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On Chapter 9 from Alice Laplante, it elaborates on the importance on the difference from plot and a story. The story is chain of events, but the plot is also the chain of events arranged to reveal a motive, dramatic or emotional significance. Causality is also important on the chapter, which is also an important factor that plays out in the process of writing a plot. "Causality is the natural or efficacy that connects the process with another process or state, where the first is partly responsible for the second, and the second is dependent on the first", this definition was very important for me, and gave another perspective of the things one should be aware always when it comes to writing and elaborating a plot. Laplante, also discusses the story and the plot. She was very clear on what the difference of both are and how to employ techniques in which causality helps with the development of a fiction story. Sonny's blues is a great example of causality. The details and the different settings of the story takes place on different times, gives it a meaning or understanding of the plot. It is established how one set of events has influence on the perception of the other part of the story. The alternation of the times, or transitions through times in other words. going to the past, and through a memory was smooth and explained. The memories of Sonny's youth, the mother's conversation with him, about the father's brother who died, him returning from service to attend the mothers funeral, all these short flashback conversations of the story help get an idea of what is happening with Sonny coming back is all about.
ReplyDeleteFrancisco J. Aboytes
Chapter 9 covered over plot and its many elements, such as Meta fiction, Conflict, and many more. And though most of these have already been covered in class. I couldn’t help but like reading the short paragraph about Character-driven plot. Which is when plot and conflict revolve around the characters own choices and situations that they put themselves into. Such as the characters actions ,and basic nature can drive them into a cause and effect like situation. And though there are plenty of stories out their like this. This is the type that I usually like since you get to see more behind the main characters of a story as being portrayed as living beings, rather than just a vehicle for a good story.
ReplyDeleteSuch as Sonny’s blues, which is possibly one of my favorite first person short stories so far. The whole conflict is the main characters concern for his younger brother. Which felt a little dramatic at times, but seemed to pull it off without turning into a melodrama of sorts. This short story in my opinion is a great example of well developed characters. And though we don’t get to read a lot about the main character’s own personal issues at times. We get to know him through his actions, and his thoughts about his brother.
-Kathleen m. Salinas
Chapter 9 presented a very colorful discussion on the difference between plot and story, as well as how plot affects the very contents of the story. The chapter made complete sense and was very accurate, as its description of plot being a form of causality made complete sense when it was explained. LaPlante describes it in the sense that as plot makes causality, it is making the events that occur within the story plausible and have effect. The description of story being “X happened, and then Y happened” versus plot’s “X happened, so Y happened because of Z” adds comprehension to those reading. Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin is an example of plot taking on the effects of the story. It greatly describes the effects of causality, and the whole story is giving insight to the main protagonist on what happened for Johnny to turn to heroin. We experience flashbacks, and thus the protagonists failures as a brother that he can now see when he should've been there for Sonny. We see how his father was shaped by a incident, and how it became a catalyst for their later behavior. Finally, we see how Sonny grows as a musician with his brother’s support, and we can see how him having an impact by spending time with Sonny is actually helping him. Overall, it is an excellent story that studies and follows the theme of events occurring based off of previous events that aren't told directly to the readers, and as such, is a form of plot in its purest form.
ReplyDeleteDavid Leal
In "Sonny's Blues" at first I was a little confused of who or what Sonny was and thought he was dead since they bring up "hung" himself, but didn't mean that literally. I definitely enjoyed the reading overall and can somehow relate with Sonny's older brother. On page 299, when their mother is explaining to the older brother what happened to their dad's younger brother, that it was Sonny's older brother's duty to protect him after they pass and that's what my parents always tell me since it's just me and my sister. I found that part sentimental and relatable. The description and overall mannerisms of Sonny's life and friend who creeps around the school, I think was good insight to read about. It was very interesting to read about these two brothers who are polar opposites and live separate lives and am able to see that through the dialogue on page 299-300 when they're talking in the kitchen. This is also relatable because whenever me and my sis have real talk it's always in the kitchen while snacking.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 9, LaPlante gives us a lot of information about a stories plot. The way she presented the difference between plot and story was something I didn't dwell on too much. On page 279 I think she justified the meaning perfectly. "Story: a set of events that keeps readers asking "and then?". Plot: something more sophisticated that delves into the interior mystery of the piece.To me this makes sense, it is made clear what the differences between them are.
-Illiana Luna
I like how Laplante breaks down plot through character in chapter 9. Laplante explains to us that plot is not just simply a sequence of actions but a series of events that a character interacts with. By examining and writing the “How” of any given sequence happening, rather than “Why”, allows for writing to extrapolate itself through the author’s own contextual understanding of events. We understand plot in a linear form, cause and effect, but this does not fit how your character truly is, it is too simple. A character may act on a whim, or a random feeling, or instinct, the point is that not every event has a reason for its cause and to assume or believe plot in a linear way limits the possibilities you have as a writer. In the story Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin we see plot develop through the relationship of the narrator and his younger brother, Sonny. The plot unfolds through a series of events that happen to the narrator and then he passes those events and experiences to form his current view of Sonny, who is in jail for being a heroin addict. When understanding and reading this story you see how plot unfolds in a more natural way, how characters can be apart from each other and through the vehicles of emotion and creative vessels that move speech we see plot as simple but complex.
