V4 - Setting, Theme, Conflict, Plot Structure

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Literary devices

V4D & V4E

2024-2025

At the end of this lesson you can...

1. Describe what the setting of a story is

2. Use a plot diagram to analyse the plot structure of a story

3. List and explain the 6 types of conflict

Why is the plot structure important?

Plot structure is not just used in literature, but also in storytelling, television and film.

Once you know plot structure, you can automatically organise something abstract into something that is concrete and makes sense. 

Setting

Setting = Time and place

Examples?

The setting affects the mood/atmosphere in a story.

What is the setting in a story?

1. A lesson being taught
2. When and where the story occurs
3. The events happening in the story
4. How the characters are described

Which of the following is an example of setting? (more than 1 answer possible)

1. A fight
2. A high school in 1987
3. Blue jacket
4. March

True or false: the setting can affect the character's mood in a story.

1. True
2. False

Types of Conflict

External Conflict

• Person against Nature
• Person against Supernatural
• Person against Society
• Person against Person
• Person against Technology

Internal Conflict

• Person against Self

Types of Conflict

External Conflict

• Person against Nature
• Person against Supernatural
• Person against Society
• Person against Person
• Person against Technology

Internal Conflict

• Person against Self

Back to plot structure

The plot structure consists of 6 smaller parts: 

1. exposition

(2. inciting incident)

3. rising action

4. climax

5. falling action

6. resolution.

Interest and suspense are built during which part of the story?

1. Exposition
2. Inciting Incident
3. Climax
4. Rising action

Take a look at these words

Love          Friendship              Revenge

Greed               Death                Equality                       Hope

Guilt                     Responsibility                      Justice

Topic

... is generally 1 word that outlines the main idea being explored in a text 

Examples: love, revenge, family, nature, war

Theme

... is the moral lesson that the author wants the reader to learn. The theme can usually be summarised in 1 sentence.

Topic

Fear of death

Love

Friendship

Theme

The fear of death can be a catalyst of change.

People will often sacrifice anything for those they love.

Friendship can often get people through even the hardest of times.

What is an example of a Person against Nature Conflict?

1. Surviving a hurricane
2. Getting abducted by aliens
3. Having a fight with a friend
4. Getting stuck on a hill after a tsunami

Plot Structure

= all the events that make up (the main part of) a story.

All events relate to each other in a sort of pattern and this organisation has an effect on how the reader feels about the story or its characters. 

Before we continue, we need to revise "setting"...