5. Basic Elements of a Story
1. PLOT - the story line; a unified, progressive pattern of action or events in a
story
2. POINT OF VIEW (POV) - the position from which the story is told
3. CHARACTER - Types: person portraying himself or another
1. Characterization: Methods
4. SETTING - the time and place of the action in a story
5. TONE - the attitude of the author toward his subject or toward the reader
6. MOOD - the feeling or state of mind that predominates in a story creating a
certain atmosphere
7. Suspense
Suspense is created by an uncertainty about what happens
next in your story. So–what does happen next? The
unexpected, of course. But let’s think back to the basic plot
outline to understand how to create uncertainty.
The plot of a story is driven by conflict; without a conflict
creating tension, you simply don’t have a story. Suspense is
the reader’s worry about what will happen because of that
conflict.
9. Begin at the right place
Looking over the broad picture of your story, the need for
escalation requires that you start at a place of strong conflict,
but not so strong that the situation can’t get worse. You must
find a strong enough place to create suspense; yet, that exact
situation and time in the story must allow for a progression of
scenes in which things get worse. In other words, make sure
the sequence of scenes makes sense.
What is the initial conflict in “The Most
Dangerous Game”?
10. Hunting
We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting."
"The best sport in the world," agreed Rainsford.
"For the hunter," amended Whitney. "Not for the jaguar."
"Don't talk rot, Whitney," said Rainsford. "You're a big-game hunter, not a
philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?"
"Perhaps the jaguar does," observed Whitney.
"Bah! They've no understanding."
"Even so, I rather think they understand one thing--fear. The fear of pain and
the fear of death."
"Nonsense," laughed Rainsford. "This hot weather is making you soft,
Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes--the hunters and
the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.
11. Add uncertainty
As you work with the plot and conflicts,
search for ways to bring in or to imply
uncertainly.
Which are scenes of
uncertainty in the story?
12. Uncertainty about the Island
"The place has a reputation--a bad one."
"Cannibals?" suggested Rainsford.
"Hardly. Even cannibals wouldn't live in
such a God-forsaken place. But it's gotten
into sailor lore, somehow. Didn't you notice
that the crew's nerves seemed a bit jumpy
today? [. . .] All I could get out of him was
`This place has an evil name among
seafaring men, sir.’
13. Let readers root for a character or
characters.
Give readers a person to root for. If we care for the
characters, we worry more. Good characterization
gives us cause to root for a character and his/her
eventual success over the conflict. If we know that a
woman has been abused, but come out of it and
successfully raised two lovely children, then we
worry more when she starts dating a man we
suspect of being an alcoholic.
14. Who do we root for in “The
Most Dangerous Game”?
Is he round or flat? Dynamic or
static?
How is he characterized?
What drives readers to root for
him?
15. Give the readers a great
villain
Make villains credible, logical, and believable,
but not likeable. Readers need to understand
why the antagonist is doing what he does, and
why he believes his actions are justified and
rational.
How is Zaroff drawn as a believable character?
16. "Life is for the strong, to be lived by the
strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong.
The weak of the world were put here to give
the strong pleasure. I am strong. Why
should I not use my gift? If I wish to hunt,
why should I not? I hunt the scum of the
earth: sailors from tramp ships--lassars,
blacks, Chinese, whites, mongrels--a
thoroughbred horse or hound is worth more
than a score of them."
17. Evoke strong emotions
through a critical conflict
Make sure the conflict evokes strong emotions. This usually
means a conflict that matters in some important way. The
possibility of walking through a thicket with thorns is trivial in
comparison to a life and death situation. On that continuum of
what is at risk, push more towards the “life and death” end to
increase suspense.
What is the next conflict in “The Most
Dangerous Game”? Consider Rainsford
and Zaroff’s conversation over dinner.
18. "But you can't mean--" gasped Rainsford.
"And why not?”
"I can't believe you are serious, General
Zaroff. This is a grisly joke.”
"Why should I not be serious? I am
speaking of hunting.”
"Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff,
what you speak of is murder."
19. The conflict must change
In some way, as the story progresses, the
character’s situation(s) must change, usually by
building on the initial conflict. You must ask how
things can get worse. Would it be worse at a
different time? A different place? With different
characters? Or try it from a different stance: what
is the worse thing your character would ever have
to face? That is the ending scene and how can
you back up from there and soften the conflict?
