Kawaikini English: March 2013

Your reading journal this week is to identify the type of plot the author uses to tell the story of your book.

First we have to remember what a plot is, right?

Simply, the plot of your book is WHAT HAPPENS IN THE STORY.

For example, the plot of "Cinderella" is: FIRST Cinderella (the PROTAGONIST) is mistreated by her step-family (the ANTAGONISTS), THEN her fairy godmother gives her magical help that allows her to go the ball, THEN dances with the prince, and has to run off at midnight, leaving only one shoe behind. THEN the prince uses the shoe to find her again, and LASTLY they live happily ever after.

People have been telling stories for as long as we've been speaking-- so roughly 500,000 years. That means trillions of stories have been told-- and these stories' plots fall into patterns.

Here are SEVEN basic types of plots that you can use to describe almost any story, movie, tv show, or even personal anecdote.

You can use these seven to compare to your book. Does the plot of the book you are reading match one or more of these? Explain which one, and give evidence from your book to prove that it is a good fit.

These plots are widely recognized, but I got these specific descriptions from: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheSevenBasicPlots

1. Overcoming the MonsterHero learns of a great evil threatening the land, and sets out to destroy it.
2. Rags to RichesSurrounded by dark forces who suppress and ridicule him, the Hero slowly blossoms into a mature figure who ultimately gets riches, a kingdom, and the perfect mate.
3. The QuestHero learns of a "great MacGuffin" (some valuable item) that he desperately wants to find, and sets out to find it, often with companions.
4. Voyage and ReturnHero heads off into a magic land with crazy rules, ultimately triumphs over the madness and returns home far more mature than when he set out.
5. ComedyHero and Heroine are destined to get together, but a dark force is preventing them from doing so; the story conspires to make the dark force repent, and suddenly the Hero and Heroine are free to get together. This is part of a cascade of effects that shows everyone for who they really are, and allows two or more other relationships to correctly form.
6. TragedyThe flip side of the Overcoming the Monster plot. Our protagonist character is the Villain, but we get to watch him slowly spiral down into darkness before he's finally defeated, freeing the land from his evil influence.
7. RebirthAs with the Tragedy plot, but our protagonist manages to realize his error before it's too late, and does a Heel Face Turn to avoid inevitable defeat.

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Here's a graphic way to describe the motion of all plots: Beginning, Complication, Middle, Crisis, Denoument, Resolution, End.

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If you are feeling like a real sucker for punishment, you can choose from one of these THIRTYSIX types of plots.
Here is an interesting list of the 36 basic plot types, as described by Georges Polti:

The Basic Plots

Each short plot description starts with the title of the plot pattern. After a hyphen the main characters to be found in the plot are given, separated by commas.

Supplication - Persecutor, Suppliant, a Power in Authority
Deliverance - Unfortunates, Threatener, Rescuer
Revenge - Avenger, Criminal
Vengeance by Family upon Family - Avenging Kinsman, Guilty Kinsman, Relative
Pursuit - Fugitive from Punishment, Pursuer
Victim of Cruelty or Misfortune - Unfortunates, Master or Unlucky Person
Disaster - Vanquished Power, Victorious Power or Messenger
Revolt - Tyrant, Conspirator(s)
Daring Enterprise - Bold Leader, Goal, Adversary
Abduction - Abductor, Abducted, Guardian
Enigma - Interrogator, Seeker, Problem
Obtaining - Two or more Opposing Parties, Object, maybe an Arbitrator
Familial Hatred - Two Family Members who hate each other
Familial Rivalry - Preferred Kinsman, Rejected Kinsman, Object
Murderous Adultery - Two Adulterers, the Betrayed
Madness - Madman, Victim
Fatal Imprudence - Imprudent person, Victim or lost object
Involuntary Crimes of Love - Lover, Beloved, Revealer
Kinsman Kills Unrecognised Kinsman - Killer, Unrecognised Victim, Revealer
Self Sacrifice for an Ideal - Hero, Ideal, Person or Thing Sacrificed
Self Sacrifice for Kindred - Hero, Kinsman, Person or Thing Sacrificed
All Sacrificed for Passion - Lover, Object of Passion, Person or Thing Sacrificed
Sacrifice of Loved Ones - Hero, Beloved Victim, Need for Sacrifice
Rivalry Between Superior and Inferior - Superior, Inferior, Object
Adultery - Deceived Spouse, Two Adulterers
Crimes of Love - Lover, Beloved, theme of Dissolution
Discovery of Dishonor of a Loved One - Discoverer, Guilty One
Obstacles to Love - Two Lovers, Obstacle
An Enemy Loved - Beloved Enemy, Lover, Hater
Ambition - An Ambitious Person, Coveted Thing, Adversary
Conflict with a God - Mortal, Immortal
Mistaken Jealousy - Jealous One, Object of Jealousy, Supposed Accomplice, Author of Mistake
Faulty Judgment - Mistaken One, Victim of Mistake, Author of Mistake, Guilty Person
Remorse - Culprit, Victim, Interrogator
Recovery of a Lost One - Seeker, One Found
Loss of Loved Ones - Kinsman Slain, Kinsman Witness, Executioner