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LaPlante’s chapter nine What Happens Next? Figuring The Plot, was one that I felt was crucial for many of us and for beginner writers. Especially in telling the difference between storytelling and plot. I like how LaPlante mentions E.M. Foster’s perspective one plot. On page 279 he says “A plot is also a narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality.” He then goes onto use the king died explanation, which is often used when explaining plot, and it can be argued that it is not needed and maybe some people may not like that LaPlante mentioned this in her chapter but I actually like this. Using the king died example is usually used for beginners and most of us are beginner to intermediate writers, we are not experienced/pro writers for a reason and I think that someone like me could use all the advice/reminders that we can get. One thing that I did not like was on page 281 when she briefly speaks about metafiction. I think that metafiction is an important to some pieces of literature. I wish she could of explained or at least touched on the subject some more and or not mention it at all. On page 284 LaPlante mentions different way to incorporate conflict in your story aside from the customary man against man, man against nature and man against himself. I feel like that is useful in a way that it provides a new way to look at things in terms of creating a genuine conflict that would make your story a lot better. Finally my favorite was one page 285 when talking about Sonny’s Blues, the points of the story as it goes chronologically vs how the points go according to plot. I feel like this whole example is great and can really explain to all levels of writers what plot can do to your story.
ReplyDelete-Marco Garza
In chapter nine LaPlante raises the question to “what happens next” in regards to story plot and offers us an opportunity to view this direction in a few various ways. What I found interesting is the example that is given on page 279, in the first paragraph by E.M. Forster about the difference between telling a story and a plot. He compares the two scenarios which are the same outcome but under different circumstances which allow the reader to clearly and easily define the contrast between the two and gives an idea to what to be mindful of when constructing our story’s structure and design. The story of “Sonny’s Blues” is a prime example of the lesson LaPlante emphasizes on plot. The story could easily be just a series of events that pan out such as: the narrator has a brother with an addiction. Instead the author provides history as the story goes on and gives the reader a deeper and personal indication to why this is all happening. Baldwin provides us with so much raw and intense emotions and thoughts behind the main character and even opens the window to how the other characters are thinking and feeling creating a far more in depth plot to the overall narrative.
ReplyDeleteClaire Cardenas
LaPlante in chapter 9 begins by showing us that the plot is always going to be there and in this chapter she goes right back into it. I like the way she starts the chapter off by distinguishing between plot and story, this is something I never really thought about, to me they went hand and hand but her choice to make that like a warning at the beginning was good cause without reading the rest of the chapter without it could of led to learning the wrong things and possibly picking up bad habits. The idea she brings up that not every little thing in the story needs to be tied to something else is great, I feel like I agree with this because I feel like putting to much meaning behind it can stop a story from being great, as if instead of reading an adventure the audience is now reading a textbook.
ReplyDeleteThe section about clichés was helpful cause of what she says about the process of writing the plot if we feel like a story needs a certain scene we must ask ourselves why, and in questioning ourselves we might stop ourselves from making a mistake in our writing.
- Eduardo Castellanos
As Alice LaPlante states, “You cannot read about plot without running into that central word, “conflict.” A story or a novel must have conflict…”, the story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin in connection to her chapter nine deals with several conflicts in its plot. The main character’s conflict is dealing with his brother and his life choices while trying to understand him and how he turned out. With this you can see how complex a story can get and how one conflict can branch out to more conflicts or plots such as Sonny getting arrested leads to the brother wondering how Sonny got to be how he was and in which as he thinks about the past told through the flashbacks this also connects to his father’s past with his uncle and how he died. LaPlante along with discussing about conflicts also talks about plots and what exactly it is. She goes over the difference between a story and a plot and how causality is an important part of what makes a plot. She briefly mentions metafiction but doesn’t fully go over it as much as character-based plotting. In her chapter nine, LaPlante even illustrates the plot points of the story, “Sonny’s Blues” and goes over clichés which she encourages to try to surprise the reader instead of going for a cliche.
ReplyDeleteSylvia Lopez
With Chapter Nine, LaPlante discusses the structure of the plot and how to formulate a series of events into a coherent story. She goes at length to define the difference between “story” and “plot” by analyzing the basic definition for readers to identify the significance these two things provide. For this, LaPlante examines different plot techniques and elements that answer the importance of scene and demonstrate how everything comes together within the overall narrative. This depth gives insight into defining what can be incorporated within the context of a story while providing unique situations for characters to experience. This becomes defined by how the conflict and how the characters change in regards to the plot as this can be a definite factor to what can be considered a basic story (in this case, a basic short story).
