The 8 Basic Storylines

[Pengi-sama]

During on of my English Language classes, we were given a list of the 8 basic storylines, which can be applied to any story ever written (according to my teacher xp and the creator of the list). These storylines are:

1. The Cinderella Story - where unrecognised virtue is finally given credit.
2. The Achilles Story - a fatal flaw in the main character, which leads to tragic consequences.
3. The Orpheus Story - what happens when former or apparent good fortune is taken away.
4. The Romeo and Juliet Story - a love story (though it does not have to be tragic)
5. The Irrepressible Hero Story - the main character has to deal with a series of obstacles and always succeeds.
6. The Circe Story - the character is drawn, unsuspecting, into a devious plot by a villian.
7. The Tristan Story - a love triangle.
8. The Faust Story - a pact made with the devil, who must be paid.

As a writer, what do you think of this? I tried my very hardest to think of something that I had read (though I'm sure anything with a plot can be applied), but the best I could come up with was Battle Royale, which was decided to go under the Circe Story. I'd love to hear people's opinions of the list in relation to their own writing and other plots they know of.

[ACMarie101]

Most of the stories I write are The Romeo and Juliet plot or The Tristan plot.
I love drama with a romantic twist. It makes me soul sing.
Besides, I can live vicariously through my writing. Make the life of my characters the life I always wanted or envied.

"Writing is a socially acceptable form of Schizophrenia."
~E.L. Doctorow

[EquivocalSimon]

That's an interesting list. Though I think the Romeo and Juliet story type is a bit general, so it can encompass a lot. I read it and went through a bunch of books in my head and I guess you can manipulate them into those given.

I am thinking my favourite kind to write is the Achilles Story, it might also be the one I like to read most, too.

[Lt Oblivious]

Huh. I know most books will fit into this if you're doing, "Well, it sorta is like that...", but would roleplays fall into this too? They (normally) have plots, but most the ones I've been in don't fall into any of these.

[Zechs Merquise]

Most books may have elements of one of those but the ones I've enjoyed don't it into any particular one and don't really fit in most of those at all. Most the stories I write are the same way.

I dislike molds and anything that would confine a work to make it so "Okay this is basic X which is just Y." Instead of reading it and seeing what else is there not just what type you think it is.

[EquivocalSimon]

I see what your saying Zechs, I don't really like to cast anything into a role. But I think it is kind of fun to see the similarities in how our minds work and the various styles of individuals who can take the same idea and make it inherently different.

[Pengi-sama]

This is really good, but I am curious how people's writings or things they have read don't fit into the list. I will admit myself that I think you can't really categorise plots so simply, but it's just made me more determined to try and think outside of it!

[Zechs Merquise]

Each one of those elements of a story aren't generally the focus of the story. The best ones I've read some of those elements are parts of sub-stories or side stories. They may not even affect the outcome of the story. That is how the story doesn't fit on that list. If your story isn't about a love triangle but is about the life of character x who happens to be in a love triangle at some point; it doesn't fit under that on the list since its not the real story. It was just an element of the story.

Its like if you decided to make a short list of generic plot elements. Some of those would be on it. Though I get the feeling the teacher like romance novels based on the list. xD

[Gale Gynoid]

Publisher: So, what's your storyline?
Writer: The Cinderella Story.

I really hate it when people attempt to write lists like this, because they're either not true or not stories. I can think of a dozen books that don't follow any of these plotlines, and I'd certainly have a hard time explaining to my publisher that I'd written Romeo and Juliet.

[kaiakuai]

Hmm... well, all of my stories fall under the Romeo and Juliet or Tristan categories as I can't get away from romance. rolleyes However, you can say that beneath that category is a combination of several other subcategories like Orpheus, Circe, or Faust. I like complications in my stories. Happy endings are worked very hard for.

Which makes me not a huge fan of Irrepressible Hero. Actually, I don't like that category at all. Losing contributes so much to character development as winning does. Perhaps even more so? Plus, I like my villains competent enough to give the hero a good thrashing every now and again.

[Pengi-sama]

Zechs Merquise

Each one of those elements of a story aren't generally the focus of the story. The best ones I've read some of those elements are parts of sub-stories or side stories. They may not even affect the outcome of the story. That is how the story doesn't fit on that list. If your story isn't about a love triangle but is about the life of character x who happens to be in a love triangle at some point; it doesn't fit under that on the list since its not the real story. It was just an element of the story.

Its like if you decided to make a short list of generic plot elements. Some of those would be on it. Though I get the feeling the teacher like romance novels based on the list. xD

Yeah, I have to agree, when she wrote up the list, I was wondering why there were two romantic storylines. If Romeo and Juliet was used for romance that isn't just tragic, then love triangles could go with that as well XD

But that's good point about what it does miss; stories about life. They always include elements, but you can't say 'life stories go in *** Story'.

[WallyWalruuus]

There are a lot of stories that don't fit any of these categories (hell, there's only eight).
failure.

[Siriah]

Some of those categories are very general. I tried to think of something that wouldn't fit, but almost all stories are about a main character who has a goal, and if that goal is reached the story automatically falls into category 5. If it isn't reached, then the story is usually 2, 6 or 8 or it's a love story. There aren't that many properly dramatic reasons for the main character to fail.

Come to think of it, where would 'Main character learns horrible secret, but doesn't try to fix things' fit in? I once read a book where the main character learned that the special candy, which everyone loved and which was only rarely in stock in the candy store, was made of kids' souls. He then wrote about it in his diary. That was it.

[wickeddelight]

Historically there's been a lot of argument over how many basic plots there are. In the late 1800's Georges Polti wrote a book called The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations. wikipedia link Since then people have written about 20 basic plots, 7 basic plots, there's been a great deal of work done on the heroic journey or monomyth plot in particular, there's a book titles Steal This Plot which lists 13 basic plots, and a relatively new book called 20 Master Plots And How To Build Them.

[Dark Lord M]

Bullshit, there is no way those 8 things can be applied to every story. It may have a presence in most stories but those 8 things don't cover the entirety. Not one of them even reminds me remotely of most of my stories.