ELEMENT OF PLOT

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF STORY/PLOT:


1. EXPOSITION
· PROVIDES ESSENSIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION, INTRODUCES THE CAST, BEGINS THE CHARACTERIZATION, AND INITIATES THE ACTION.
· SOME EXPOSITION IS ALWAYS PROVIDED IN THE FIRST SCENE.
· FORMAL PROLOGUE OR INTRODUCTION BY A NARATOR HELPS TO SET THE SCENE.
2. COMPLICATION/RISING ACTION
· THE COMPLICATION INTRODUCES AND DEVELOPS THE CONFLICT.
· IT COMMENCES WHEN ONE OR MORE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS FIRST BECOME AWARE OF AN IMPENDING DIFFICULTY OR WHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS FIRST BEGIN TO CHANGE.
3. CRISIS/CLIMAX
· THE CRISIS OR TURNING POINT OF THE PLAY OCCURS AT THE MOMENT OF PEAK EMOTIONAL INTENSITY AND USUALLY INVOLVES A DECISION, A DECISION ACTION, OR AN OPEN CONFLICT BETWEEN PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONIST.
· IT IS OFTEN CALLED THE OBLIGATORY SCENE BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE DEMANDS TO SEE SUCH MOMENTS ACTED OUT ON STAGE.
4. FALLING ACTION
AS THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CRISIS ACCUMULATE, EVENTS DEVELOP A MOMENTUM OF THEIR OWN. ESPECIALLY IN TRAGEDY, THE FALLING ACTION OF THE PLAY RESULTS FROM THE PROTAGONIST’S LOSS OF CONTROL AND A FINAL CATASTROPHE OFTEN APPEARS INEVITABLE.
5. RESOLUTION
THE RESOLUTION BRINGS TO AN END THE CONFLICT THAT HAS BEEN IMPLICIT (OR EXPLICIT) SINCE THE PLAY’S OPENING SCENES. WHEN THE CURTAIN FALLS, THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE CHARACTERS HAVE ONCE MORE STABILIZED.