Plot Elements

The 5 PhasesIn MOST stories

Standard 2.1.1

The Princess

And the Pea

Exposition

Ris

ing

Act

ion

Climax

Fallin

g A

ction

Dénouement

Resolution

Exposition

Ris

ing

Act

ion

Fallin

g A

ction

Dénouement

Resolution

Exposition

• Introduces the setting and the main characters.

• Sets up or hints at the conflict.

Once upon a time, there was a dark-haired, blue-eyed, tall, handsome prince. Like many princesses, the prince had longed to get married. Even from a young age he dreamed about who his future wife would be. He hoped to find someone funny, smart and adventurous. He always believed he’d be married by his 21st birthday, but 21 had come and gone…so had 22 and 23 and 24. The prince was soon to turn 25 and he was saddened to find himself still single.

Exposition

Ris

ing

Act

ion

Climax

Fallin

g A

ction

Dénouement

Resolution

The basic conflict becomes more complicated.

Rising Action

Suspense builds.

Sometimes minor characters are introduced.

The reason he was single is because he had a VERY demanding mother. She insisted that he marry a REAL princess – but so far, none of them had been good enough for her. Because it was so difficult to get to their castle, it was nearly impossible for any princesses to come and visit. The Queen, however, liked it this way. If her son got married, not only would she lose his undivided attention, but the new wife would become Queen.

The prince searched far and wide, but his mother found fault with EVERY selection.

The prince’s faithful manservant, Reynaldo, searched all over the Kingdom until, finally, one night, Reynaldo found the perfect girl. He invited her to come to the castle the next night to meet the prince.

However, the next night was stormy and dark, and when the princess arrived at the castle, she was soaked. The Queen was NOT impressed. The prince, however, admired her bravery in traveling alone and made up his mind that THIS was the girlfor him. The Queen was adamant this would not happen.

So, she came up with a plan.

An evil plan.

The Queen ordered the princess’s bed to be piled from floor to ceiling with mattresses. Over twenty thick, mattresses, comforters and blankets were placed in between and, under the very bottom mattress, the Queen placed a VERY small….

Pea

The Queen then informed her son that IF this girl was a REAL princess, she would have the most delicate skin in the world…skin that could detect something as small as a pea under twenty mattresses and twenty eiderdown comforters.

The Queen made her son vow that he would not tell the princess about the pea. Her son, being an honorable man vowed he would not tell her.

Later, in his room, he grieved to Reynaldo that he would not be able to marry the beautiful, brave princess, because his mother always found a way to ruin his happiness.

Climax

Exposition

Ris

ing

Act

ion

Fallin

g A

ction

Dénouement

Resolution

Climax• The most exciting moment and

the turning point of the story. • Often results in a change for the main character.

• Sometimes the climax comes at the end of the story,

leaving the reader with unanswered questions.

Reynaldo grieved for his master and the two men spent a sleepless night awaiting the cruel morning. All night long the prince could do nothing but pace and wait, his stomach clenched in knots, knowing that in the morning the love of his life would be removed from the castle….forever!

The following morning, the prince got out of bed at dawn and went to join his mother in the vaulted Great Room of the castle. His mother, much to his anger, looked calm and happy and the prince was sure that his mother must know how the princess spent her night.

The Queen, however, didn’t yet have a chance to ask her servants about the princess, but she was extremely confident that the wet, tired princess had slept like a log all evening.

At that moment, the princess entered the room…

The princess looked exhausted. There were black circles under her eyes.

“How did you sleep, my dear?” asked the Queen.

“Fine, thank you…” replied the princess.

The Queen looked triumphantly happy. The prince looked heartbroken.

“Actually…” began the princess. “Actually WHAT?” asked the prince.

Exposition

Ris

ing

Act

ion

Climax

Fallin

g A

ction

Dénouement

Resolution

Falling Action

• Suspense eases.

• Reveals how the main character begins to resolve conflict.

“Dear Queen, I don’t mean to be rude and I hope you won’t be angry with me, but I didn’t sleep very well at all. I tossed and turned all night long. It felt as though I had a cannonball under my sheets, but that’s impossible as my bed was piled so high with mattresses. I don’t know what to make of it….”

Exposition

Ris

ing

Act

ion

Climax

Fallin

g A

ction

Dénouement

Resolution

Resolution

Ties up the loose ends.

Sometimes offers an unexpected twist before the story ends.

“You don’t need to make anything of it!” exclaimed the prince. “It means you’re a REAL princess and you and I are to be married…now!”

The joyful couple was married immediately and they lived…

Happily Ever After