The document discusses elements of literature, specifically focusing on plot. It defines plot as the basic action within a work of fiction. A strongly plotted story typically follows a pattern of establishing a conflict, complications arising from that conflict, a character taking decisive action or the situation reaching a climax, and resolving the conflict. However, modern works often deviate from this structure. Key terms used to describe plot elements are also defined, such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement, and anti-climax. Common literary techniques like flashbacks, foreshadowing, parallel scenes, stream of consciousness, and telescoping are also briefly explained.

1. ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE:
The Plot

2. PLOT
• a literary term used to describe the basic action
within a work of fiction.
• In a strongly plotted story, the events usually
follow this pattern: a conflict or problem is
established; complications arise from the conflict;
a main character takes decisive action, or the
situation itself brings about a climax; the conflict is
resolved.
• Modern short stories and novels, however,
frequently deviate from this outline. One of the
most common is a non-plotted character sketch.

3. TERMS USED TO DESCRIBE THE
PLOT

4. CONFLICT
• describes some problem or trouble within the
story. It frequently falls into one of the
following categories:
• man vs. man
• man vs. himself
• man vs. nature
• man vs. society
• man vs. supernatural

5. EXPOSITION
•describes the opening
events which establish
the setting and
protagonist.

6. RISING ACTION
•describes the
introduction of the
conflict and the
resulting complications.

7. CLIMAX
•designates the moment of
highest tension in the story.
It represents the moment
when the outcome is
decided.

8. FALLING ACTION
•describes the falling off
of intensity within the
story.

9. DENOUEMENT
•is a French word used to
describe the final resolution
of details within the story. It is
everything that occurs after
the climax.

10. ANTI-CLIMAX
•describes a plot in
which no outcome is
ever apparent.

11. CLOSED ENDINGS
•-those in which the outcome
of the story is apparent to
the reader.

12. COMMON PLOT DEVELOPMENT STRUCTURE.

13. COMMON LITERARY TECHNIQUES

14. FLASHBACK
is a literary
technique used to
insert events out
of the order of
their occurrence
within a story.

15. FORESHADOWING
is a method used
to hint of events
to come. It may
be blatant or
merely implied.

16. OPEN ENDED
STORIES
have outcomes
which leave the
reader wondering
about the
outcome.

17. PARALLEL SCENES
are used to show
two events
occurring at the
same time within a
story. Frequently the
two events are on a
collision path along
the plot line.

18. STREAM OF
CONSCIOUSNESS
a technique used to
tell the story as it
might actually be
heard within a
character's mind. It
is frequently
rambling and
disjointed.

19. TELESCOPING
an author's technique of
compressing time. It is
particularly necessary
within a short story. The
result is that events
which might normally
require several days
happen within a much
shorter span of time.