1. Exposition or introduction.

In this portion of the plot, the author will establish the characters, including the
protagonist. The protagonist is the main character whose actions and choices drive the
plot. The author will also use this time to provide the setting.
All of the world-building will likely not take place in the exposition itself but the author
will share enough information to show the reader what’s normal for the protagonist.
That way, later when something is wrong, the reader will know. In our roller-coaster
metaphor, the reader would be buckling in their seatbelt. They’re in for one hell of a
ride.

2. Rising action, which reveals the conflict

This is where the author raises the stakes and begins building up to the story’s climax.
The protagonist is likely to be going through many harrowing events during the rising
action. It may seem like the antagonist is consistently winning. The author will use the
rising action to establish what exactly is at stake and to ensure the readers understand
the main conflict.  We are now climbing up the incline of the roller-coaster, will the
drop-off be worth it?

3. The climax, or turning point

The problem is now the worse the protagonist has ever seen. All of the complications up
until this point has been building for this critical moment. Here is the point where
tension is the highest in the story with all of the main conflict coming down to the
protagonist’s crucial choice. Usually, the climax will not only illuminate the major
conflict but also tie all the minor conflicts in to create a moment of intense
anticipation. We’re at the highest point of the roller-coaster.

4. Falling action
Now it’s time to relax. The events in the falling action usually deal with the
consequences of the choices made during the climax. Your teacher may use the
term denouement, which is a French term meaning “tying up loose ends”. Many of the
remaining questions and moments in the plot will be solved and connected during the
falling action. Can you feel the exhilaration of the descent?

5. Resolution
Here, the author establishes the ‘new normal’. Through the events of the plot, the
readers will have seen the characters change and adapt while also having epiphanies that
drive their development. Now, the culmination of those experiences results in the
resolution, allowing the reader to reflect and realize how the characters and the world
around them have changed as a result of the plot. We are now slowing to a stop.