Source: The Fifth Second Chance ~ George Anastaplo, Viewminder, Flickr
This lesson is on plot and characters. Before you begin, here’s a story:
Once upon a time, there lived a man who could neither talk nor hear. He sat alone in an empty room without a thought in his head. There he remained until he died.
Wasn’t that a great story? Admittedly, it’s a little on the short side, but it did have some of the elements traditionally present in literary texts. For example, you see a setting (an empty room) and a character (one man). Did you find this story enjoyable, or was there something missing? Perhaps you noticed a certain lack in the plot department? No doubt you have been introduced to this term before and know that plot is made up of events that occur in a story. In the short story above, not much happens, especially when we think about the plot. No event helps you identify with the main character of the story. A story without both plot and characters wouldn’t hold your attention long and might even result in your nodding off in midsentence. Fortunately, many authors have managed to keep our attention in countless works of literary fiction and for hundreds of years. How?
An author writes a story that uses both characters and events in such a way that the story captures the reader’s attention. The author connects two elements—character and plot. Good stories involve interesting characters, so what’s wrong with the story you just read? Well, it’s true that the story has a character, but he can neither hear nor talk. In fact, he has no thoughts, and for all you know, no motivations or conflicts in his life. In other words, he’s not very interesting. This lesson is about how authors weave their characters and plot to tell interesting stories. Why is this important to the reader? All literary fiction is about human life, stories about what it means to be alive. It is the artful intertwining of character and plot that makes a quality work of literary fiction. Knowing how an author fashions the creative relationship between characters and the events in their lives (plot) allows a deeper appreciation for the author’s craft and provides a clearer insight into his or her message.