What Is a Plot? Types of Plot, Definitions, and Examples

What is a Plot of a Story?

First, let’s define plot

The origins of plot can be traced back to the Ancient world, in which storytellers connected story threads to build suspense and add nuance to their narratives. 

Plot belongs to the school of structuralism, which is a contentious theory of interrelation that seeks to understand how humans make sense of the world; one way through which is stories.

In 335 BCE, Aristotle proposed that plot (mythos) is the "organization of incidents" in a story. 

Poetics helped give plot meaning – it existed long before… but Aristotle’s text classified it as a structure of narrative interrelation. Now that we know where plot came from, let’s outline a plot definition!

What’s a Plot?

Let’s examine the elements of a plot

There are lots of different plot structures, but most share the elements outlined in Freytag’s Pyramid. What is Freytag’s Pyramid? Good question. Freytag’s Pyramid is a framework developed by German novelist Gustav Freytag that outlines a five-part structure for dramatic storytelling: which includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and dénouement. Let’s break down each plot element.

Exposition

Exposition is the backstory that explains the circumstances surrounding a film’s narrative.

Rising Action

Rising action is the sequence of events that builds interest, tension, and suspense.

Climax

Climax is the point where the action crescendos, which usually results in the conclusion of the main conflict.

Falling Action

Falling action is the sequence of events that deal with the aftermath of the climax.

Dénouement 

Dénouement is the resolution that gives final context to the narrative’s events.

The elements of Freytag’s Pyramid are intended only as a guideline. Remember: plot is a structuralist theory, not a law; give any two people a story and they’ll probably disagree on the diagnosis of the same plot lines. Stories that have inconsistencies between plot lines are considered to have plot holes.

What is Plot vs Story?

Plot vs story differences explained

Most people think “plot” and “story” are the same thing, which makes sense considering they share many similarities. However, there are some key differences between plot and a story that make each unique.

English novelist E.M. Forester explained the differences best in saying  

• "The king died, and then the queen died, is a story, while “the king died, and then the queen died of grief, is a plot." 
  
  

Both stories and plots feature sequences of events, but whereas the former need not interrelate, the latter does. More simply: stories can go from scene to scene even if they aren’t linked together, meanwhile plots must be connected by cause and effect. 

All plots are stories. But not all stories have plots. 

Plot Function

Common plot structures

Writers have created frameworks for storytelling called plot structures. These frameworks help writers stay on a path of cause and effect that (ideally) resonates with audiences.

Three Act Structure

The most famous plot structure is the three act structure, which includes an easily identifiable beginning, middle, and end. For more, on the three act structure, check out our video below.

The three act structure has been used as a blueprint for prose, plays, and even poems. In recent history, it’s been repurposed by screenwriters; Syd Field famously cited the structure in his screenwriting book 1978 Screenplay as consisting of setup, confrontation, and resolution.

Save the Cat

Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat is a 2005 book that lays out a 15 step structure for screenwriting structure. Save the Cat beat sheet starts with the “opening image,” which is an introduction to the world, and ends with the “final image,” which is a snapshot of the world after the story’s events; sandwiched between are plot points that guide writers on a tried and true path of cause and effect. 

In our next video, we apply Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat story structure to Interstellar.

Those hoping to utilize Snyder’s structure can download a Save the Cat beat sheet; of course, the text itself remains one of the best screenwriting books, and the primary guide to his teaching.

The Hero’s Journey / The Story Circle

The Hero’s Journey is a plot structure from Joseph Campbell’s 1949 book The Hero With a Thousand Faces. The structure, which is also known as “the Monomyth,” is a theory of circular narratology that begins with a hero’s call to action and ends with their triumphant return. 

Dan Harmon’s Story Circle is a contemporary adaptation of the Monomyth. In this next video, we examine how it works in The Dark Knight!

What is Plot Used For?

How to use plot devices

A plot device is anything that moves the story forward.

One plot device writers employ is the MacGuffin, which is an item or idea that moves the action forward, but is otherwise unimportant. 

Another popular plot device writers employ is the Red Herring, which is an item or idea that purposely misleads character and or the audience.

Perhaps the most ironic plot device is the flashback, which turns back the clock in order to move things ahead. If you’re wondering how to write a flashback in a script – ponder no longer. We imported the Moneyball script into StudioBinder’s screenwriting software to break down how it’s done.

Moneyball establishes Billy Beane as an executive who doesn’t trust scouts. Writers Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin juxtapose this premise with a flashback that explains why. 

It’s fair to say that Billy doesn’t trust scouts because they wrongly predicted he would be a star; he was a first round pick out of high school but never lived up to the hype. This example is an expert example of a flashback that explains why a character is the way they are; which effectively moves the story forward. 

Types of Plot of a Story

What are the types of plot?

Plots are differentiated by genre, mood, and tone; they can be comedic, dramatic, or tragic, and they can be dark, light, or gray. However, they can also be typified by tropes and cliches: battle-tested structures of interrelated story events. 

English author Christopher Booker proposed classification for different types of plot in his 2004 book The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories.

Let’s break down a few!

Overcoming the Monster

The protagonist vies to defeat an evil villain, whether they be a literal, or metaphorical monster.

Examples: Beowulf, Jaws, Godzilla

Rags to Riches 

The protagonist goes from poor to wealthy; but usually learns life’s not all about money.

Examples: Great Expectations, The Jerk, There Will Be Blood

Voyage and Return

The protagonist travels to a “new world” and goes home changed forever.

Examples: The Hobbit, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

These are just some types of plot, there are many more!

Don’t forget: a plot is a series of interrelated story events that are linked by cause and effect.

UP NEXT

What is a Plot Twist?

Now that we know what a plot is, let’s answer the question “what is a plot twist?” Follow along as we break down examples from Memento, The Sixth Sense, and more. By the end, you’ll know what a plot twist is, as well as its different types: the classic twist, the mid twist, and the double twist!

Up Next: Plot Twist Definition and Examples →