Plot

Plot: What Events Are Occurring?

In short stories, plot, or the events that make up the action of the story, are very critical. Often, plotting is more important in short stories that any other element.

Analyzing Plot: How Are the Events Happening?

The following diagram shows how the elements of a short story work together to make up the plot. Refer to the diagram and note the answers to the questions below.

Below is an analysis of the plot of “The Enemy” by Pearl S. Buck.

1. The exposition of a story sets the tone, establishes the setting, introduces the characters, and provides an explanation of the central conflict.

• a. Who are the major characters? Sadao Hoki, his wife Hana, an American prisoner of war, and the General
• b. What is the setting? On a Japanese beach during World War II
• c. What is the main conflict? Sadao must decide whether to kill an enemy or to save his enemy’s life.

2. The rising action in a short story includes all the events that move the plot along and build suspense.

Record the rising action below:

Beginning event:

• a. Sadao and Hana find an American prisoner of war unconscious on the beach near their home.
• b. Sadao and Hana carry him to their home after deciding they cannot throw him back into the sea.
• c. Sadao uses his medical knowledge to save the man’s life.
• d. The servants leave because they do not approve of Sadao’s actions. d. Sadao is summoned to the General, who is ill.
• e. The General promises to send an assassin to kill the American.
• f. For two nights Sadao listens to every sound in the night, expecting the assassin to come for the American.

3. The climax, or turning point, is the moment of greatest tension in the story and usually indicates how the conflict will be resolved.

What is the climax of this story?

The climax of the story occurs when Sadao gives the American his boat, food, and instructions for catching a Korean fishing boat to freedom.

4. The falling action includes the events that occur after the climax and lets the reader know how the conflict is resolved and the effects of the resolution on the characters.

• a. What happens during the falling action of this story?

Sadao operates on the General and saves the old man’s life; the General admits he forgot about his promise to have the American killed; Sadao tells him the American escaped; Sadao realizes the General is worried that Sadao will tell the authorities about the incident and that he will be considered unpatriotic.

• b. How does the story end?

Sadao knows he is safe and he wonders why he could not bring himself to kill his enemy.