20. The conflict escalates again
Rainsford is in fact confronted with the original
conflict that his friend poses: the unfairness to
the animal. Next he learns that Zaroff is
hunting men on his island. Finally, he learns
that he will be hunted.
"My dear fellow," said the general, "have I
not told you I always mean what I say about
hunting? This is really an inspiration. I
drink to a foeman worthy of my steel--at
last." The general raised his glass, but
Rainsford sat staring at him.
21. Details.
To evoke strong emotions, you
must include great details. This
means you must think about what
the setting is like in terms of
sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and
tactile possibilities. Use specific
sensory details to evoke the
situation and give the reader a
blow by blow of the action of the
story.
22. "I'll give him a trail to follow," muttered Rainsford, and he struck off from the rude
path he had been following into the trackless wilderness. He executed a series of
intricate loops; he doubled on his trail again and again, recalling all the lore of the
fox hunt, and all the dodges of the fox. Night found him leg-weary, with hands and
face lashed by the branches, on a thickly wooded ridge.
An apprehensive night crawled slowly by like a wounded snake and sleep did not
visit Rainsford, although the silence of a dead world was on the jungle. Toward
morning when a dingy gray was varnishing the sky, the cry of some startled bird
focused Rainsford's attention in that direction. Something was coming through the
bush, coming slowly, carefully, coming by the same winding way Rainsford had
come. He flattened himself down on the limb and, through a screen of leaves
almost as thick as tapestry, he watched. . . . That which was approaching was a
man.
23. Feel the Consequences.
Once you place the reader in the situation, then evoke
even stronger emotions by making sure the reader
understands the consequences of failure. This is the,
“So What?” question. If X fails to do Y–so what? Who
cares? You must provide enough details on the
consequences or hint at it broadly enough for the
reader to guess the consequences.
What are the consequences?
24. "You'll find this game worth playing,"
the general said enthusiastically." Your
brain against mine. Your woodcraft
against mine. Your strength and
stamina against mine. Outdoor chess!
And the stake is not without value,
eh?"
"And if I win--" began Rainsford
huskily.
"I'll cheerfully acknowledge myself
defeat if I do not find you by midnight
of the third day," said General Zaroff.
"My sloop will place you on the
mainland near a town.”
25. Scene cuts.
Try using scene cuts to leave X hanging while you
present a scene with Y that leaves Y hanging; then
come back to X, finish the first scene and transition
immediately into the second scene which–of course–
leaves X hanging again. Repeat as needed.
Where is the reader left hanging?
26. "Nerve, nerve, nerve!" he panted, as he dashed along. A blue
gap showed between the trees dead ahead. Ever nearer drew
the hounds. Rainsford forced himself on toward that gap. He
reached it. It was the shore of the sea. Across a cove he
could see the gloomy gray stone of the chateau. Twenty feet
below him the sea rumbled and hissed. Rainsford hesitated.
He heard the hounds. Then he leaped far out into the sea. . . .
When the general and his pack reached the place by the sea,
the Cossack stopped. For some minutes he stood regarding
the blue-green expanse of water. He shrugged his shoulders.
Then be sat down, took a drink of brandy from a silver flask,
lit a cigarette, and hummed a bit from Madame Butterfly.
27. Pacing
Much of building suspense is an issue
of pacing, which is merely taking the
long picture of your story and thinking
about how scenes blend with each
other. For example, you might follow
two fast-paced action scenes with a
scene of simple action but more
complex character interaction.
You can control pacing with sentence
structure. Long, flowing sentences can
slow down the action. Short sentences
build tension by propelling the reader
forward.
28. Rainsford held his breath. The general's eyes had
left the ground and were traveling inch by inch up the
tree. Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed for
a spring. But the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped
before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a
smile spread over his brown face. Very deliberately he
blew a smoke ring into the air; then he turned his back
on the tree and walked carelessly away, back along
the trail he had come.
29. When the general, nursing his bruised shoulder, had
gone, Rainsford took up his flight again. It was flight
now, a desperate, hopeless flight, that carried him on for
some hours. Dusk came, then darkness, and still he
pressed on. The ground grew softer under his
moccasins; the vegetation grew ranker, denser;
insects bit him savagely.
Then, as he stepped forward, his foot sank into the ooze.
He tried to wrench it back, but the muck sucked viciously
at his foot as if it were a giant leech. With a violent
effort, he tore his feet loose. He knew where he was
now. Death Swamp and its quicksand.
