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Author
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Topic: 7 Basic Plots
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JasonSly
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posted 11-30-2000 11:24 AM
I read somewhere or heard somewhere, like on a DVD or something, that there are really only 7 basic plots, and every story is an elaboration of one of these basic plots. Anyone know what they are, or where I could find out about them. Thanks. |
I'm Scared Sarge
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posted 11-30-2000 07:47 PM
Kinda like seven deadly sins  Maybe you're talking about 7 conflicts: Man vs Man
Man vs Self
Man vs Society
Man vs Animal
Man vs ???
Cant remember the rest
------------------
"I'm Scared Sarge"
"We're All Scared Son" Visit No Budget Films at:
http://no_budget_films.tripod.com |
JasonSly
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posted 11-30-2000 08:36 PM
You're probably right, Sarge. I may have been going a bit far calling them plots. It seems like I heard it on a DVD commentary or something. Oh well, thanks. It wan't really important or necessary, I was just curious and you helped me out. |
capt. video
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posted 12-01-2000 05:40 AM
that's man vs nature not animals the last one is man vs God. there's another one i came up with the anceint greeks didn't think of man vs technology. which just goes to show you there are no absolutes |
Flemchuck
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posted 12-05-2000 06:59 PM
way to show the ancient greeks, capt video, YOU SUCK GREEKS!!!!there's also man vs supernatural or, let's mix and match! animal vs the greeks, society vs supernatural, etc |
Revolvo Spinz
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posted 12-05-2000 09:00 PM
I think Man vs. Technology would be Man vs. Self seeing as it's man-made.------------------
-kickin it live 9 to 5 |
RICKDIRE
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posted 12-06-2000 11:40 AM
It's man vs. machine and i'm pretty sure it is one of the conflicts------------------
Freedom never came for free, patriots are bleeding thier vains clean. |
capt. video
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posted 12-07-2000 03:44 AM
naw there's only 5 well 6 if you count mine. man against himself refers to the inner battle. i.e. "HAMLET", man against society would be something like "A CLOCKWORK ORANGE", man against nature would be "THE PERFECT STORM", man against man say "BRAVEHEART", man agaist God would be "FAUST", man against tecnology say "THE TERMINATOR". i do think this is a legitimate new catigory that came about when we imagined the idea of creating mechines that thought for themselfs. although one could argue that in say "THE MATROX" that's really man against society because dispite the society being atrifical they were in fact in a social system and "THE TERMINATOR" is really man agaist man because gods and heroes in anceint tales wheren't exactly human. even H.A.L. in 2001 had very human qualities however it's motives as in "THE TRMINATOR"and "THE MATROX" were very unhuman. |
Actor
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posted 12-20-2000 08:57 PM
People have been trying to classify plots ever since Aristotle. Aristotle thought there were two basic plots: plots of the body and plots of the mind, i.e., comedy and tragedy. Kipling thought there were 69. Carlo Gozzi published a book in which he listed and discussed The 36 Dramatic Situations. A much more practical book to read on this subject is
20 Master Plots (And How to Build Them) by Ronald B Tobias. His list is:
- Quest
- Adventure
- Pursuit
- Rescue
- Escape
- Revenge
- The Riddle
- Rivalry
- Underdog
- Temptation
- Metamorphosis
- Transformation
- Maturation
- Love
- Forbidden Love
- Sacrifice
- Discovery
- Wretched Excess
- Ascension and Descension
[This message has been edited by Actor (edited 12-20-2000).] |
wabuu
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posted 12-20-2000 09:26 PM
There are only six stories/plots according to Stephen King: Success; Failure; Love and Loss; Revenge; Mistaken Identity; The search for a higher power, be it God or the Devil. From Secret Window, Secret Garden -
Four Past Midnight ------------------
Go postal. |
Skinned Fox
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posted 12-20-2000 10:32 PM
I thought Steven King's six plots were:Places that turn evil; strange objects that tun evil; ordinary objects that turn evil; people that turn evil; mixes of the past four plots (ie.things that turn people evil) ; recyling things you've already written. I kid, King's an okay writer - but not of horror stories. |
Blast Doors
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posted 12-20-2000 11:31 PM
If you guys want to find out the 36 dramatic situations Actor spoke of, check out:
http://www.wordplayer.com/archives/poltisitu.01-12.html |
Gamecat
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posted 01-17-2001 01:24 AM
man vrs nature is one of the plots..., and man vrs technology was another.. |
lucasian
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posted 01-17-2001 08:43 AM
Uummm, I think that's what Capt Zideo said.
And by the way, Skinned Fox, King is THE best at what he does. |
