Plot& Action

What is Action?• Action is all the stuff that happens

in a story• It can be big things (like a

volcano erupting) small things (like a girl winking at a boy)

•Plot is the structure of a story.•It is all the actions of the story and the order that they are told in.

What is Plot?

Plot Components

Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts – we meet the characters and find out the setting

Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crises in the story that lead to the climax

Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment; this is the most exciting or stressful part of the story

Falling Action: all of the action which follows the climax

Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

Example: Plot of the Story “The Dog of Pompei” by Louis Untermeyer

Exposition: We meet the characters (a blind boy called Tito and his dog Bimbo) and find out the setting (the streets of Pompeii, Italy, in ancient Rome)

Rising Action: Tension begins to build when we realize that a volcano is starting to erupt and Bimbo is trying to lead Tito to safety, but Tito is very tired and hungry and thirsty, so he can’t walk quickly. Bimbo tries to get bread for Tito.

Climax: The volcano erupts, burning people, and covering them in ash. Bimbo tries to chase Tito to the sea gate. Tito faints.

Falling Action: Tito wakes up and he is safe from the volcano, but he is very sad because Bimbo didn’t make it out.

Resolution: 1800 years later, scientists dig up the fossil of a dog holding some bread.

Conflict Conflict is the dramatic struggle

between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot.

Types of Conflict

Character vs Nature

Character vs Society

Character vs SelfInternal Conflict

Character vs CharacterExternal Conflict