Plot Review Plot is the action or sequence of events in a story A plot is comprised of five basic elements:

Exposition—background information and basic situation such as setting (time and place) and characters are introduced

Rising Action—the events that lead up to the climaxClimax—the most intense moment or most

suspensefulFalling Action—the events that happen after the

climaxResolution—end of the story when all loose ends are

tied up

Cause and EffectCause and effect is the connection or

relationship between an event or reason, and its effects or results

A cause makes something occur; an effect is the outcome of the cause

Cause and Effect Relationships

Note: Each event can be the cause of another event, which would make the resulting event an effect. Therefore, the same event can be both a cause and effect depending on the situation.

Ponyboy falls asleep

in the vacant lot

Ponyboy is late getting

home

Darry is very worried and

angry

Darry hit Ponyboy because they are arguing

Ponyboy runs away

Example Cause and EffectCause—Ponyboy fell asleep in the vacant lotEffect—Ponyboy got home very late Cause—Ponyboy got home very lateEffect—Darry was angryCause—Darry was angryEffect—Darry hit PonyboyCause—Darry hit PonyboyEffect—Ponyboy ran away

Sub-PlotSub-Plot is a smaller story within a

larger story.

Ponyboy goes to the movie with Johnny

Ponyboy goes to the movie with Johnny

They meet Cherry and Marcia

They meet Cherry and Marcia

They run into the Socs on their way home and the girls go with them so they leave.

They run into the Socs on their way home and the girls go with them so they leave.

The Socs return later to fight Johnny and Pony

The Socs return later to fight Johnny and Pony

Tim Shepard finds out that it was Dally that slit his tires.

Tim Shepard finds out that it was Dally that slit his tires.

Tim sets out to find Dally for a fight

Tim sets out to find Dally for a fight

Tim and Dally get into a fight

Tim and Dally get into a fight

Dally heads to Buck Merril’s to rest

Dally heads to Buck Merril’s to rest

Ponyboy and Johnny go to Buck’s to ask Dally for help.

Ponyboy and Johnny go to Buck’s to ask Dally for help.

ConflictConflict is the struggle or clash between

opposing characters or opposing forcesExternal conflict: a struggle between a

character and an outside force Person versus person Person versus society Person versus nature Person versus fate

Internal conflict: a struggle within a character person versus self

Practice with ConflictUse The Outsiders to find the following forms

of conflict and list them on your paper:List 1 internal conflict fromList 1 external conflict (Character vs

Character)List 1 external conflict (Character vs Society)List 1 external conflict (Character vs Nature)

ThemeThe underlying or implicit meaning, concept,

or message in a textThink of theme as the moral of the storyIt must be stated in sentence formExample: You shouldn’t count your chickens

before they hatchExample: It is better to have loved and lost

than to never have loved at all.

Practice with ThemePick your favorite fairy tale and describe

the theme. Explain why you believe that is the theme of the fairy tale.

Point of View Point of view is the perspective from which a story is

told first person point of view: the narrator participates in

the action and refers to himself/herself as “I” second person point of view: not frequently used; the

“you” indirections, explanations or arguments third person point of view: the narrator is not a

character in the story, and refers to the characters as “he” or “she” as the events are told limited omniscient point of view: the narrator relates the

inner thoughts and feelings of just one character omniscient point of view: the narrator is all-knowing and can

relate the inner thoughts and feelings of all the characters

Let’s Practice with Point of View Selection One:

Once upon a time there lived a princess who would have been perfectly happy except for one thing: In a moment of weakness, she had promised to marry a frog. Her father felt sorry for her, but he insisted that she keep her word (In face, he was a little nervous—he’d never met a talking frog before). “After all, a promise is a promise,” agreed her mother, who thought the frog was better looking than the princess’s last boyfriend. Little did any of the royal family know who the frog really was.

In Which Point of View is Selection One Written?

Third Person-OmniscientWe get the thoughts and feeling of all of the

characters, not just one of themIt does not just follow one character around,

but rather the narrator seems to be looking down on the action and is all-knowing

The narrator is not a character in the story

Let’s Practice with Point of ViewSelection Two:

I couldn’t believe that my parents were actually going to make me marry a slimy, ugly, bulgy-eyed frog! They didn’t feel sorry for me at all! All they cared about was a stupid promise I never thought I’d have to keep.

In Which Point of View is Selection Two

Written?

First PersonOnly one person’s thoughts are presentedTold from one of the character’s perspectivesUses the pronoun “I” when referring to the

narrator

Let’s Practice with Point of ViewSelection Three:

The princess tried desperately to get out of her promise. “It was all my parent’s fault,” she thought. They were so unfair. But she had a nagging feeling that she had only herself to blame—and the frog. “I wonder if the royal chef knows how to cook frog’s legs?” she said to herself.

In Which Point of View is Selection Three

Written?

Third Person-Limited Omniscientthe narrator is not a character in the story,

and refers to the characters as “he” or “she” as the events are told

the narrator relates the inner thoughts and feelings of just one character

Practice writing with different points of view

Write one paragraph about this photo from first-person point of view, another from third-person limited omniscient, and another from third-person omniscient point of view.

MoodThe feeling created in the reader, evoked

through the language of the text

Foreshadowing, Flashback, & Suspense

A literary device in which the author presents hints or clues about future events

Flashback is the opposite literary device, in which the author presents information that happened in an earlier time before the events currently taking place

Suspense is excitement cause by wondering what will happen (authors use many techniques to create suspense)

Evaluating Problem-Solving Processes

To evaluate is to make a judgment of quality based on evidence

Therefore, to evaluate the decision making process of characters would be to judge the quality of the way the character arrived at a decision

Practice with EvaluatingDo you think the process Johnny and Ponyboy

used to come up with a plan after killing Bob was a quality process?

Do you agree with the decision that was made?

Make sure you use RAP in your answer!