I think this chapter provided some interesting insight into what I had identified as the most straight forward aspect of writing. I had previously connotated the plot of the story with a series of very straightforward sequences of action and resolution, that ultimately lead to the climactic point of conflict and then the end. However, on page 57, the authors of the book write “… as much as we might be drawn in by Holden’s engaging and sympathetic personality, that personality alone won’t be enough to keep us reading for the entire length of a book. In order to keep us turning those pages, Holden’s got to have a story.”. This point made me realize, that while plot may be a simple theory to understand in the realm of narrative analysis, it is not necessarily a simple application. Often, as the authors reflected, this is the part of the story that comes last when composing a first or second draft. The plot is the true vector of meaning, because it is the framework within which we begin to truly understand the character. I think composing an invigorating plot comes down to respecting the reader, and recognizing what they are reading for. In a similar way that apologizing to someone might make them feel better momentarily, so does a well-developed character without a plot. The reader, much like the victim of a crime, wants the writer (or perpetrator) to do justice. They want to see actionable change. This of course is complicated by the nature of the character, the setting, and the writer’s capability. However, I think it is the first thing that helps a reader determine whether or not they got what they needed from the writer’s story.
