Plot Terms

falling action

Events after the climax, leading to the resolution.

initiating event

In a story, the event that sets the main conflict into motion.

climax

Most exciting moment of the story; turning point, the point of highest interest, the conflict must be resolved one way or another or a character begins to take action to end the conflict

setting

The time and place of a story

outcome

This is how a problem is solved or what happens at the end of a story. also called the conclusion, or resolution

exposition

introduces the characters, setting, and basic situation

rising action

major events in a story that lead up to the climax, the SERIES of ACTION that sets up the conflict - in this part of the story TENSION builds, and works its way up to the climax/crisis/turning point

problem

something wrong, something to be solved

conclusion

the ending of a story also called the resolution, or outcome

characters

the people or animals in a story

resolution

the point of closure - also called the conclusion - when the conflict is worked out- the end, the 4th part of the plot; when all the problems are resolved, either happily or unhappily, and the story is closed. also called the outcome, or conclusion

plot

the sequence of events in a story

turning point

the third part of plot structure, the point at which the action stops rising and begins falling or reversing. Sometimes referred to as the climax of the story.