What Is Plot Structure?

All plots follow a logical organization with a beginning, middle, and end—but there’s
a lot more to the basic plot structure than just this. Generally speaking, every plot
has these five elements in this order:

1. Exposition/introduction
2. Rising action
3. Climax/turning point
4. Falling action
5. Resolution/denouement

#1: Exposition/Introduction

The first part of the plot establishes the main characters/protagonists and setting. We
get to know who’s who, as well as when and where the story takes place. At this
point, the reader is just getting to know the world of the story and what it’s going to
be all about.

Here, we’re shown what normal looks like for the characters.

The primary conflict or tension around which the plot revolves is also usually
introduced here in order to set up the course of events for the rest of the narrative.
This tension could be the first meeting between two main characters (think Pride and
Prejudice) or the start of a murder mystery, for example.

#2: Rising Action

In this part of the plot, the primary conflict is introduced (if it hasn’t been already) and
is built upon to create tension both within the story and the reader, who should
ideally be feeling more and more drawn to the text. The conflict may affect one
character or multiple characters.

The author should have clearly communicated to the reader the stakes of this
central conflict. In other words, what are the possible consequences? The benefits?

This is the part of the plot that sets the rest of the plot in motion. Excitement grows
as tensions get higher and higher, ultimately leading to the climax of the story (see
below).

For example, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the rising action would be
when we learn who Voldemort is and lots of bad things start happening, which the
characters eventually realize are all connected to Voldemort.
 This little guy
says his cousin was part of the plot in the Harry Potter books.

#3: Climax/Turning Point

Arguably the most important part of a story, the climax is the biggest plot point,
which puts our characters in a situation wherein a choice must be made that will
affect the rest of the story.

This is the critical moment that all the rising action has been building up to, and the
point at which the overarching conflict is finally addressed. What will the character(s)
do, and what will happen as a result? Tensions are highest here, instilling in the
reader a sense of excitement, dread, and urgency.

In classic tales of heroes, the climax would be when the hero finally faces the big
monster, and the reader is left to wonder who will win and what this outcome could
mean for the other characters and the world as a whole within the story.

#4: Falling Action

This is when the tension has been released and the story begins to wind down. We
start to see the results of the climax and the main characters’ actions and get a
sense of what this means for them and the world they inhabit. How did their choices
affect themselves and those around them?
At this point, the author also ties up loose ends in the main plot and any
subplots.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, we see the consequences of the trial and Atticus Finch’s
involvement in it: Tom goes to jail and is shot and killed, and Scout and Jem are
attacked by accuser Bob Ewell who blames their father for making a fool out of him
during the trial.

#5: Resolution/Denouement

This final plot point is when everything has been wrapped up and the new world—
and the new sense of normalcy for the characters—has been established. The
conflict from the climax has been resolved, and all loose ends have been neatly tied
up (unless the author is purposely setting up the story for a sequel!).

There is a sense of finality and closure here, making the reader feel that there is
nothing more they can learn or gain from the narrative.

The resolution can be pretty short—sometimes just a paragraph or so—and might

even take the form of an epilogue, which generally takes place a while after the main
action and plot of the story.

Be careful not to conflate "resolution" with "happy ending"—resolutions can

be tragic and entirely unexpected, too!

In Romeo and Juliet, the resolution is the point at which the family feud between the
Capulets and Montagues is at last put to an end following the deaths of the titular
lovers.
What Is a Plot Diagram?
Many people use a plot diagram to help them visualize the plot definition and
structure. Here’s what a basic plot diagram looks like:

The triangular part of the diagram indicates changing tensions in the plot. The
diagram begins with a flat, horizontal line for the exposition, showing a lack of
tension as well as what is normal for the characters in the story.

This elevation changes, however, with the rising action, or immediately after the
conflict has been introduced. The rising action is an increasing line (indicating the
building of tension), all the way up until it reaches the climax—the peak or turning
point of the story, and when everything changes.
The falling action is a decreasing line, indicating a decline in tension and the
wrapping up of the plot and any subplots. After, the line flatlines once more into
a resolution—a new sense of normal for the characters in the story.

You can use the plot diagram as a reference when writing a story and to ensure you
have all major plot points.

4 Plot Examples From Literature

While most plots follow the same basic structure, the details of stories can vary quite
a bit! Here are four plot examples from literature to give you an idea of how you
can use the fundamental plot structure while still making your story entirely your own.

#1: Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Exposition: The ghost of Hamlet’s father—the former king—appears one night

instructing his son to avenge his death by killing Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle and the
current king.

Rising Action: Hamlet struggles to commit to avenging his father’s death. He

pretends to go crazy (and possibly becomes truly mad) to confuse Claudius. Later,
he passes up the opportunity to kill his uncle while he prays.

Climax: Hamlet stabs and kills Polonius, believing it to be his uncle. This is an
important turning point at which Hamlet has committed himself to both violence and
revenge. (Another climax can be said to be when Hamlet duels Laertes.)

Falling Action: Hamlet is sent to England but manages to avoid execution and
instead returns to Denmark. Ophelia goes mad and dies. Hamlet duels Laertes,
ultimately resulting in the deaths of the entire royal family.

Resolution: As he lay dying, Hamlet tells Horatio to make Fortinbras the king of
Denmark and to share his story. Fortinbras arrives and speaks hopefully about the
future of Denmark.
 Artist's rendition of Hamlet's murder of
King Claudius

#2: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Exposition: Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights to meet with Heathcliff, a

wealthy landlord, about renting Thrushcross Grange, another manor just a few miles
away. While staying overnight, he sees the ghost of a woman named Catherine.
After settling in at the Grange, Lockwood asks the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, to relay
to him the story of Heathcliff and the Heights.

