What Do You Know About Plot and Setting?

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What Do You Know About Plot and Setting?
Feature Menu
Plot Time and Sequence Flashback Foreshadowing
Suspense Conflict
Setting Mood Your Turn
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Plot
Plot is what happens in a storythe sequence of
related events that makes a story hang together.
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Plot
A typical plot has several parts.

Climax
event
event
Complications
event
Conflict
Resolution
Basic Situation
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Plot
The first part of a story is the basic situation,
or exposition.
In this part of a story, the writer introduces
one or more characters and shows the characters
circumstances as the story begins.
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Plot
Conflict means struggle. In a story, conflict
arises when a character wants something very much
and must struggle to get it.
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Plot
Quick Check
What is the basic situation?
Kevin grinned as the music faded. We sound
great, he said. Were going to win first place
for sure! Toby didnt return the smile. He took
off his guitar, looking unhappy. Whats wrong?
Kevin asked. Im quitting the band, Toby said
quietly. You cant quit! Youre our lead
guitarist! The talent show is only a week
away. Toby shrugged. Im done fooling around
with music. Ive decided to get a job.
What conflict arises?
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Plot
Quick Check
What is the basic situation?
Kevin grinned as the music faded. We sound
great, he said. Were going to win first place
for sure! Toby didnt return the smile. He took
off his guitar, looking unhappy. Whats wrong?
Kevin asked. Im quitting the band, Toby said
quietly. You cant quit! Youre our lead
guitarist! The talent show is only a week
away. Toby shrugged. Im done fooling around
with music. Ive decided to get a job.
Kevin and Toby are in a band together, and
theyve just finished practicing.
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Plot
Quick Check
Quick Check
What conflict arises?
Kevin grinned as the music faded. We sound
great, he said. Were going to win first place
for sure! Toby didnt return the smile. He took
off his guitar, looking unhappy. Whats wrong?
Kevin asked. Im quitting the band, Toby said
quietly. You cant quityoure our lead
guitarist! The talent show is only a week
away. Toby shrugged. Im done fooling around
with music. Ive decided to get a job.
Toby says that hes going to quit the band to get
a job. Kevin doesnt want him to quit he wants
to win the talent show.
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Plot
Next, a series of complications arises.
Complications are events that make a characters
situation more difficult.
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Plot

• In a story, complications
• increase conflict and
• heighten the suspense.

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Plot
Quick Check
What complication arises in this passage?
Kevin rang the doorbell, determined to talk some
sense into his friend. When Tobys dad answered
the door, he said Toby wasnt home. Kevin looked
back at Mr. Ames. Toby quit the band, he said.
He plays better than any of us. If you talked to
him, do you think hed change his mind? Mr. Ames
shook his head. Im the one who told him to
quit. Toby needs to learn responsibility. He
needs to get a job.
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Plot
Quick Check
What complication arises in this passage?
Kevin rang the doorbell, determined to talk some
sense into his friend. When Tobys dad answered
the door, he said Toby wasnt home. Kevin looked
back at Mr. Ames. Toby quit the band, he said.
He plays better than any of us. If you talked to
him, do you think hed change his mind? Mr. Ames
shook his head. Im the one who told him to
quit. Toby needs to learn responsibility. He
needs to get a job.
Kevin hopes Mr. Ames can help, but he learns that
Mr. Ames told Toby to quit the band.
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Plot
Next, the plot reaches a climax, or high point.
The climax

• is the most exciting or suspenseful moment and

• decides the outcome of the conflict.

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Plot
Kevin gripped his guitar. In a few minutes, the
band would perform. He wasnt as good as Toby,
but hed do his best. He felt a tap on his
shoulder and turned around. Toby! There stood
his friend, guitar in hand. Behind him, Mr. Ames
gave Kevin a thumbs up. There wasnt time to say
anything. The curtain rose, and the band started
to play. The audience jumped to its feet, dancing
and clapping. We sound good, Kevin thought,
better than we could have without Toby. The song
wasnt perfect, but from the way the audience
cheered, no one seemed to notice.
Kevin gripped his guitar. In a few minutes, the
band would perform. He wasnt as good as Toby,
but hed do his best. He felt a tap on his
shoulder and turned around. Toby! There stood
his friend, guitar in hand. Behind him, Mr. Ames
gave Kevin a thumbs-up. There wasnt time to say
anything. The curtain rose, and the band started
to play. The audience jumped to its feet, dancing
and clapping. We sound good, Kevin thought,
better than we could have without Toby. The song
wasnt perfect, but from the way the audience
cheered, no one seemed to notice.
How is the conflict between Kevin and Toby
resolved?
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Plot
The last part of the plot is the resolution, or
closing, of the story.

• The problems are resolved in some way.

• The story endssometimes happily, sometimes not.

