PLOT

The key ingredient to a successful narrative is the plot. The plot sets the central idea of the story and states the purpose for every character’s actions. The plot is literally what happens in a story. It consists of the numerous conflicts, complications, and resolutions different characters experience throughout a narrative. In the basic narrative, the plot entails an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. The exposition of a narrative resembles the background information presented to the audience, usually early on in the story. For instance, in Hamlet the exposition occurs when the three men Horatio, Bernardo, and Marcellus begin to converse about the recent death of King Hamlet, and is in fact praising him for his existence. In Pride & Prejudice, the exposition occurs when Mrs. Bennet attempts to convince Mr. Bennet to help her get one of her daughter’s married to a new man in town; Mr. Darcy. Furthermore, both writers Shakespeare and Austen use conversation between secondary characters to introduce the exposition to an audience. However, even though they seem very similar when presenting the exposition, the order of which each Hamlet and Austen decide to follow in each of their respective narratives differ. This is what usually distinguishes a fiction from a drama. In addition, the rising action in a narrative usually occurs after any crucial or impactful change towards the main character. There easily could be multiple raising actions in a narrative; ultimately leading up to the climax that occurs when the emotional tension between characters is at its peak. The climax also consists of significant change for the protagonist in either a positive or negative manner. Lastly, following the climax is the falling action, which are the resulting actions and resolutions for major and minor characters. The denouement is the final characteristic of the plot where balance and stability is fully restored to all characters.