ReplyDeleteIn this case, “Sonny’s Blues” has a great composition with its characters and its structure. James Baldwin did a remarkable job in interweaving several conflicts within the narrative to form one cohesive plot. LaPlante even highlights this distinction in her discussion about a plot by analyzing the numerous plot points that make up the wring together the impact these events have on the characters through their thoughts and feeling on the conflicts that define their lives. It also becomes significant due to the order of events Baldwin provides by telling the story out of sequence to create rather than in order. In that sense, it entices readers to wonder what happened, why it happened, how this happened in a matter that is defined by the way the plot is presented and developed by the author. In turn, this creates the greatest impact and development based on Baldwin’s performance and on the writing elements he used.
- Joseph Gonzalez
Chapter 9 offers a small glimpse into the difference between plot and story and how we as writer’s can help ourselves with those elements of our stories. Perhaps my favorite section of the chapter is LaPlante’s explanation of the distinction between plot and story: the story can be paraphrased and leads the reader to ask, “And Then?” while the plot resists the ability to paraphrase and leaves the reader asking, “Why?” Interestingly, on page 284, LaPlante offers an excerpt from John Cheever that reflects my particular style of writing well in that I prefer to go into a story with little plot in mind, instead letting the story flow naturally and let the appropriate conflict for the character in the set world space to crop up naturally. The only part of the chapter that I didn’t like runs deep as the chapter does not focus on any particular issue for more than a couple paragraphs, ready to move onto another subject despite implying that a story’s plot is a precious element to the story. It impresses a sense of “The plot is important, but there are other parts of the story that are much more critical” which acts in opposition to the idea that the plot is a central part of a story. Although, I suppose the reasoning for that would be to encourage writers to experiment with other types of fiction, perhaps even the metafiction mentioned only in a small paragraph on page 281 stating a definition and that it would not actually be covered at this time.
ReplyDelete-Aaron Garza
In LaPlante’s chapter nine section “What Happens Next?” she goes over the plot and how best to implement it in our stories. One of the aspects of this chapter that was very informative was LaPlante’s section on “Render How - Don’t Try to Answer Why” where she explains an interesting way to go about plot. In this section LaPlante encourages us to not try and explain why something happens, but instead demonstrate how it happens. LaPlante also warns young writers to stay clear from oversimplification. Oversimplification explains in too much detail why something happens instead of how something happens. This leads to the reader being told details, and emotions, about the story instead of those details being interpreted by the reader themselves. Another aspect that LaPlante writes about is plot points, which is also something that I do when trying to write a story that requires a visual layout. Sometimes it helps me to write a story by first laying out the blueprints, or bones, of the story and then slowly fill in the details like a sculpture would a statue. One of the aspects about plot points is that they are like the stepping stones to your story. Though the story might not end up where you thought it would end up the reader is guided along the way.
ReplyDelete-James Attwood
I really liked the chapter because LaPlante does a good job of explaining plot. I feel like I have a better understanding about it, that the story and plot go hand and hand, but they are not the same thing. I liked the section “Character-Based Plotting” it just contrasts perfectly how a short story should be. It is what Dr. Moreira tells us to do, to focus on the character(s) and have the story revolve around the character(s). I also liked the part “On Conflict” for me it was a great refresher since we went over this in Playwrighting class, conflict in not only an argument, it is something that impedes a character from getting something. I also liked the story a lot because it reminded me a lot of my brother, I love my brother and I know he loves me too, and we can count on each other for anything, for as long as we have lived, we have only ever gotten mad at each other and fought like 2 or 3 times. The story also reminded me of this one time, I was about 4 years old, we went along with out mom to a school meeting, I went outside to play cause it was boring, and some kids got on top of the building, I don’t know how, and they started to light up some matches and throwing them at me from up the building, and well… my brother saw this and he beat the crap outa them, and the best part is that they were two or three on them (don’t remember much) and they were also older than him, and he alone kicked there ass. I look up to my brother, he’s awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if I had to say something else about the story besides being a trip down memory lane, it was that it was a bit too long, I felt like it took me forever to read it, but I enjoyed it though.
-Alexis Perez
LaPlante has a short section on character-based plotting. Going through that and the feedback I’ve received on my short story solidifies the idea that it needs massive reconstruction. The idea that the internal is what drives the external. We’ve been told to place our characters in situations that make them uncomfortable to see how they react is a point she brings up on page 282, “What can I do to unsettle or move or stress my character in some way?”
ReplyDeleteThe section on analyzing plot points (Pg 284) helped break down the story for me in a way that allowed me to visualize causality. Sonny is a heroin addict because of the toxic relationship with his father, group of jazz musicians he hanged out with, no positive reinforcement of his dream from close family members and lastly, disconnection from the family after the fight from his brother. All these points are plot and causality, like a spider’s web. One set of events can change the direction of a character.
The ending of the short story was wrapped up neatly like a bow on a gift. I don’t believe Sonny has changed. When he started using, he was playing, now he’s “clean” and still playing. Baldwin’s final sentence seems focused on the glass resting on top of the piano; it left me thinking that Sonny is going to grab it again since the night is still young. I’m just assuming that one thing would lead to another and eventually he’ll find his way back into the cycle of either drug use or possibly alcohol. Sonny hasn’t changed, he’s still the same person he was in jail since his issues are never adequately addressed or resolved.
