The 8 Basic Storylines

[Time and Motion]

My english teachers would kick your english teacher's a** for that one.

[Vinstepula]

The list is very general, so it is easy to fit it into almost any story. I don't mean all 8 into one story, but you can see stories with at least one of the mentioned plots.

Kage_no_Taren

Yeah, it's true that most stories fit into one of these categories. But I think people resent it actually being mentioned, because it makes them feel unoriginal, and then they feel compelled to try to write something that isn't any of these, or just declare that nothing they write falls under any of your categories...it's like when I tried to disprove the first algebraic axiom...

I don't get why everyone is acting like their panties are in a wad. I mean really, they are bashing the list and the teacher. I don't see why it is bad that plots are generalized into a list like this. xd I think you are right.

[I am Chickenman]

Vinstepula

The list is very general, so it is easy to fit it into almost any story. I don't mean all 8 into one story, but you can see stories with at least one of the mentioned plots.

Kage_no_Taren

Yeah, it's true that most stories fit into one of these categories. But I think people resent it actually being mentioned, because it makes them feel unoriginal, and then they feel compelled to try to write something that isn't any of these, or just declare that nothing they write falls under any of your categories...it's like when I tried to disprove the first algebraic axiom...

I don't get why everyone is acting like their panties are in a wad. I mean really, they are bashing the list and the teacher. I don't see why it is bad that plots are generalized into a list like this. xd I think you are right.

Because it's wrong.

[Pengi-sama]

Oh wow. I never expected this many replies sweatdrop

Firstly, I must say in my teacher's defence that she didn't actually come up with the list, she read it in a newspaper/magazine (which I'm not sure if it makes it worse or better). I also think it was meant to be a generalised list for all plots, which includes sub-plots.

When we were first shown this list, the majority of our class did think it was a bit odd that apparently every single story every written could be placed neatly into 8 categories. And the majority of my class don't write and are basically there to do a form of English without having to read and analyse texts, as it's solely a language class. So basically, the list is a bit...wierd (to put it nicely).

Sorry if it doesn't make much sense, I'm tired and my head's gone fuzzy from a cold. And just to clarify, I wasn't saying your plots must/should fit in with this list, I was just curious for people's opinions.

[Kaasen]

Personally, I think most stories are a combination of that list, with maybe a few other elements. Also, the list is rather vague, but maybe with 10 basic plots you could cover about 99% of stories.

[codemanis]

i totally hate it when things like this are categorized or rules are applied to things like literature. it is guaranteed that there will be a flaw when things like that are done. making a list of 8 plots like that is like predicting how a tree is going to grow. what branch will be in what position, its not possible. it goes where ever it happens to go. and so does the art of writing.

[The Phoenix Rises Again]

Pengi-sama

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.

4 shouldn't count because they can all be a love story. Aame with 6, 7, and 8

[Skye Thomnson]

I am Chickenman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarne-Thompson_classification_system


Actually, there's more than 2500 categorized "plots" recognized as common to human psyche and seen in mythos worldwide.

2500 is more than 8.

Might want to inform your teacher that she's teaching you to be ignorant.

Might want to learn reading comprehension. Note, first of all, that the Aarne-Thompson classification system is specifically related to folklore, as opposed to all general fiction, and therefore gets quite specific. Note also that those 2500 plots are grouped into (if I've counted correctly) 43 less specific categories, which are in turn reduced to six general groups (6 is fewer than 8, if you needed a reminder), and it's an entirely different categorization system. It's like you've said that there can't be six kingdoms of life, 'cause there are millions of species. I mean seriously, 124 of those plots are jokes about priests.


OP: any list of plots which does not include the bildungsroman is missing out on something. The system, though, isn't terrible, though I feel like it's missing some things - 4 is very poorly defined, first of all, and since Romeo and Juliet is itself a classical tragedy and falls therefore under category 2 (Juliet is totally the tragic hero and not Romeo, btw), it could have been named much better. And in seriousness, the coming-of-age story is a very significant plot and deserves to be included. The Hero's Journey is a tricky one; its heroes aren't necessarily irrepressible, but I can't think of one off the top of my head that you can't arguably pick apart into kind of sort of falling under other categories.

The people who object to taxonomy of literature on the grounds that it is bad are being overdramatic and silly. The people who are arguing against the system on the grounds that stories shouldn't have just one plot are correct but irrelevant; the system is not reducing the entire story to one plot, merely classifying each plot within a story.

The people who object to taxonomy of literature on the grounds that it is pointless, however, are probably right.

[Orange Chus]

Plot?

Stuff happens. YEAH

[The Butter]

******** the 8 basic storylines, the only one that even remotely resembles 154 is number 8, except he's been a part of this devious plot since before his birth and wasn't "tricked" into it.


46 dramatic situations for the win.

[The Mysterious Gunslinger]

Pengi-sama

8. The Faust Story - a pact made with the devil, who must be paid.

[********, you don't know how much that turned me on.
I absolutely love the Faust story. Faust is my husband.

But most of my stories deal with this-- I even re-wrote the Faust tale.
With my own Faust. Aw, Hell, I absolutely love his name.

[Master SBK]

hmm, what about coming of age stories? Wouldn't that not fit into any of those 8?

[Verisimilituda]

My current story, and my next plot I'm going to co-write with a friend don't sound anything like any of these basic plots. They both could be a bit of multiple, but... -shrug- Can't really put any of them to it. Can't put the book I'm reading right now to any specific one either.

Also, doesn't 5 count towards most books? I mean, a good portion of books that I read are people dealing with various obstacles, and generally succeed in the end.

[Ophiucha]

- A character goes on a quest, literal or metaphorical, and succeeds.
- A character goes on a quest, literal or metaphorical, and fails.
Encompasses all the 'basic storylines' into two nice bullet points, and covers most stories.
Not exactly productive or in any way helpful, though.

[the hidden ghost]

Klaark

And then there was James Joyce.

I like that a few people have said "Oh I can think of plenty of books that don't follow these stupid rules!" and yet you're the only one to post an example. Therefore, you win this thread. heart

To those bitching about the first post: It's a theory. A theory written by people studying lit theory who have nothing better to do, then tell all writers that they're unoriginal, repetitive and generally not as smart as the lit theory person.