What is a plot?
- Posted by Crackastory
- Categories Educators, Featured
- Date
Plots can be complex, and they can be complicated to explain to our young people.
In simple terms, a plot is a sequence of connected events that tell a story. These events are often founded by ‘something happens then something else happens as a result.’
On the Secondary page there is a video that describes plots as elephants crossing a river.
It may be useful if your young people need help understanding what a plot is.
Remember, a plot is not the same as a plot structure. A plot structure refers to how the events are organised within a plot. For example, in the video reference is made to an adult elephant who remembers a dangerous moment in its younger life. When structuring a plot, a storyteller must determine where to put such information. Could the information be used as a flashback at the very start of the story? Or could it be placed later in the story when the elephant crosses the very place where the dangerous moment happened? As we know, there is never only one way to tell a story, and every storyteller experiments with plots and plot structures until they (and others) are comfortable with their approach.
Crafting plots and plot structures take lots and lots of work! Be patient with your young people. Even the most experienced storytellers can struggle with working out how to best tell their works.