- Eloy T Sepulveda
In chapter nine, LaPlante addresses what to do when developing your plot. First, we get a definition for what plot is, but it does not come without having to differentiate between story and plot. LaPlante quotes E.M. Forster who tells of what people might say a novel does. However, he uses the word “story” differently than what we have been reading throughout this book. A story is what can be summarized from text in a “what happened” kind of way while plot “resists paraphrase”. It is the sequence of events that leads to the effect the piece was intended to have. What helped me as a writer was when LaPlante instructs us to not force a linear explanation as to why a character did a specific action. People are complex that way, so of course characters should be as well. Conflict goes hand in hand with plot; it is just as important. The section “Analyzing Plot Points” makes a visual that plot points are not necessarily going to be in chronological order. What happens next in a story could be a flashback to something that happened well before the story took place. It adds to the storytelling. Another key thing I learned in this chapter was to avoid clichés by challenging your instinct that makes you want to have a specific scene. What you write is original.
ReplyDelete-Gabriela Urbano
This chapter is self explanatory in my opinion because it is all about story versus plot. LaPlante gives so many scattered definitions of plot vs. story that contradict each other. One of the things she says about plot is that it doesn’t go without conflict. Each version of story has a time stamped onto it and each version of plot is a string of events which are basic definitions we are supposed to know as writers. Yet, there are mistakes we can make as writers such as LaPlante’s greatest advice on page 280 “These are valid questions to ask—but never, ever make yourself invent some linear, simplistic “reason” for what can be very complexly motivated behaviors.” She means that as writers, we have to think about causality more than answering other people’s possible questions. We need to answer how and not why to the readers. LaPlante mentions on 286 that as readers we often ask why and how instead of “and then?”which sort of contradicts only answering how when the reader is interested in both. Something I liked and found funny was that on page 282 it discussed being mean to your characters. I’ve definitely heard that in this class before. I thought it was weird in the chapter that LaPlante discusses metafiction for a moment then dismissed it. What is the point to bring it up in the first place? Something I noticed about the short story Sonny’s Blues was that on page 289 of the chapter Laplante brings up an exercise called by the time you read this (the basic point of the exercise is to write a detailed list through the use of a letter). I found that on page 295 of the short story Sonny’s Blues a detailed list stating “Most of the houses in which we had grown up had vanished, as had the stories from which we had stolen, the basements in which we had first tried sex, the rooftops from which we had hurled tin cans and bricks.”, I found it very similar to what the exercise wanted us to practice in the chapter.
ReplyDelete-Allison Gonzalez
In Chapter 9, “What Happens Next,” LaPlante helps us to differentiate between story and plot, and explains the intertwined relationship between character and plot (282). I especially appreciated the section on causality, in which she explains that our need to have a simplistic linear consequence for every plot point “is to undermine the subtlety” of a story (280). We all want to know why a character behaves a certain way, but as LaPlante notes, human nature is complicated. Her solution is to depict and demonstrate how a character acts, instead of trying to explain why they acted a certain way. This was very helpful to me. I tend to write intuitively, but can see how using plot points can be very helpful in structuring my stories.
ReplyDeleteI like the way that LaPlante broke down the plot points for James Baldwin’s story, “Sonny’s Blues” to illustrate how the “basic story…differs from the basic plot (because) the story is told out of sequence” (284). By telling parts of story as flashbacks and memories, we are able to understand the complex emotions and behaviors of the protagonist towards his younger brother Sonny. The reader doesn’t need to ask why the protagonist feels guilty, responsible, and afraid for his brother. The flashbacks depict the “how” through descriptions of their family history and circumstances in a way that explains the “why.”
-Dorie Garza
Chapter nine of LaPlante’s text in my opinion has been one of the better in terms of fully describing and elaborating on the aspects of short fiction that she is attempting to get across. Especially considering the larger novice audience that might be buying this text.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don’t think that I ever really considered plot and story as two dramatically different entities. LaPlante introduced us to this concept of plot as causality very well and the exploration of the concept through the lens of noteworthy authors. I’m partial to Poe so reading about his idea of unity of purpose was interesting and added to the previous idea of a unit of satisfaction that we are attempting to create in writing short fiction.
Furthermore, I would say that LaPlante addressed something I have often noticed in workshopping sessions: peers often asking why something is happening to the author, or why they chose to do some certain action (or chose not to). I’m definitely going to try leaning into this idea of telling people how and not why more in my own writing; especially in light of the great feedback I was given. I see now that I don’t necessarily have to answer their question of why my character is doing something in a very deliberate and linear sense, instead relying on the complexity of his decisions and how he reached that decision.
-Joaquin Castillo