Let’s switch from pigs to snakes in this section. “The Dinner Party,” by Mona Gardner, is a very short story with a linear plot and plenty of conflict. This story is about an event that occurs during a formal dinner party with English officials at a home in India.

Click the link to open the graphic organizer. You can save, download, and print this file. While you read the story, think about how conflict is evident in each of the plot elements. When you are finished using the graphic organizer, return to the lesson. Graphic Organizer Instructions

The exercise you are about to complete will give you an opportunity to think about the elements of the story you just read and how the conflict enhances the plot. For instance I noticed that something peculiar was happening when I read “The boy’s eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room.” This told me the conflict was developing and that I needed to pay attention to the rising action to figure out what was happening.

Match each of the quotes from the text that appears in the first column to the plot element it represents in the second column. Hint: Some plot elements can be used more than once.

A portrait photograph of a gentleman in colonial India. He is wearing a military uniform and wearing a dress sword.

Source: Great great grandpa, Sayanee, Basu, Flickr

A portrait photograph of a woman in colonial India. She is the Empress Alexandra.

Source: Empress Alexandra of India, DonaldIndai, Flickr

Now that we’ve looked at the plot elements, complete this activity to see how you do on identifying conflict within the story.