Lesson 1: Plot and Setting

📚 Literary Appreciation of Novels and Short Stories

🟦 Introduction
Imagine reading a story where nothing happens, and you have no idea where or when it takes place. Would you be interested in continuing? Probably not. That’s why plot and setting are two essential elements in any prose work. The plot gives the story movement and purpose, while the setting creates the environment where it all unfolds. In this lesson, we’ll break down these key elements and show how they make stories more engaging and meaningful.

🟩 Key Concepts and Explanations

1. What is a Plot?

A plot is the storyline or sequence of events in a prose work. It answers the question: What happens in this story?

The Classic Plot Structure:

• Exposition: Introduces background information—main characters, setting, and the central conflict.

• Rising Action: A series of events that build suspense, develop characters, and deepen the conflict.

• Climax: The turning point—the most intense, exciting, or emotional moment.

• Falling Action: Events that follow the climax and lead toward resolution.

• Resolution (Denouement): The conflict is resolved and the story concludes.

✅ Example: In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the plot traces Okonkwo’s rise and fall, climaxing in his banishment and ending in his ultimate demise.

2. Types of Plot Structures

• Linear Plot: Events occur in chronological order.

• Non-linear Plot: Events are told out of order (e.g., flashbacks or starting in the middle).

• Circular Plot: The story ends where it began, often highlighting change or irony.

• Parallel Plot: Two or more storylines are told alongside each other and often converge.

✅ Example: A novel that starts with the climax and then rewinds to show how it happened uses a non-linear plot.

3. What is Setting?

Setting is more than just “where” and “when” the story happens—it includes the mood, social conditions, and cultural context.

Components of Setting:

• Time: Historical period, time of day, season, year.

• Place: Geography, buildings, cities, landscapes.

• Atmosphere: Emotional quality—peaceful, tense, gloomy, cheerful.

• Social Environment: Customs, traditions, class, and cultural expectations.

✅ Example: In Oliver Twist, the setting of 19th-century London’s slums reflects the harsh realities of poverty and injustice, shaping the novel’s tone and events.

4. Why Plot and Setting Matter in Prose

• They support the theme: The storyline and backdrop often reinforce the message of the story.

• They develop character: The way characters react to events or live within certain settings helps reveal their traits.

• They engage the reader: A well-crafted plot keeps readers interested, while vivid settings help them imagine the story world.

🔎 Think of a horror story. Would it be as scary if it were set in a sunny beach instead of a dark, abandoned house?

🧭 Sample Walkthrough: Plot & Setting in Action

Prompt:

“Adwoa had always avoided the old cemetery at the edge of town. But when her younger brother disappeared, she had no choice. Under the pale moonlight, she stepped through the rusted gate…”

Plot Analysis:

• Exposition: Adwoa, the main character, fears the cemetery.

• Rising Action: Her brother goes missing, and she’s forced to go there.

• Climax (implied): Her decision to enter despite her fear.

• Falling Action/Resolution: Not given, but you can imagine what could happen next.

Setting Analysis:

• Time: Nighttime.

• Place: Cemetery at the town’s edge.

• Atmosphere: Eerie, suspenseful.

• Cultural/Social Context: Perhaps a setting influenced by folklore or fear of spirits.

🟨 Practice Exercises

Exercise A: Label the Plot Structure

“Kwame moved to Accra to find a job. After many rejections, he met an old friend who offered him help. Just when he was about to give up, he got a phone call that changed his life. He now runs a successful business.”

Questions:

1. What is the exposition?

2. What is the rising action?

3. What is the climax?

4. What is the resolution?

✅ Answers:

1. Kwame moved to Accra to find a job.

2. He faced many rejections and met an old friend.

3. He got a life-changing phone call.

4. He now runs a successful business.

Exercise B: Analyze the Setting

“The sun beat down on the dusty classroom. Children fanned themselves with old notebooks while the teacher, sweating in his faded shirt, continued the lesson.”

Questions:

1. What is the time of day?

2. What is the place?

3. What is the atmosphere?

4. What can you infer about the social conditions?

✅ Answers:

1. Afternoon (due to heat).

2. Rural school classroom.

3. Hot, uncomfortable, possibly tense.

4. Possibly a poor school with limited resources.

🔁 Recap

Let’s review what we’ve covered:

• A plot is the sequence of events in a story—exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

• A setting includes the time, place, and atmosphere of a story.

• Plot and setting work together to support themes, build suspense, and develop characters.

• Writers use various plot structures (linear, non-linear, circular) to tell stories in creative ways.

🪞 Reflection Prompt

Think of a novel or short story you’ve read in school (e.g., The African Child, Faceless, The Old Man and the Sea).

• What was the plot of the story?

• Describe the setting and how it shaped the events.

• Could the story have worked in a different setting or time? Why or why not?