kristisiegel.com - Basic Literary Terms

Plot the way in which the narrative events are arranged. Generally, plots have the same basic elements:

• Exposition - the explanation of the story's premise and background material necessary for the reader to understand the story;

• Crisis - the peak in the story's action--the moment of highest dramatic tension;

• Climax - the scene which presents the story's decisive action;

• Resolution or denouement - the outcome of the story--the information that ties up all (or many) of the story's loose ends.

Source: kristisiegel