The Art of FictionThe Art of FictionJohn GardnerJohn Gardner

PlottingPlotting

Borrow some traditional story or Borrow some traditional story or action drawn from lifeaction drawn from life

Work backward from your climaxWork backward from your climax Work forward from an initial Work forward from an initial

situationsituation ““Plotless”Plotless”

Plot DevelopmentPlot Development

Story may develop as an argument, Story may develop as an argument, leading the reader point by point leading the reader point by point (ex. Hercules and his twelve labors)(ex. Hercules and his twelve labors)

That is, the writer might show his That is, the writer might show his character trying charitable behavior, character trying charitable behavior, then, after failing that, try selfish, then, after failing that, try selfish, then cunning and so on.then cunning and so on.

But such control can deaden the But such control can deaden the work!work!

Picaresque PlotPicaresque Plot

Follows some character, often a Follows some character, often a clever rascal, from level to level clever rascal, from level to level through society, showing us the through society, showing us the foibles and absurdities of each.foibles and absurdities of each.

Gardner did this with Grendel from Gardner did this with Grendel from BeowulfBeowulf and chose love, heroism, and chose love, heroism, the artistic ideal, piety, and so the artistic ideal, piety, and so forth, introducing the skeptical forth, introducing the skeptical monster to each.monster to each.

Each value should put increasing Each value should put increasing pressure on the monster’s pressure on the monster’s skepticism, in this example.skepticism, in this example.

Key here is the process: energetic Key here is the process: energetic movement through values taken movement through values taken from a specific time (Gardner uses from a specific time (Gardner uses Great Ideas of Western Great Ideas of Western Civilization).Civilization).

Types of PlottingTypes of Plotting

Writers who appeal to our intellect Writers who appeal to our intellect and our deepest emotions and our and our deepest emotions and our intuition of reality’s process: intuition of reality’s process: Homer, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy, Homer, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy, for examplefor example

Writers whose structures are Writers whose structures are intellectual, do not emerge in intellectual, do not emerge in process: Dante, Spenser, and process: Dante, Spenser, and Swift, for example.Swift, for example.

Emerging PlotEmerging Plot

Must have some laws, although Must have some laws, although invisible at first.invisible at first.

There must be some rational or There must be some rational or poetically persuasive basis.poetically persuasive basis.

We can enjoy a story with some We can enjoy a story with some secret logic we sense but can’t secret logic we sense but can’t guess right off.guess right off.

But a story of mad whimsy can lose But a story of mad whimsy can lose us unless carefully plotted.us unless carefully plotted.

AllegoryAllegory

To talk about materialism and spirituality: To talk about materialism and spirituality: one might choose as central characters a one might choose as central characters a fat banker and a pigeon; and wishing to fat banker and a pigeon; and wishing to say that body cannot live without soul or say that body cannot live without soul or soul without body, we might set up a soul without body, we might set up a situation in which an elderly pigeon situation in which an elderly pigeon keeps up its strength by living off the keeps up its strength by living off the crumbs that fall from the Oreo cookies crumbs that fall from the Oreo cookies the banker eats between cigars, and the the banker eats between cigars, and the banker is kept from dying of cigar smoke banker is kept from dying of cigar smoke (cont.)(cont.)

asphyxiation by the necessity of from asphyxiation by the necessity of from time to time opening the window to time to time opening the window to let the pigeon in and out. For let the pigeon in and out. For contrast, in the office next door an contrast, in the office next door an identical fat banker does not have a identical fat banker does not have a pigeon and add an identical pigeon pigeon and add an identical pigeon who has only rain for sustenance. who has only rain for sustenance. Images, banker and pigeon, are Images, banker and pigeon, are chosen for emblematic (one chosen for emblematic (one signification) significance for their signification) significance for their inherent interest.inherent interest.

““emblematic” has one signification—emblematic” has one signification—the banker means materialism and the banker means materialism and only materialism.only materialism.

““symbol” may mean several things.symbol” may mean several things. In this kind of story--everything, In this kind of story--everything,

setting, dialogue, anything else—setting, dialogue, anything else—must be selected by the same must be selected by the same principles, both immediate and principles, both immediate and emblematic interest.emblematic interest.

Allegorical MethodAllegorical Method

Chaucer’s technique.Chaucer’s technique. Choose traditional allegorical emblems Choose traditional allegorical emblems

(rose, lamb, crown, grail) and explore (rose, lamb, crown, grail) and explore them in quasi-realistic terms.them in quasi-realistic terms.

