Page 43 - PLATINO EDUCA

Activities 43

According to some researchers, there are 20 master plots in narratives. If we know
what our story will be about, we will give it a plot and, with this information, delve into
the details of the plot to correctly apply elements we expect from it.

For example, in El amor prohibido (unofficial English title: Prohibited Love), the protagonist
faces obstacles when finding love. These obstacles are imposed by customs and social
taboos. In many cases, the price of love results in very negative consequences for the
couple.

This story has been told in Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind (Michel Gondry,
2004) and In the mood for love (Kar-Wai Wong, 2000), two films that have nothing to
do with each other. If you haven’t seen them, that’s fine, I’m sure you’ll be familiar with
Titanic (James Cameron, 1997), Romeo and Juliet (Baz Luhrmann, 1996) or Brokeback
Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005).

What I want you to do is this: think about the plot and from there make your own plot
basing it on reality, on your own life and universe. I do not mean that you need to try to
write a story exposing all the details of your personal life. Just try to build the story from
a familiar reality.

Here are other plots for you to repeat the exercise with different themes:

· “Growth”: The protagonist is confronted with a problem related to his growth over
time. He goes through a process that is accompanied by the responsibilities of
adulthood. Usually, the change is from innocence to experience.

· “Discovery”: A plot where an apparently normal and ordinary person discovers
important or hidden details that make them question their reality or condition. With
the conclusion, they get a clearer view of the world and establish their life purpose.