Rising Action: Most of the rising action takes place in the past when Catherine and
Heathcliff were young. We learn that the two children were very close. One day, a
dog bite forces Catherine to stay for several weeks at the Grange where the Lintons
live, leading her to become infatuated with the young Edgar Linton. Feeling hurt and
betrayed, Heathcliff runs away for three years, and Catherine and Edgar get married.
Heathcliff then inherits the Heights and marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella, in the hopes
of inheriting the Grange as well.

Climax: Catherine becomes sick, gives birth to a daughter named Cathy, and dies.
Heathcliff begs Catherine to never leave him, to haunt him—even if it drives him
mad.
Falling Action: Many years pass in Nelly's story. A chain of events allows Heathcliff
to gain control of both the Heights and the Grange. He then forces the young Cathy
to live with him at the Heights and act as a servant. Lockwood leaves the Grange to
return to London.

Resolution: Six months later, Lockwood goes back to see Nelly and learns that
Heathcliff, still heartbroken and now tired of seeking revenge, has died. Cathy and
Hareton fall in love and plan to get married; they inherit the Grange and the Heights.
Lockwood visits the graves of Catherine and Heathcliff, noting that both are finally at
peace.

#3: Carrie by Stephen King

Exposition: Teenager Carrie is an outcast and lives with her controlling, fiercely
religious mother. One day, she starts her period in the showers at school after P.E.
Not knowing what menstruation is, Carrie becomes frantic; this causes other
students to make fun of her and pelt her with sanitary products. Around this time,
Carrie discovers that she has telekinetic powers.

Rising Action: Carrie practices her telekinesis, which grows stronger. The students
who previously tormented Carrie in the locker room are punished by their teacher.
One girl, Sue, feels remorseful and asks her boyfriend, Tommy, to take Carrie to the
prom. But another girl, Chris, wants revenge against Carrie and plans to rig the prom
queen election so that Carrie wins. Carrie attends the prom with Tommy and things
go well—at first.

Climax: After being named prom queen, Carrie gets onstage in front of the entire
school only to be immediately drenched with a bucket of pig’s blood, a plot carried
out by Chris and her boyfriend, Billy. Everybody laughs at Carrie, who goes mad and
begins using her telekinesis to start fires and kill everyone in sight.

Falling Action: Carrie returns home and is attacked by her mother. She kills her
mother and then goes outside again, this time killing Chris and Billy. As Carrie lay
dying, Sue comes over to her and Carrie realizes that Sue never intended to hurt
her. She dies.

Resolution: The survivors in the town must come to terms with the havoc Carrie
wrought. Some feel guilty for not having helped Carrie sooner; Sue goes to a
psychiatric hospital. It’s announced that there are no others like Carrie, but we are
then shown a letter from a mother discussing her young daughter’s telekinetic
abilities.

#4: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Exposition: Bella Swan is a high school junior who moves to live with her father in a
remote town in Washington State. She meets a strange boy named Edward, and
after an initially awkward meeting, the two start to become friends. One day, Edward
successfully uses his bare hands to stop a car from crushing Bella, making her
realize that something is very different about this boy.

Rising Action: Bella discovers that Edward is a vampire after doing some research
and asking him questions. The two develop strong romantic feelings and quickly fall
in love. Bella meets Edward’s family of vampires, who happily accept her. When
playing baseball together, however, they end up attracting a gang of non-vegetarian
vampires. One of these vampires, James, notices that Bella is a human and decides
to kill her. Edward and his family work hard to protect Bella, but James lures her to
him by making her believe he has kidnapped her mother.

Climax: Tricked by James, Bella is attacked and fed on. At this moment, Edward
and his family arrive and kill James. Bella nearly dies from the vampire venom in her
blood, but Edward sucks it out, saving her life.

Falling Action: Bella wakes up in the hospital, heavily injured but alive. She still
wants to be in a relationship with Edward, despite the risks involved, and the two
agree to stay together.

Resolution: Months later, Edward takes Bella to the prom. The two have a good
time. Bella tells Edward that she wants him to turn her into a vampire right then and
there, but he refuses and pretends to bite her neck instead.
 Despite what some critics might
claim,Twilight does, in fact, have a plot.

Conclusion: So What Is the Plot of a Story?

What is plot? Basically, it’s the chain of events in a story. These events must be
purposeful and organized in a logical manner that entices the reader, builds
tension, and provides a resolution.

All plots have a beginning, middle, and end, and usually contain the following five
points in this order:

#1: Exposition/introduction
#2: Rising action
#3: Climax/turning point
#4: Falling action
#5: Resolution/denouement

Sketching out a plot diagram can help you visualize your story and get a clearer
sense for where the climax is, what tensions you'll need to have in order to build up
to this turning point, and how you can offer a tight conclusion to your story.

What’s Next?
What is plot? A key literary element as it turns out. Learn about other important
elements of literature in our guide. We've also got a list of top literary devices you
should know.

Working on a novel? Then you will definitely want to know what kinds of tone words
you can use, how imagery works, what the big difference between a simile and a
metaphor is, and how to write an epilogue.

Interested in writing poetry? Then check out our picks for the 20 most critical
poetic devices.

Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article!
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Hannah Muniz
About the Author
Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and
holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to
2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about
education, writing, and travel.