These are the 5 parts of a plot:
- Exposition.
- Rising Action.
- Climax.
- Falling Action.
- Conclusion.
Table of Contents
5 elements of plot examples
The plot of a movie has six parts, namely 1) exposure, 2) conflict, 3) development, 4) climax, 5) ending, and 6) denouement.
All parts of the plot are included in the outline, but one or more is confusing. The chart starts with a flat horizontal exposure line showing the lack of tension as well as what is normal for the characters in the story.
The plot diagram is a line graph of plot events, starting with stories starting on the left and continuing on the right, ending at the end of the story. The exposition in the storyline introduces the setting, the mood, the main character, secondary characters and time.
The exposition is an introduction to the story, including the names of the main characters, setting, atmosphere, and weather. In the exposition, the author introduces the main characters, sets the setting and reveals the main conflicts in the story.
Video – What are the 5 parts of a plot for a story?
Parts of plot explained
At the beginning of the story, the Exposition establishes the characters and setting. This is the introduction to your book, where you introduce your characters, set the setting, and begin to introduce the main conflict of your story.
When you write more plot points or events that take the reader from the beginning to the middle to the end, you create a storyline. As you progress, you will have more moments of conflict that will escalate and create tension as the story approaches its climax.
The rising action can take up most of the story, moving very slowly towards a climax in the middle of the story. The nascent action is a sequence of conflict resolutions that the protagonist tempts; all events that lead to a turning point in history.
What are the 5 elements of a plot?
- Exposition
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Conclusion
Rising action represents an ascending line (indicating rising tension) until it reaches a climax—the story’s climax or turning point, and when everything changes. This is the critical moment when all escalations of action accumulate and the moment when the overall conflict is finally resolved.
The climax is the most exciting moment in the story, the turning point for the plot or the protagonist’s goals. The climax is the most exciting part of the story, and it marks the turning point in the lives of the characters. This leads to a denouement and sets the stage for the final chapter of the story.
Fall of action is everything that happens as a result of a climax, including the conclusion of plot points, answers to questions, and character development.
The rising action of a story consists of all the events leading up to the final climax, including character development and suspense events. The fall of the action is the conclusion of all plot points, the consequences of the climax and reflections on the changes in the protagonist.
The turning point of the story comes at some point in the middle of the rising action (sometimes called the middle) when the protagonist begins to pull himself out of the hole. The climax is a pivotal moment in the story as the protagonist encounters the climax of events.
Arguably the most important part of the story, the climax is the most important plot point, putting our characters in a situation where they have to make choices that affect the rest of the story.
How do you describe a plot?
A plot is a series of events in a story where the protagonist finds himself in a difficult position, forcing him to make increasingly difficult choices that drive the story to its climax and ending. Plot: The series of events, or combination of plot points, that make up a story.
It’s a simple structure that serves as a good starting point for creating a story. In fiction, a plot outline is a list of scenes, each line of which is a separate plot point, and the outline helps to give the story “a solid foundation and structure”. Actually plotting doesn’t have to be difficult, all you need is six sentences, one for each element, and you’ll have a solid outline to start your story with.
When you have five plot points, it will be much easier for you to start filling in the gaps, building the narrative structure, and organizing the story as a whole.
How to write a plot of a story
Drawing a plot diagram can help you visualize your story and get a clearer idea of where the climax is, how much tension it will take you to get to that tipping point, and how you can offer a clear ending to your story. You should immediately position the reader within the action of your story and try to weave the background information here as organically as possible.
The five parts work together to create tension and flow seamlessly into each other to create a coherent storyline. The plot is shaped like a pyramid with the same amount of story on either side of the climax.
The denouement can be quite short, sometimes only a paragraph or so, and can even take the form of an epilogue that usually takes place a little later than the main action and plot of the story. Often the story is only a few chapters long because readers tend to immerse themselves in the conflict of the story.
Conflict is the main issue that drives the plot of the story, often the main goal that the protagonist must achieve or overcome. This part of the plot introduces the main conflict (if it has not already been) and is structured in such a way as to create tension both within the story and in the reader, who ideally should be more and more attracted to the text.
The falling action is often described as the event that ends the story after the climax, but in most stories the climax occurs near the end of the story, usually in the penultimate scene. The fall action takes place after the climax and details the consequences, for better or worse, that the characters face after the event.
Plot of a story example
To help you better understand how these story elements play out in the larger story structure, let’s take a look at J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The plot summary should include the author and title, and if summarizing the gist of the story, usually no more than one paragraph.
Plot Outline Column (Grades 9-12) Create a plot outline for a story using elements such as description, conflict, ascending action, climax, descending action, and resolution. Create a plot map for your story using exposure, conflict, ascending action, climax, descending action, and resolution.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_(narrative)
- https://blog.prepscholar.com/what-is-plot-definition
- https://findanyanswer.com/what-are-the-5-parts-of-a-plot-diagram
- https://www.teachervision.com/reading/five-elements-plot
- https://penandthepad.com/5-parts-plot-story-8394628.html
- https://thewritepractice.com/plot/
- https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/fiction/w/plot-planning/7309/5-elements-of-plot-and-how-to-use-them-to-build-your-novel
- https://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/plot-diagram
- https://tutors.com/lesson/plot-diagram-definition-elements-examples
Other resources relating to plots in stories:
5 Elements of a Short Story
5 Elements of Plot and How to Use Them to Build Your Novel
5 Parts of a Plot in a Story – Pen and the Pad
