Aristotle S Elements of Complex Plots

Aristotle’s Elements of Complex Plots

In addition to his theory about beginnings, middles, and endings, Aristotle described a number of elements that he considered crucial to the creation of a complex, fully developed plot:

reversals— Characters should find themselves going from good fortune to bad, and back again, etc., as both result and cause of their choices and actions. These reversals serve as climactic moments in the plot.
discoveries— Aristotle said that characters should make discoveries, especially about themselves. These discoveries may be about their pasts, their flaws, or even their own motivations. (For more information, see also the third article in this series, "Creating Vivid Characters.")
complications— Something should stand between the protagonist and his objective. (For more on motivation and objectives, see "Creating Vivid Characters.") Characters with different objectives, for example, may find themselves in conflict with each other, which helps to create plot tension. Bear in mind that an even battle is more interesting than Bambi vs. Godzilla, but also that an underdog effect (as in the first "Star Wars" film) can be most thrilling. In any case, your characters’ efforts to resolve the situation should create further complications, allowing the tension to escalate. And, when in doubt, follow Raymond Chandler’s advice: "When things get slow, bring in a man with a gun." (It doesn’t have to be a literal gun, of course. It could be anything that will raise the tension level a few notches.)
catastrophe— It needn’t be an earthquake or a mass murder; it might be an emotional catastrophe, completely internal to your character’s psyche. But no plot will be interesting if things go too smoothly. Bad things should happen, even to good people. It’s how your charactersdealwith catastrophe that produces plot.
resolution— The plot should reach some satisfactory conclusion that continues logically from the events of the story. (In other words, don’t rely on coincidences, or adeus ex machinadevice, in which some new element gets introduced suddenly at the end to resolve the plot.)

Four Common Plot Structures

There are many different ways to structure a plot while still incorporating the elements recommended by Aristotle. I’ll discuss four of these common plot structures: the "episodic" plot, the "hero’s journey" plot, the "mountain" plot, and the "W" plot.

The Episodic Plot (see figure 1)

The episodic plot is often used in picaresque novels — common in the 18th century — such asTom JonesandMoll Flanders, which follow one lively and resourceful character through a series of adventures. If we were to chart the plot’s rises and falls — Aristotle’s "reversals" — we would see something like a horizontal zigzag, as the tension does not generally increase as the story progresses. This is the plot structure that most closely resembles real life, with its endless series of largely unconnected adventures. Though still common in video games, it has fallen out of fashion in fiction writing, due to its usually less intense emotional impact on the audience.

The Hero’s Journey (see figure 2)

As described by Joseph Campbell in his numerous books, the hero’s journey plot is common in fairy tales, folk tales, and myths. It involves a specific pattern of stages, which might be graphically represented as a circle, since this plot begins with the hero’s departure and ends with his/her return to society:

call to adventure
journey through unfamiliar world; hero is tested
supreme ordeal
reward
return and reintegration into society

One example of this plot is the first "Star Wars" film, in which Luke gets the call to adventure when he finds Princess Leia’s recorded plea for help. He resists, but finally does leave with his guide, Ben Kenobi, to travel through unfamiliar lands, learn new things, and have his strength and character tested in various adventures. His supreme ordeal culminates in the explosion of the Death Star, and Luke is then rewarded and reintigrated into society in the final ceremony scene.

The Mountain Plot (see figure 3)

Common in literary novels and stories, as well as many independent films, the mountain plot consists of a structure of increasingly significant mini-climactic moments, with increasing tension leading to a final climax of the plot. Its name comes from its graphic representation, which resembles the side of a mountain, climbing in jagged peaks to a summit:

the story begins, and tension begins to build
the protagonist reaches the first complication, and things take a downward turn
the protagonist finds a way to overcome the first complication, and things begin to look up (steps 2 and 3 are then repeated at varying intervals, with the tension building higher and higher)
the story reaches its climax, the plot tension is resolved, the protagonist has either succeeded or failed at his/her super-objective
some small amount of conclusion after the climax eases the reader out of the story

An example of this plot structure might be Jane Austen’sEmma, in which an English gentlewoman finds various obstacles (seps 2 and 3) in the way of her matchmaking for a young friend and for herself. She finds herself increasingly at odds with a close family friend, and the tension between them builds greater and greater. Emma gets herself into increasingly unpleasant social situations, and then eventually realizes that she is in love with the man who has been her friendly adversary throughout the plot. They tell each other of their feelings, and marry.

The "W" Plot (see figure 4)

Common in popular novels, television, and Hollywood films, the "W" plot structure is named for its graphical representation, which resembles the letter "W." In the "W" plot, the protagonist encounters a series of obstacles to achieving their objective:

First Barrier: The protagonist begins work toward his objective and encounters the first barrier.
First Barrier Reversal: Things don’t look good, but the protagonist manages to overcome the first barrier
Second Barrier: At the high point of the action, just when it looks like the protagonist has it made and his objective is within reach, the rug is suddenly pulled out from under him in the unexpected second reversal.
Second Barrier Reversal: At the low point of the action, when things look very grim, the protagonist still has an opportunity to overcome this catastrophe and achieve his objective.
Resolution: The protagonist either does or does not pull out of the catastrophe, resolving the plot either tragically or triumphantly.

Mike Meyers’ film "So I Married an Axe Murderer" displays a good example of a "W" plot structure. Charlie meets Harriet, the woman of his dreams, and wants to live happily ever after. But he has intimacy issues, so (in the first reversal) he convinces himself that she is the infamous "Honeymoon Murderer," and he breaks up with her. But then he learns that the true murderer has been arrested, and so he convinces Harriet to give him another chance, and they get married. Unfortunately (in the second reversal), on the wedding night, Charlie finds out that the true murderer was not arrested, and that in fact very strong evidence points to Harriet, his new bride! He spends his wedding night fleeing an axe-wielding maniac on the roof of their hotel. But in the end he survives, and finds his true love, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Embedded Plot Structures

All four of these plot structures, of course, are open to sub-plots and combining and embedding. For example, any major battle scene includes numerous reversals and mini-climactic moments. So it is with most plots. In most "W" plots, for example, the protagonist encounters more than two barriers, but encounters two primary, significant barriers. Play around with plots. Play with the frequency of events and climactic moments (if climactic moments are rare, your story may be slow; but if climactic moments are too frequent, your audience may feel bombarded and unable to absorb the significance of each individual event). Most good stories achieve a sort of rhythm of tension and climax. Give it a try!

Summary

Plot is like a skeleton that holds your story together, connecting all of the pieces so that they form one coherent organism. Plot tells not onlywhathappened, butwhyit happened.

Aristotle said that a complex plot should have a proper beginning, middle, and end. He also listed elements of complex plots: reversals, discoveries, complications, catastrophe, and resolution.

Four common plot structures which you may want to experiment with in your own writing are: the episodic plot (common in picaresque novels), the hero’s journey plot (common in fairy tales, folk tales, and myths), the mountain plot (common in literary novels and stories, and some independent films), and the "W" plot (common in popular novels, television, and Hollywood films). All of these plot structures, however, are open to combining and embedding.