The Seven Basic Plots, 7

Rebirth

“The power of this type of story to move us lies in the contrast between the condition of the hero or heroine when we see them frozen in their isolated, imprisoned state and the moment when the liberation begins, as we see them being released from the dark power...”

(Booker, 2004: 204)

The Seven Basic Plots, 6

Tragedy: The Five Stages

1. Anticipation: the hero is in some way incomplete or unfulfilled.
2. Dream: he becomes in some way committed to his course of action .
3. Frustration: things begin to go wrong.
4. Nightmare: things are now slipping seriously out of the hero's control.
5. Destruction: the hero is destroyed.

(Booker, 2004: 156)

The Seven Basic Plots, 5

Comedy

"The chief function of humour is that it provides us with a more or less harmless way to defuse the social strains created by egotism. This is why comedy of any kind almost invariably centres on people who are in some way taking themselves too seriously..."

(Booker, 2004: 144)

The Seven Basic Plots, 4

Voyage and Return

"The first is that type stretching back to the dawn of storytelling which describes a journey to some land or island beyond the confines of the known or civilised world. The other describes a journey to some more obviously imaginary and magical realm closer to home."

(Booker, 2004: 87-8)

The Seven Basic Plots, 3

The Quest, Part II

"...on the long hazardous journey to reach it becomes the most important thing to him in the world. Whatever perils and diversions lie in wait on the way, the story is shaped by that one overriding imperative; and the story remains unresolved until the objective has been finally, triumphantly secured."

(Booker, 2004: 69)

The Seven Basic Plots, 3

The Quest, Part I

"No type of story is more instantly recognisable to us than a Quest. Far away, we learn, there is some priceless goal, worth any effort to achieve: a treasure; a promised land; something of infinite value. From the moment the hero learns of this prize, the need to set out..."

(Booker, 2004: 69)

The Seven Basic Plots, 2

Rags to Riches

"...someone who has seemed to the world quite commonplace is dramatically shown to have been hiding the potential for a second, much more exceptional, self within."

(Booker, 2004: 52)

The Seven Basic Plots, 1

Overcoming the Monster

"The realm of storytelling contains nothing stranger or more spectacular than this terrifying, life-threatening, seemingly all-powerful monster whom the hero must confront in a fight to the death."

(Booker, 2004: 22)