Im working in my dads hardware store, said
Toby. But he said we can practice in the
basement after the store closes. Great, said
Kevin. Well be able to practice every
night! Well need it, Toby said, if we want
to win next year.
End of Section
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Plot Time and Sequence

• Sequence is the order of events in a story.

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Plot Time and Sequence

• In most stories, events are told in chronological
  order. This arrangement

• presents events in the order they occurred, from
  first to last and
• moves the plot forward in time.

End of Section
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Plot Flashback
A flashback moves the action back in time and
tells what happened before the main events.
Flashbacks

• occur out of sequence,
• link something in the present with past events,
  and
• deepen our understanding of a character or
  situation.

Past
Present
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Plot Flashback
The investigator looked just like his Aunt Mimi.
She had the same piercing blue eyes.
Those eyes forced him to remember. Snapshots of
that awful summerthe mysterious phone calls, the
tense dinnersflashed into his mind.
Those eyes forced him to remember. Snapshots of
that awful summerthe mysterious phone calls, the
tense dinnersflashed into his mind.
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Plot Flashback
Quick Check
Which part of this passage is a flashback, out of
the sequence of events?
Ashley heard the ice cream truck coming. Its
off-key melody brought back that magical summer
before Jenna moved away. There they were in
Ashleys room eating lemon ice and talking for
hours. Ashley could tell Jenna anything. Now that
Jenna was gone, the neighborhood felt empty.
Ashley watched the ice cream truck pass. Lemon
ice just wouldnt taste the same.
End of Section
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Plot Flashback
Quick Check
Which part of this passage is a flashback, out of
the sequence of events?
Ashley heard the ice cream truck coming. Its
off-key melody brought back that magical summer
before Jenna moved away. There they were in
Ashleys room eating lemon ice and talking for
hours. Ashley could tell Jenna anything. Now that
Jenna was gone, the neighborhood felt empty.
Ashley watched the ice cream truck pass. Lemon
ice just wouldnt taste the same.
Ashleys memory of the summer before Jenna moved
away is a flashback.
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Plot Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is the use of clues to hint at what
is going to happen later in the plot.
Clue
Foreshadowing can make a story more exciting by
increasing suspense.

Later PlotEvent
Clue

Clue
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Plot Foreshadowing
In the following passage, notice how the clues
build to create suspense.
Without warning, the small plane seemed to fall
fifty or sixty feet, as if something had reached
up and pulled it toward the roadway below. Every
passengers jaw dropped, yet no one had anything
to say.
Without warning, the small plane seemed to fall
fifty or sixty feet, as if something had reached
up and pulled it toward the roadway below. Every
passengers jaw dropped, yet no one had anything
to say.
The clues foreshadow a later event The plane may
be forced to make an emergency landing.
End of Section
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Plot Suspense
Suspense is the feeling of uncertainty or anxiety
we feel about what is going to happen later in
the plot.
Suspense is created when writers

• develop interesting characters and conflicts,
• use foreshadowing to hint at future dangers and
  conflicts, and
• slow down, speed up, or interrupt the plot
  through flashback and flash-forward.

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Plot Suspense
How is suspense built in the following passage?
Melissa glanced up at the sky. Off in the
distance, a storm was building, tall and filled
with flashes of lighting. Mom, she whispered,
I think wed better head back to the house. Her
mother smiled, Why?
Melissa glanced up at the sky. Off in the
distance, a storm was building, tall and filled
with flashes of lightning. Mom, she whispered,
I think wed better head back to the house. Her
mother smiled, Why?
The writer uses foreshadowing to hint that
Melissa and her mother may be trapped outside
during a storm.
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Plot Suspense
Quick Check
How does this passage create suspense?
For several seconds, Ken stared at the running
back. Somehow the kid had managed to avoid two or
three linemen. Now he was plowing ahead, straight
at Ken, his helmet down. Terrified, Ken braced
himself. Many years ago hed played a similar
game with his dog. The dog would charge him, just
like that running back, but hed step aside at
the last moment, letting the dog dart past.
End of Section
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Plot Suspense
Quick Check
For several seconds, Ken stared at the running
back. Somehow the kid had managed to avoid two or
three linemen. Now he was plowing ahead, straight
at Ken, his helmet down. Terrified, Ken braced
himself. Many years ago hed played a similar
game with his dog. The dog would charge him, just
like that running back, but hed step aside at
the last moment, letting the dog dart past.
How does this passage create suspense?
The writer slows the pace by using a flashback.
The flashback hints that Ken might dodge the
running back.
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Plot Conflict
A conflict is a struggle between opposing forces.
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Plot Conflict
There are two main kinds of conflict external
and internal.

• External conflict is a struggle between a
  character and an outside force.

External boy vs. wall

• Internal conflict is a struggle within the
  characters own heart or mind.

