Plot & Conflict Review

Plot & Conflict Review

By Ms. Jordan

• ​We will review plot elements and explain how they influence plot development of a fiction text

• ​I will analyze plot elements to evaluate how they help to advance the plot with a goal of 80% accuracy

Objectives:

Multiple Choice

How is "plot" defined?

• a specific point in a story when the climax happens

• the sequence of events that take place in a story

• a term used for a character trying to solve a problem

• plot is not a literary term

Review: Plot

Authors of literary texts include plot elements to compose stories that are understandable and interesting for readers.

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Plot elements are the events that occur in stories.

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The rising action includes events in the beginning and middle of a story that lead to the climax. (character understanding/ motivations/ and why conflict occurs)

​Rising Action

The background information on the characters and setting explained during the exposition of the story. The EXPOSITION will often have information about events that happened before the story began.

Exposition

Review: Plot

The falling action includes the events that occur after the excitement of the climax. These events usually describe how the characters feel and what they do as a result of the climax.

Falling Action

The climax is the most exciting point in a story. Usually, the climas includes a major event in which a character experiences an important event or change.

Climax

Review: Plot

The resolution explains how the problem or conflict of the story is solved in the end. Often, stories share how characters have changed or lessons learned.

Resolution

Review: Plot

​Questions to Consider

1. ​Which events lead to the climax? How do these events help you understand the problem or conflict of the story?

2. What is the climax of the story?

3. Which events occur just after the climax?

4. How is the problem or conflict resolved? Do the characters change or learn a lesson as a result?

5. What technique does the author use to provide background information or to help the reader anticipate events?​

Multiple Choice

Name the plot element:

This part of the plot structure reveals the setting (time & place), characters, and conflict

• exposition

• rising action

• falling action

• climax

Multiple Choice

Name the plot element:

This is the most exciting part of the story and usually a major change takes place.

• exposition

• rising action

• falling action

• climax

Multiple Choice

Name the plot element:

This is the part of the story that ties up all the loose ends and takes care of the conflict

• exposition

• resolution

• falling action

• climax

Multiple Choice

How is the climax related to the problem of the story?

• The problem is just getting started

• The problem is getting worse and worse

• The problem is at its worst (turning points)

• The problem is solved

Poll

My understanding of plot:

• I'm still lost

• I'm good but I'd like more practice

• I got this!

• I could teach this!

Conflict

A struggle between opposing characters or opposing forces or an internal struggle that the character is experiencing.

• Conflict is the fuel of the narrative. The greater the conflict, the more we care about the outcome.

Two types:

1. External Conflict

2. Internal Conflict

Fill in the Blank

The two types of conflict are

Internal conflict is when a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs. It happens within them, and it drives their development as a character.

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Internal Conflict:

Character vs. Self​

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External conflict sets a character against something or someone beyond their control. External forces stand in the way of a character’s motivations and create tension as the character tries to reach their goals.​

External Conflict

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Multiple Choice

What is an INTERNAL conflict?

• Takes place outside the character

• Takes place in the real world

• Takes place within the character

• Takes place with another character

Multiple Choice

What is an EXTERNAL conflict?

• Takes place outside the characer

• Takes place within the character

• Never has a soultion

• Takes place within the characters mind

This is a common type of conflict in which one character’s needs or wants are at odds with another’s. A character conflict can be depicted as a straightforward fist fight, or as intricate and nuanced as the ongoing struggle for power.​​

Character vs. Character

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In a nature conflict, a character is set in opposition to nature. This can mean the weather, disease, the wilderness, animals, or a natural disaster.

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Character vs. Nature​

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A character vs. society conflict is an external conflict that occurs in literature when the protagonist is placed in opposition with society, the government, or a cultural tradition or societal norm of some kind.

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Character vs. Society

Multiple Choice

What type of conflict is this scenario?

Alex and Scott are out at sea on a small fishing boat when a large storm hits. After their boat flips over and sinks during the storm, Alex and Scott struggle to make it back to the shore. Just when they think that things can’t get any worse, they see a shark fin circling them.

• Character vs. Self

• Character vs. Nature

• Character vs. Character

• Character vs. Society

Open Ended

Give a real-world or book/movie example of character vs. character conflict.

Multiple Choice

Lamont is protesting the unfair treatment of animals in his city by painting murals on abandoned buildings at night when he is arrested. What type of conflict is this?

• Character vs. society

• Character vs. Character

• Character vs. self

• Character vs. nature

Multiple Choice

Jenny knows that she should study, but she really wants to go to her best friend's birthday party. What type of conflict is this?

• character vs. character

• character vs. self

• character vs. society

• character vs. nature

Poll

My understanding of conflicts:

• I'm still lost

• I'm good but I'd like more practice

• I got this!

• I could teach this!