Nothing new in this world...

[deathpixie]

There are only seven basic story plots.

[wo]man vs. nature
[wo]man vs. man
[wo]man vs. the environment
[wo]man vs. machines/technology
[wo]man vs. the supernatural
[wo]man vs. self
[wo]man vs. god/religion


Discuss.

Comments

[nute.livejournal.com]

You mean five. The last three are all the same thing.

[resplendissante.livejournal.com]

I'm currently writing on postmodern knowledge theory, so how about: How we construct these binaries is more interesting than the binaries themselves. What is nature? How do we define man AGAINST nature, and why is that telling about certain aspects of literature? What power structure is inherent, and what power structure is being challenged, when man and nature clash? and etc.

Then everyone hits me, probably until I die or at least stop talking. No, I actually think that's fairly correct, but it misses a lot of the complexities of those ENORMOUS concepts.

[nute.livejournal.com]

Further clarification:

Man versus Nature - in the strictest term, this is a 'survival' plot against inevitability provided by a natural force.

Man versus Man - a conflict of any sort against a thinking opponent who reacts to the protagonist.

Man vs. Environment - Usually expressed as Man vs. Society. Protagonist comes into conflict with the social order of things as opposed to natural order (man vs. nature). This also encompasses Man vs. Technology, as technology is part of our social environment.

Man vs. Self - Introspection, often expressed as Man vs. Ideals/Morals.

Man vs. Supernatural - this inevitably boils down to a combination of Man vs. Man/Man vs. Society.


Examples:

Schindler's List is obviously a Man vs. Society tale, but you have elements of Man v. Self in Oskar's internal turmoil, and Man v. Man in his direct confrontations with the individuals in the Nazi hierarchy.

Dracula, on the other hand, for as much as it is a supernatural story is straight up Man vs. Man - protagonist (and friends) versus a thinking antagonist who acts and reacts. The Man vs. Self conflicts that Harker goes through are ancillary to the main conflict.

Star Wars covers most of the standard plots over the course of six movies. You start with an overarcing story of Man vs. Self (Anakin's internal struggle between his own desires and the Jedi ideals) which is set against a backdrop of Man vs. Man (the war with the Trade Federation and the machinations of Darth Sidious), and the lesser concept of Man vs. Society (the conflicts between the Jedi tradition and the current sociopolitical climate).

The second trilogy concentrates more on Man vs. Man (Luke v. Vader) with the background of Man v Society (Rebels vs. Empire) and a minor plot of Man vs. Self (Han's conversion from self-serving scoundrel to hero, Luke's coming to terms with his destiny, etc).

[erindubitably.livejournal.com]

I have nothing to contribute except to say that this list would be much better if it went like this:

[wolf]man vs. nature
[wolf]man vs. man
[wolf]man vs. the environment
[wolf]man vs. machines/technology
[wolf]man vs. the supernatural
[wolf]man vs. self
[wolf]man vs. god/religion

[thatpalebluedot.livejournal.com]

I think the most interesting thing is that we almost always define a plot by conflict.

Now I have this desire to write a short story with a plot that has no conflict...:)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bounce_/]

I think it's interesting but that they're also unnecessarily narrow categories. What it all comes down to is "conflict of some description between a protagonist (or several of them) and an (or several) other(s). There's really only one story.

[greenbriar.livejournal.com]

What about nature stories?

Penguin (or bear, or whatever) vs. the environment?

I'd consider it a different storyline, as in truly good stories of this genre little anthropomorphic thought leak through.

But then again, some people won't call this a story, they'd call it a documentary.

Whatever you call it, it's made some people alot of money.

[qodarkness.livejournal.com]

As Desire says in the Endless - there's only one story. Someone wants something.

A