Types of Reading Material: Apply It

  • Differentiate the goals and purposes of various text genres
  • Analyze characteristics of different text genres
  • Explain how characteristics vary between text genres

Identifying the Dramatic Arc

Have you ever noticed that most stories—from your favorite films and novels to even short TV episodes—seem to follow a similar path? That’s because most works of fiction and drama are built on a foundational structure called the dramatic arc. This structure isn’t just a storytelling convention—it reflects how we naturally experience and make sense of events in life.

Watch this video to see an example of how Star Wars follows a dramatic arc.

You can view the transcript for “”What is a Narrative Arc?”: A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers” here (opens in new window).

Think of a story you know well and love—this could be a movie, book, TV episode, or play. Using what you’ve learned about dramatic arcs, identify the role each of the five major plot stages plays in that story. For each stage, briefly describe the key event(s) or moment(s) that fit that part of the arc.Consider the following questions for each stage of the dramatic arc:

  • Exposition
    • What is the setting of the story?
    • Who are the main characters and what background information do we learn?
  • Rising Action
    • What events begin to complicate the story?
    • How does tension start to build?
  • Climax
    • What is the most intense, dramatic, or emotional moment of the story?
    • What big turning point changes everything?
  • Falling Action
    • What happens as a result of the climax?
    • How do characters deal with the aftermath?
  • Resolution (Denouement)
    • How are the story’s major conflicts resolved?
    • What is the final state or message of the story?