1) Exposition (introduction) - Beginning of the story; characters, background, and setting revealed.
2) Rising Action - Events in the story become complicated; the conflict is revealed. These are events between
the introduction and climax.
• Conflict - Essential to plot, opposition ties incidents together and moves the plot. Not merely
limited to arguments, conflict can be any fOfI1)of struggle the main character faces. Within a short
story, there may be only one central struggle, or there may be many minor obstacles within a
dominant struggle. There are two ~ of conflict:
o Internal- Struggle within one's self.
• Character vs. Self - Struggles with own soul, physical limitations, choices, etc.
o External - Struggle with a force outside one's self.
• Character vs. Character - Struggles against other people.
• Character vs. Nature - Struggles against animals, weather, environment, etc.
• Character vs. Society - Struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of others