Story Structure

Essential Questions:

What happens first, in the beginning? Then what?
Does the main character have a problem?
Does he try to solve the problem? How?
What happens in the middle? Then what?
Does he accomplish his goal, or solve his problem?How?
How does he feel in the end?

Terms to Teach

Beginning, Middle, End
First, Second, Third, etc.
Problem/Solution
Cause/Effect
For older children:
- Introduction
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Resolution

IN HIS POETICS, Aristotle explains that a narrative has a beginning, a middle, and an end. As simple as this sounds, Aristotle stresses the causal relationships between the three.

A Beginning is an event that is not necessarily preceded by anything, but after which things must happen. For example in “Llama llama red pajama,” we read on the second page that “Mama Llama goes downstairs.” Nothing necessarily precedes this. Whether he had dinner or not, or had his bath or not, or even whether they had read that book or not, Mama can still go downstairs. This event, however, does require something to follow: Baby Llama will face the room alone.
The Middle is necessarily preceded by some event that has caused it, and by necessity, some other event follows. Because Mama Llama has gone downstairs, Baby Llama “feels alone without his mama.” He could not feel alone if Mama had not left, and the very fact that he feels alone necessitates that something else must follow: either he overcomes his fear and goes to sleep, or his mother must come back.
The End is preceded by some event, by necessity, but nothing necessarily follows. Mama Llama must come upstairs to rescue Baby Llama from his fears, but giving him a kiss resolves the central tension and nothing more must be said. The story has ended.

So stories follow a sequence. This, in and of itself, is an important concept that children are working out. Conversations that help children to understand and identify sequential elements are very important. We could also pause here with our little ones and talk about cause and effect.

Narrative Arch

Let’s take it a step deeper. How do characters get from the beginning to the end? What happens in that murky middle? There are many story structures around the world, and many more ways of talking about those structures, but one of the most versatile and commonly taught structure maps is Fretag’s Pyramid. This structure map is very versatile because it captures the essential elements that most stories have in common.

Exposition — we begin with an introduction. The beginning of a book gives us some description of the characters, the central themes, and the problem. The narrative really gets underway when some thing happens: the inciting incident, or a call to action, a catalyst. The exposition usually describes the character’s status quo, his home world, his normal self. The inciting incident or call to action propels him into a new space, new world, new way of life.

Rising Action — As the main character enters the new world, the story world, he must learn how to navigate this new space, make new friends, and meet new challenges. Many critics and writers have developed more detailed maps to outline the actions and movements that happen leading up to the climax. The overarching principle, however, is an increase in tension as the main characters deal with internal and external challenges. This is longest stretch of a narrative.

Climax — This is the final battle, the height of tension, the moment where the bad guy is slain and the main character is reborn as a hero. The main character has conquered not only his internal flaws, but his external foes as well. He is ready to return home.

Falling Action — The tone is often much lighter now, and the characters work to restore their world to its rightful order. The characters are often journeying towards home, but haven’t reached it yet.

Resolution — This is often called by the French term, denouement, and is the final moments were we see the character re-enter his home world as a changed person. The narrative is complete.

Seeing it in Action: A Chapter Book

This full pyramid structure will be most easy to identify in chapter books or more developed narratives. But even picture books include these essential elements to some extent. We will look for all of the elements, first, in an early grade chapter book, then we will consider how these elements are often reduced in picture books.

In her Newbery Honor book, The Bears on Hemlock Mountain, Alice Dalgliesh introduces her main character, a boy named Jonathan. In the first two chapters of the book, the exposition, the reader sees Jonathan at home and generally gets a sense of his family structure. In chapter three, we have an inciting incident: an upcoming family party requires the lend of a black iron pot, and Jonathan must be the one to travel across the mountain and borrow the pot from his aunt.

The rising action is easy to identify as well, as Jonathan literally must climb up a mountain and face the dangers of the woods alone. The tension increases even when he reaches his aunt’s house, as it grows dark outside.

The climax arrives on Jonathan’s trip back over the mountain, the pot in tow. Jonathan must hide under the pot for protection as two brown bears sniff and paw at his hiding place. The tension is high and Jonathan must conquer his fears to remain calm.

When Jonathan’s father and uncles trudge up the mountain, armed and ready to save him, Jonathan’s battle is over, and the period of falling action begins. The uncles shoot the bears. Jonathan and his father journey together towards home.

Jonathan reaches home and presents the pot to his mother. This moment of resolution shows Jonathan beaming with pride at the end of his journey. He is not longer small and afraid. He has faced his fears; he has faced the bears; he has returned victorious.

Seeing it in Action: A Picture Book

This structure can be found in picture books as well, though sometimes each element occupies only a page or a few words.

In Wendy Meddour’s Lubna and Pebble, we follow the journey of Lubna and a rock named Pebble, as they navigate life in an immigrant tent city.

The exposition is two sentences that give the readers an origin story: Lubna found Pebble on the beach after the her boat landed.

Lubna and her father enter the tent city, and the rising action begins. Lubna gets to know her space and makes a space for Pebble as well. Lubna meets a little boy, Amir, and they becomes friends. This is the longest stretch of the story.

The tension continues to increase until Lubna’s father announces that they have found a home and will leave the tent city. The climax comes when Lubna must face saying goodbye to her new friend, Amir. She decides to do something very hard and give Pebble to Amir, so he won’t be lonely without her.

The tension remains high in much of the story, and even the falling action is very sorrowful as Lubna waves good buy to Amir and Pebble.

The resolution is just a few words long. Amir says “hello Pebble.”

Note about Characters in Lubna and Pebble:

Even though Lubna is most certainly the main character, she is not pictured on the last page. In the previous chapter we discussed the main character and character change. It might be hard for children to track character change when the main character does not appear on the last page, but we can observe her character arch and see how she grows in confidence and courage.

The title of the book, Lubna and Pebble, suggests that the rock is also a main character. Pebble is a stabilizing character and an agent of peace that transfers from Lubna to Amir, affecting change in both children. Pebble completes its work with Lubna, and on the last page, begins its work with Amir. As Amir says “hello” to the rock, we know that Lubna’s story is complete and Amir’s story is beginning.

Talking with Children about Structure:

Talking with children about the events in a story helps to build their understanding of cause and effect, problems and solutions, actions and consequences, as well as chronology and sequences. There are so many important skills here. The developmental stage of your child will determine how in-depth your conversations go, but kids of all ages will benefit from thinking about these questions.