also narrative techniques.
- Flashback
- The narrative is interrupted by a shift to previous events, sometimes in the form of a character recalling or dreaming about past events, or a more abrupt shift in the narrative flow. A flashback often functions to provide more background to the plot or character development.
- Foreshadowing
- Some elements may provide hints about what is to happen. This might be bad weather, words that a character says without knowing that they are predictive of future events, or symbolic elements.
- Reveal
- In a reveal, important information about a character or events is suddenly revealed in a surprising manner. The reveal often changes our understanding of a character or the narrative.
- Plot twist
- A sudden, unexpected event occurs that dramatically alters the narrative flow, and subverts audience expectations. This is often near the climax or falling action portions of the plot. See also narrative techniques.
- Tropes
A trope is a fairly conventional plot event, action, character type, or physical scene, that futhers the plot.
5 Stylistic elements
Stylistic elements or devices enhance the meaning, mood, or ideas of a story, in a manner that is consistent with its genre.
- Imagery
- Sensory details or images are used in order to help viewers to visualize or understand what is being described. Imagery may also be used in a symbolic manner, to symbolize important ideas in a story.
- Motif
- A motif is a word, phrase, idea or image, that is repeated throughout a story, often in a symbolic manner. A motif may be used to establish mood (e.g., using blood to establish a dark mood in a play or a film), for foreshadowing (e.g., a repeated symbolic element to foreshadow a character's death), or to build up the story's theme. A sound motif is a sound that establishes a character's mood or character (such as foreboding music that is heard whenever a villain reappears on screen). Such a recurring auditory mood motif can also be termed a leitmotif, that is, a motif that sets the mood for a particular character.
- Figurative language
- This is more common in literature, but may sometimes be used in film or TV. A character might speak using metaphors without clearly explaining his/her intended meaning. In symbolism, an event bears metaphorical or symbolic significance for the plot or theme. Personification may be used to give a human form to an inanimate force or object. Occasionally in film, a characternym might be used, in which the character's name symbolizes his/her character, nature, or role, or might foreshadow his/her fate (e.g., the last name of the young Luky Skywalker foreshadows his future as a Jedi knight).
5.1 Irony
Irony is a literary, narrative, or rhetorical device, in which the surface or "face value" meaning differs significantly from reality; i.e., what is said, meant or done, when understood naturally and at face value, or what appears to be so, or what is naturally expected differs greatly from what is actually the case. Irony can come in differen tforms.
- Verbal irony
In this simplest form of irony, the speaker says the opposite of what s/he intends. This can include euphemism, understatement, sarcasm, and other forms of humor.
- Situational irony
An outcome arises that is the opposite of what one would expect. This can be used for humorous effect, or for creating a sense of dramatic tension or eeriness. For example, a character stumbles into great wealth and treasure, and should have a happier live, but in fact, his/her life becomes worse as a result.
- Dramatic irony
This occurs when readers or viewers know something important about the story, which an important character is unaware of. For example, in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows Juliet is alive, but Romeo thinks she is dead.
