Plot

What is plot?
The Procession of events that unfold throughout a story.
A means of revealing character.
A beginning, a middle and an end.
The significant acts or experiences in a story.

Basic plot structure
Exposition....
Exposition is the point in the plot where the reader learns everything he/she needs to know in order to understand the text.
Setting and character are established here
     Example: Boy loves girl (now in Indiana)
Conflict...
The conflict or inciting incident is the point when the protagonist is first introduced to a problem to solve
     Example: Secret rival boy causes girl to leave boy
Rising Action...
Rising action is the process by which the conflict develops and is usually worsened.
     Example: Boy's efforts to regain Girl drive her into the arms of Rival Boy.
     Climax...
The climax is the turning point of the conflict in the story, the peak of suspense, the moment where everything changes
     Example: boy confronts girl with ugly truth about rival boy
Falling Action...
The falling action is the process by which the conflict is made better
     Example: Girl is disgusted with both boys, but slowly allows boy to regain trust.
Resolution...
The resolution is the point at which the problem is resolved
     Example: Boy gets Girl Back.


Types of Conflict
Internal-Conflicts related to the character's beliefs, ideas, imagination or emotions that originate from inside the character.
External-Conflicts related to the character's physical condition that originate from outside the character.
Types of Conflicts
Man v. Man
Man. v. Nature
Man v. Machine/Technology
Man v. Self
Man v. God
Man v. Society
Man v. Animal

Plot doesn't have to be Chronological
In Medias Res-in the middle of things--a plot strategy in which the story begins in the middle
Flashback--a plot strategy in which important plot elements are learned in retrospect.
Various Orders of Events:
      Begin at the climax, flashback to the beginning, then conclude
      Begin at the conflict, flashback to the exposition.
      Begin at the resolution, flashback to the climax or the conflict, flashback again to the exposition.
      Keep important details hidden until the end, then flashback to fill them in.

Good stories have multiple plots
Frame stories--stories within a story.
Internal and external stories
Point of view-each character has his or her own plots
Sub-plots--plots that are of less importance but which are related to the main plot of a story.

"What I Said"

"What I Said"
Norman Stock

Questions about the text: What was "the terror"? What caused the sudden change in mood at the end? Why is the author questioning things so much, what exactly happened? Why does the author want to kill them?

Personal Response: This poem made me think about the attack on September 11, 2001 because of the emotions that were conveyed throughout this poem. Many Americans on this day were filled with the emotions that are displayed in the authors words. Many of them did not know how to react, they were questioning everything that they had once knew, everything changed in a matter of seconds. Yet, once the overwhelming thoughts and thinking slowed down, many Americans just wanted revenge which is exactly what the author is alluding to.

Overall thoughts: I thought this poem showed alot of patriotism through the wording. The word choice that was used in this poem was very to the point and very emotional. There were many times that the words that were used to talk about the "terror" made me really believe that the author was speaking of September 11. I just felt like this poem was very patriotic because there were many times when the reader was faced with the trials that happened to America and was reacting in a "I will protect America" sort of way.

Dirty Harry

"Dirty Harry"
Gorillaz Song

Questions About the Text: What is the author's mindset when reciting this poem? What is he referring to when he says "cos all I do is dance"? Who is the author referring to when he says "seems like everybody's out to test ya"?

Personal Response: This poem uses many symbols to create their main focal point. The author references to fighting by using the words "I need a gun to keep myself among" (line 1) which is referencing that he constantly needs protection anytime he steps outside. Also the whole song seems like it is written in a sarcastic mood. Although, many of the sentences are also much deeper than their face value if the reader looks deeper into the meaning.

Overall thoughts: I thought that the song itself was really somewhat weird, but when we started breaking it down and looking at the symbols and certain things that were being referenced  I started thinking it was a bit more normal. I mean, it was still kind of different, but I respected the song more, after I learned more about it. The poem itself was a well written piece of work and I really liked how things were addressed. I thought that it was very interesting.

"Occupation"

"Occupation"
Eliza Griswold

Questions about the text: Is Kabul in the Middle East? What is the author referring to when he says "two years ago the Talibs favored boys and left the girls alone"? Also, what exactly does "a woman was worth her weight in stone." referring to?

Personal Response: This poem made me think of the occupation of Iraq near the beginning of the war. I thought about that because during that time there were many bad things going on in the Middle East. Another thing that made me think that this was about the occupation of Iraq because it was talking about a woman's flesh was now worth more than it had ever been and this had never been the case before, but now there are soldiers that want nothing more than a woman to hold. This poem also caused me to think about the effects that this occupation had on the people of Iraq, because mostly we just think about impact it had on America but it also affected those people in Iraq as well.

Overall Thoughts: I really felt like this poem was held at its face value. There were not really any words that I felt were meant to have a deeper meaning because the poem was very straightforward. While this poem is straightforward there are also many things that are extremely emotionally tolling in this poem. The sentence where they talk about, "two years ago, the Talibs favored boys and left the girls alone"(line 8), it just really hit my heart hard. Mostly because I was thinking of "why would people ever do this to innocent people".

"next to of course god america i"

"next to of course god america i"

Questions about the text: Why is the author speaking in this way? What does gorry mean? What does "rushed like lions to the roaring slaughter" mean?

Thoughts about the text: When I read this poem I noticed that there were many cliche's in this poem. Also, the writer was referencing destiny though the use of "God". I also noticed that there are many run on sentences in this poem which are revealing the speakers relationship to God and country.

Personal Response: This poem just confused me, I didn't really know what the purpose was exactly. I thought first that I understood a bit of the poem, but then I realized that I really didn't understand anything that the poem was talking about. I tried to research things and I still wasn't exactly sure what the poem was about.

"Traveling Through The Dark"

1. These details suggest symbolic meaning because its comparing the car to a tiger, or some other type of prey animal.
2. The tone of this poem is conflicted because he doesn't know what to do with the body, and he is conflicted about the decision that he is going to have to make.
3. The effect of the last stanza emphasizing the emotion he felt for pushing the pregnant deer over the ravine.
4. This title is appropriate because the story is about traveling through the dark because it was an insight into the narrators life and the life of the dead deer.   
   
   
   Personal Response: This poem is extremely emotional, and really tugs at my heart strings. The poem is extremely vivid and uses many symbolic terms. The story is really vivid when the author is talking about seeing the deer on the road and the emotions that went through his head. When the author realized that the deer was pregnant, the emotion became more vivid.