For example, a literal-minded, practical For example, a literal-minded, practical philosopher—an inventor of household philosopher—an inventor of household appliances, or a complaints-appliances, or a complaints-department supervisor—might find department supervisor—might find himself (cont.)himself (cont.)

in the company of a Fisher King.in the company of a Fisher King. By either of the allegorical methods, By either of the allegorical methods,

the writer thinks out first what he the writer thinks out first what he wants to say in general, then wants to say in general, then translates his ideas into people, translates his ideas into people, places, objects, and events, and places, objects, and events, and then, in the process of writing, then, in the process of writing, follows out suggestions that rise from follows out suggestions that rise from his story, perhaps saying more than his story, perhaps saying more than he at first thought he had to say.he at first thought he had to say.

Expressionistic and Expressionistic and Surreal FictionSurreal Fiction

Superficially like allegory, but the Superficially like allegory, but the meaning is less imposed from meaning is less imposed from without.without.

Translates from basic psychological Translates from basic psychological reality to actuality: Gregor Samsa reality to actuality: Gregor Samsa becomes not becomes not likelike a cockroach but a a cockroach but a cockroach, and the story develops, cockroach, and the story develops, from that point on, realistically.from that point on, realistically.

Writer dramatizes all that is crucial Writer dramatizes all that is crucial to our belief in the climax.to our belief in the climax.

Working backWorking back

The movie The movie Sixth SenseSixth Sense has a surprise has a surprise ending.ending.

Work back from the climax to discover Work back from the climax to discover what materials we must dramatize to what materials we must dramatize to make the climax meaningful and make the climax meaningful and convincing: what Cole’s gift was, the convincing: what Cole’s gift was, the problem the psychologist has. To problem the psychologist has. To change things too noticeably makes it change things too noticeably makes it too easy for the writer and the reader too easy for the writer and the reader doubts.doubts.

Reinterpreting FactsReinterpreting Facts

If the writer announces up front If the writer announces up front that s/he is rewriting the known that s/he is rewriting the known facts, then the reader can join in facts, then the reader can join in the fun and discover along with the the fun and discover along with the writer.writer.

Tone and style offer this diversionTone and style offer this diversion Reader’s enjoyment comes from Reader’s enjoyment comes from

being part of the interpretation.being part of the interpretation.

Working BackwardWorking Backward

In a story entirely made up, any In a story entirely made up, any event that seems startling, curious, event that seems startling, curious, or interest-laden form the climax for or interest-laden form the climax for a writer (e.g., a woman purposely a writer (e.g., a woman purposely runs over a flagman on the street).runs over a flagman on the street).

To plot this, the writer broods and To plot this, the writer broods and labors over it, trying one approach labors over it, trying one approach and then another, carrying the idea and then another, carrying the idea with him in sleep, over a croissant, with him in sleep, over a croissant, in cafes.in cafes.

Woman and the FlagmanWoman and the Flagman

This is not the main conflict. The This is not the main conflict. The main character is in conflict with main character is in conflict with another character, some animal, or another character, some animal, or some impersonal force.some impersonal force.

It may be a significant accident It may be a significant accident (otherwise it would be boring).(otherwise it would be boring).

Since the “accident” is knowingly Since the “accident” is knowingly or subconsciously “on purpose,” or subconsciously “on purpose,” we work back.we work back.

Working BackWorking Back

What is each of the two focal characters What is each of the two focal characters like: the flagman and the woman.like: the flagman and the woman.

Why does the woman hit the flagman?Why does the woman hit the flagman? This would be a standard feud story: This would be a standard feud story:

convincing characters in irreconcilable convincing characters in irreconcilable conflict, both sides in some measure conflict, both sides in some measure sympathetic—i.e., pursuing real, though sympathetic—i.e., pursuing real, though mutually exclusive, values. mutually exclusive, values.

ClimaxClimax

For the climax to be persuasive, we must For the climax to be persuasive, we must be shown dramatically why each character be shown dramatically why each character believes what she does and why each believes what she does and why each cannot sympathize with the values of her cannot sympathize with the values of her antagonist.antagonist.

We must be shown why characters cannot We must be shown why characters cannot or do not simply avoid each other as in real or do not simply avoid each other as in real life even tigers do.life even tigers do.

Must be inevitable and surprising.Must be inevitable and surprising. No surprise will be convincing if it rests on No surprise will be convincing if it rests on

chance, however common chance is in life.chance, however common chance is in life.

SymbolsSymbols

To be believable, the flagman must To be believable, the flagman must represent a symbol to avoid being represent a symbol to avoid being an impersonal force (of no an impersonal force (of no interest).interest).

The flagman may represent power The flagman may represent power and constraint, a symbolic “flag” to and constraint, a symbolic “flag” to her of her husband’s oppressive her of her husband’s oppressive power over her.power over her.