Internal self vs. fear
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Plot Conflict
An internal conflict is an emotional struggle
that takes place within a characters heart or
mind.
Rasheeda was thrilledJackson had asked her to
the prom! There was only one problem. Shed
already told Travis shed go with him. Travis
was a good friend he wouldnt mind. He knew
Rasheeda had liked Jackson ever since third
grade. Still, she wondered Would it be fair to
Travis to break their date?
Rasheeda was thrilledJackson had asked her to
the prom! There was only one problem. Shed
already told Travis shed go with him. Travis
was a good friend he wouldnt mind. He knew
Rasheeda had liked Jackson ever since third
grade. Still, she wondered Would it be fair to
Travis to break their date?
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Plot Conflict
An external conflict is a struggle between the
main character and a person or outside force.
External conflicts include struggles between

• two characters,
• a character and society, or
• a character and a force of nature.

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Plot Conflict
Which version of the following event would you
rather read?
You probably prefer B because it hints at
conflict. Conflict keeps the plot moving. Without
it, the story has nowhere to go.
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Plot Conflict
Quick Check
Is this an external or internal conflict?
Vijay knew his parents would never understand. He
could hear them now What did a boy of eighteen
know about choosing a wife? He should trust their
judgment. Back home, they would say that only a
foolish, worthless son would dare to make such an
important decision by himself. Vijay, however,
was determined to make his own choiceno matter
what his parents said.
End of Section
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Plot Conflict
Quick Check
Quick Check
Is this an external or internal conflict?
Vijay knew his parents would never understand. He
could hear them now What did a boy of 18 know
about choosing a wife? He should trust their
judgment. Back home, only a foolish, worthless
son would dare to make such an important decision
himself.
Vijay knew his parents would never understand. He
could hear them now What did a boy of eighteen
know about choosing a wife? He should trust their
judgment. Back home, they would say that only a
foolish, worthless son would dare to make such an
important decision by himself. Vijay, however,
was determined to make his own choiceno matter
what his parents said.
Vijay and his parents disagree. The passage shows
an external conflict between Vijay and his family.
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Setting
Setting draws us into the world of a story.
Details of setting tell us where and when events
occur.

• A storys setting also may include information
  about social customsabout how the characters
• live,
• dress,
• eat, and
• behave.

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Setting
In some stories, the setting can contribute to
the conflict.
The flames in the back room were spreading. Lily
ran outside, into the cool night air. An instant
later, her relief disappeared. She patted her
pockets. The letter! Where was it? Then she
remembered. The crumpled pagesproof of her
innocencewere in Bobs desk, in the burning
room! Lily ran to the house and opened the door.
Black smoke poured out.
The flames in the back room were spreading. Lily
ran outside into the cool night air. An instant
later, her relief disappeared. She patted her
pockets. The letter! Where was it? Then she
remembered. The crumpled pagesproof of her
innocencewere in Bobs desk, in the burning
room! Lily ran to the house and opened the door.
Black smoke poured out.
End of Section
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Setting Mood
Setting can add to a storys emotional effectits
mood.
relaxed, carefree
foreboding, mysterious
lonely, sad
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Setting Mood
Quick Check
What details reveal time and place?
Leaving the cool baggage terminal was like
walking into a wall of fire. The blazing heat
stopped Jake in his tracks. As the blur of cars,
trucks, and pedestrians swept past, he shaded his
eyes with his hand, blinking in the blinding sun.
It was only a few blocks to the Wan Chai
district, but the thought of walking there loomed
like the prospect of a long march through a
jungle.
What details create mood? How would you describe
the mood?
End of Section
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Setting Mood
Quick Check
What details reveal the time and place?
Leaving the cool baggage terminal was like
walking into a wall of fire. The blazing heat
stopped Jake in his tracks. As the jumbled blur
of cars, trucks, and pedestrians swept past, he
shaded his eyes with his hand, blinking in the
blinding sun. It was only a few blocks to the
Wan Chai district, but the thought of walking
there loomed like the prospect of a long march
through a jungle.
The scene takes place outside an airport on a hot
summer day in a busy Asian city.
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Setting Mood
Quick Check
What details create mood? How would you describe
the mood?
Leaving the cool baggage terminal was like
walking into a wall of fire. The blazing heat
stopped Jake in his tracks. As the jumbled blur
of cars, trucks, and pedestrians swept past, he
shaded his eyes with his hand, blinking in the
blinding sun. It was only a few blocks to the
Wan Chai district, but the thought of walking
there loomed like the prospect of a long march
through a jungle.
The mood seems to be confused, isolated, and
anxious.
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Analyze Plot and Setting
Your Turn
Define plot, setting, and mood.
What opposing external forces might create
conflict in a story about illegal immigrants
crossing a border?
What mental or emotional forces might create
another conflict?
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The End