ReplyDelete-Mark Benitez
I think LaPlante shouldn't have added the Analyzing Plot Points section until after the story. She basically gave away the entire story and made me feel that I had already read the story so when I actually got to the story, I didn't really want to read it anymore. For the most part I did like the chapter, especially the section A Word about Causality and on page 280 where she states "...most writers work more by intuition...the causality works itself out subconsciously...there are many reasons why beginning writers might want to avoid elucidating too explicitly that this happened directly because of that...but never, ever make yourself invent some linear simplistic "reason" for what can be very complexly motivated behaviors." I felt like this tied in nicely with what we've previously discussed in class - about trusting the reader, not having to explain everything in great detail, to use subtext as an element to our stories , letting readers piece things together on their own rather than holding their hand every step of the way. Then in the section On Conflict, I found the quote from Charles Baxter on page 283/284 to be...comforting. One person wants something, another person wants something else, and conflict results. But this is not, I think, the way most stories actually work. Not everything is a contest. Actual conflict can be a fairly minor element in most stories, written or told. A more appropriate question might be, "What's emerging here?" or "What's showing up?"This speaks to me since I had trouble with conflict in my short story so I think it was neat that LaPlante included this in the chapter to show how other authors have their fair share of struggles with the notion of conflict in a story or a novel.
ReplyDeleteKarla Olvera
In this chapter LaPlante gives an interesting perspective on the difference between plot and story- the comparison being something I hadn’t even considered making- and makes some points about how plot affects the story itself as a whole. The difference in the definitions she gave for plot and story were interesting to me- a story being a chronological “and then?” deal, while plot is more of something that is specifically arranged so that when all is said and done, it carries the effect of a short story or novel. The whole concept of separating the two was completely foreign to me, and until this point I had conflated plot with story and used them interchangeably, using story as a less formal word for the most part, so the separation of the two words was enlightening, and I appreciated that in and of itself. The line that LaPlante then draws between plot and causality is quite clear- be subtle, answer the ‘why’s but not directly, let the plot unfold itself to the reader as it unfolds itself to you. In Sonny’s Blues we see a lot of the causality that LaPlante brought up- the flashbacks giving insight to the consequences that affect other things in the story and in the lives of the characters, and so on and so forth the dominos of causality fall one after the other. I don’t think I would have seen the causality quite so clearly without having read the chapter first, but it was pretty unavoidable, especially considering that LaPlante used Sonny’s Blues as an example in the Analyzing Plot Points section of the chapter. Overall, it was enlightening and sure to give me another tool for my writing toolbelt.
ReplyDelete-Lauryn Flores
“'I ain't telling you this...to make you scared or bitter or to make you hate nobody...you got a brother. And the world isn't changed.’” (299) I had to pause after reading this bit, the weight of it, sadly, still far too relevant today. I wasn't sure at first what time the story took place until hearing words like “funky” and “cat's records” and Charlie Parker, still alive and well. I found the characters and plot to be so realistic that I feel like it may as well be set any other time. Never dating itself, except in small details like the war, and the jazz scene in Harlem, which call to mind the “renaissance” and all the flourishing of a marginalized people via art and music.
ReplyDeleteThere were no grand epiphanies, no finality. The resolution is that there isn't one. The protagonist is then left with the realization that Sonny, through music and the passion of pain, the heartache of living- through the blues as a vehicle for visibility, “freedom lurked around us and I understood” (312) while at the same time, not expecting that pure unreachable peace he knows will never happen.
“And I was yet aware that this was only a moment, that the world waited outside, as hungry as a tiger, and that trouble stretched above us, longer than the sky”
Robin Turrubiates
Chapter 9 of LaPlante's book focuses on the definition of plot, story, and conflict and their importance in writing. I liked how she gave definitions to story and plot because it provided me with a way to think about the two terms and better differentiate the two. By having story before the "what happened" and plot be the "how it happened", I think it makes a lot of logical sense and helps me as a writer because I'm able to think of them as two separate things. This allows me to focus on how they work together rather than think of it as some sorta combined monster.
ReplyDeleteShe also goes into detail about how we shouldn't answer the why's of our stories. I know in workshop it comes up a lot that people want to see why certain things are happening, but I prefer having the mystery to it. It's a lot about being able to trust that the reader will understand without having to explain everything to them. I really wish she would've gone into more detail about metafiction since it was always interesting to him. I think as a writer what I struggle with is the issue of whether or not my pieces have enough conflict in them. Reading LaPlante's passage about conflict made me realize that while I don't use the traditional sorts of conflicts or while my conflict isn't very action-packed, for a lack of better words, it's still a valid conflict and works for my story. So that was really comforting to read.
- Georginia Ramos
Chapter nine reflects on the very foundation of a story, the plot. It dives into different types of plot arcs writers use. LaPlante addresses something known as causality, basically saying every story needs an end or result. She also says that most of the time writers use their instinct or intuition when forming a plot rather than carefully strategizing what comes next. This makes a work more natural in my opinion. She dives further into the importance of conflict, indicating without it comes a very bland story.
ReplyDeleteAs for the piece Sonny's Blues, it revolves around a man who ends up in prison for drug abuse. Throughout the piece flashbacks are used to gain insight of his life before his arrest. My only question is on the life of the narrator. Not much information is given on the narrator for the exception of the daughter passing. I wonder if this ties into the dynamic of the plot and the importance of maintaining focus on certain points.
Pedro Trevino
This will be the last week that I won't have the book, but from what I'm seeing in the discussion here, Chapter 9 discusses how plot is a series of events that occurs that relates to a character. The plot doesn't have to be a specific chain of events that goes with the standard (and formulaic) conflict, climax, and resolution but a plot can heavily focus on a character's development and their relationship with others. The story doesn't have to have follow a linear structure with something eventful continuously occurring. This is what we see in "Sonny's Blues" where the story is more focused on the narrator's brothers past involving drugs. Rather than seeing a specific story with a conflict and resolution, we see the narrator's brother's past involving drugs and how it's affected the family. Even with the story structured this way, there is still plot. There is still a clear story with a character's choices and how these choices have affected his life.
ReplyDeleteMichael McCormick