Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Plot
Plot is the series of events that happen in a story that create conflict. Plot is the result of choices made by the characters. The characters of a story take action (or don't) and events happen as a result of the action or inaction. The search for a murderer is a plot. Surviving a fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural disaster is a plot. The plot is sometimes called the spine of the story. The plot is the action, while the story is the emotions associated with the action.
A good story is like a tasty soup. It follows a recipe using a handful of ingredients that all blend together. A plot has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning is short, introducing the characters and the plot. Every story is about a character with a problem. Characters who are happy, content, and have achieved their goals are not very interesting characters to read about. The people we love to read about are in trouble.
The middle is full of plot twists, events, and their consequences. The middle ends with a climactic showdown- the climax of the story. There is a resolution. Usually the resolution is more about the internal growth of a character. It may be a battle between the protagonist (the main character) and the antagonist (the "villain"), but the battle forces the protagonist to prove that he or she has overcome his/her personal weaknesses. The resolution is as much about this internal growth of a character as it is about the external victory over the antagonist.
The end of a story is like a new beginning after the action is over. In the last page or two, there is a hint of the future for the characters. This lets readers imagine what they would like to happen to these characters. A good writer leaves a question or two unanswered without undoing the story. The ending happens quickly. This leaves the reader exhilarated, like riding a roller coaster with a steep drop. The story may end "happily ever after," but a good story will leave the reader thinking about different possibilities for these characters' future.
There are usually just two ways authors choose to advance their plot. These two ways are character-driven or event-driven. A character-driven plot depends on the actions and emotions of the characters. The decisions a character makes cause chain reactions of events and conflict. The events are triggered by the characters in a story.