30. Dialogue and internal monologues can also affect
pacing by changing the rhythm . Short interchanges
of dialogue between characters increase the
reading speed. Long speeches by a certain
character will slow it down. If you feel like the story
needs to pick up the pace, look for areas with too
much dialogue, internal monologue, or exposition.
Or vice versa, not enough.
31. "Rainsford!" screamed the general. "How in God's name did you get
here?”
"Swam," said Rainsford. "I found it quicker than walking through the
jungle.”
The general sucked in his breath and smiled. "I congratulate you," he said.
"You have won the game.”
Rainsford did not smile. "I am still a beast at bay," he said, in a low, hoarse
voice. "Get ready, General Zaroff.”
The general made one of his deepest bows. "I see," he said. "Splendid! One
of us is to furnish a repast for
the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard,
Rainsford." . . .
32. Use Dread and Anticipation
Keep in mind the difference in dread and
anticipation.
Dread: bad things have happened and even worse
things are possible.
Anticipation: something bad could happen unless. .
.
Dread builds on past conflict, while anticipation
builds on hope of avoiding conflict. Try to use both as
you build the suspense of your story.
33. One way to convey your character’s dread or anxiety is to directly
tell the reader:
He felt scared
She was afraid
I grew more frightened by the second.
He experienced the really horrible feeling of absolute fear, an
emotion that was indescribably debilitating.
These are ok; they tell the reader how your character is feeling, but
they don’t really invoke any emotion from the reader. To make a
scene more suspenseful, show the character's fears instead of just
telling them; this permits the reader to feel the fear rather than just
think about it.
34. The showing of behavior or feelings is no more complicated than telling about it.
Consider, for example, your visceral reactions to fear. Sharing those corporeal
responses will heighten your readers’ involvement in your story.
A person may feel hot or cold, shiver or sweat. Palms get damp, the mouth dry, the
throat blocked.
People may experience an accelerated, pounding heartbeat, feeling it in unusual places:
in their ears, in their throat, or even in their fingers.
Breathing changes. It can become faster and shallower, though for some people it may
deepen and slow.
The skin can react in multiple ways: goose bumps may occur or the hairs on the arms
may stand up.
The stomach may tighten, clench, churn, or feel like it is filled with ice.
Pain drifts through the body; for example, the fillings of some people’s teeth hurt.
Fear causes clenching of the jaw and hands, involuntary noises, uncontrollable shaking.
35. “He struggled up to the surface and tried to cry out, but the wash from the
speeding yacht slapped him in the face and the salt water in his open mouth
made him gag and strangle.”
For a seemingly endless time he fought the sea. He began to count his strokes;
he could do possibly a hundred more and then--
“The general's left eyelid fluttered down in a wink.”
“Rainsford held his breath.”
“Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed for a spring.”
“A smile spread over [Zaroff’s] brown face.”
“The pent-up air burst hotly from Rainsford's lungs. His first thought made him
feel sick and numb.”
37. 1. While on vacation and shopping in a department store, a middle-aged man comes face to face with the guy
who kidnapped his son ten years earlier.
1. At a Chinese restaurant, your character opens his fortune cookie and reads the following message: "Your life
is in danger. Say nothing to anyone. You must leave the city immediately and never return. Repeat: say
nothing.”
2. Your character has to tell his parents that he's getting a divorce. He knows his parents will take his wife's side,
and he is right...
3. Your character suspects her husband is having an affair and decides to spy on him. What she discovers is not
what she was expecting...
4. ·A man elbows your character in a crowd. After he is gone, she discovers her cell phone is too. She calls her
own number, and the man answers. She explains that the cell phone has personal information on it and asks
the man to send it back to her. He hangs up. Instead of going to the police, your character decides to take
matters into her own hands...
38. 1. Begin at the right place: the need for escalation requires that
you start at a place of strong conflict.
2. Add uncertainty
3. Let readers root for a character or characters
4. Give the readers a great villain
5. Evoke strong emotions through a critical conflict.
6. Change the conflict.
7. Include great details.
8. Make sure readers feel the consequences.
9. Use dramatic scene cuts
10.Use pacing to control the intensity of the story.
11.Use dread: bad things have happened and even worse things
are possible.
12. Use anticipation: something bad could happen unless. . .
How to Create Suspense
39. Homework
Submit Project 2: Before
Friday, Week 6, at noon
Make sure you complete the
work from the online hour!
