Monday, February 10, 2014

The Quest Novel

The Basic Meta-plot
Most of the meta-plots are variations on the following pattern:

  1. Anticipation Stage
    The call to adventure, and the promise of what is to come.
  2. Dream Stage
    The heroine or hero experiences some initial success - everything seems to be going well, sometimes with a dreamlike sense of invincibility.
  3. Frustration Stage
    First confrontation with the real enemy. Things begin to go wrong.
  4. Nightmare Stage
    At the point of maximum dramatic tension, disaster has erupted and it seems all hope is lost.
  5. Resolution
    The hero or heroine is eventually victorious, and may also be united or reunited with their ‘other half’ (a romantic partner). 

Check out this website for more information about the quest story:
http://thewritepractice.com/the-quest/

More advice:
http://www.thewritersworkshop.net/wordpress/2010/12/19/quest-narratives/


The Quest
Examples: The Odyssey, Pilgrim’s Progress, King Solomon’s Mines, Watership Down
Meta-plot structure:


    The Call (Oppressed in the City of Destruction)

    The Journey (Ordeals of the Hero/Heroine & Companions)

    May include some or all of the following:
    a. Monsters
    b. Temptations
    c. The Deadly Opposites
    d. The Journey to the Underworld

    Arrival and Frustration

    The Final Ordeals

    The Goal (Kingdom, Other Half or Elixir won)

      And more advice:
      http://voices.yahoo.com/the-quest-plot-create-quest-plot-your-324587.html

      from:

      The Quest Plot: How to Create a Quest Plot for Your Story

       , Yahoo Contributor Network

      Create a Quest Plot Checklist
      When you decide to write a quest story, it is absolutely essential that you outline at least the main points of your story. Quests are by nature very in-depth, with a lot of side-story and back-story that comes into play. It's very easy to stray so far from your main plot that you can't recapture the theme unless you have a way of reminding yourself - constantly - what that theme is.
      Jot down or type up this checklist, and answer the questions before you start writing. This series of questions will keep your main story at the front of your mind, continually pushing what's unimportant to the side.
      1. What is the goal of the quest?
      2. How will the characters and readers determine quest success or failure?
      3. Why does the main character care about the quest?
      4. What is the theme of the quest - the "wisdom" the characters come to see?
      5. Why do the hero/ine's companions continue through the quest with them?
      6. How does the quest change the characters, and how is that change displayed?
      Reference your checklist often as you write, and you'll find that the imaginary walls blocking your creativity have little substance against the thoughtful consideration you've already given to your plot.


      The Magnificent Seven:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiXFJdiGoWA 

      The Seven Samurai:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnRUHtSgJ9o


      13 comments:

      1. 1.Yes they get into many different people head
        2.they get into the head of Garcia
        3.They called them a monster which says that something is wrong with the people or their mean or bad

        ReplyDelete
      2. Chapter Seven, which shows the point of view of many characters in Into the Beautiful North, is one that gives background of many of Nayeli's friends, as well as herself. In the beginning of the chapter you read the story of Nayeli's father, who left a wife and daughter he loved very much to go to America and support them. Before the movie, you are in the head of Garcia Garcia as he prepares for the movies and adapts to the changes he reluctantly made to his movie theater, forced of course by Tia Irma. There are some digs he makes towards Tia Irma to get under her skin about Yul Brynner. He only likes Steve McQueen At the movies, you see the perspective of Yolo, Tacho, Vampi and Tia Irma sporatically. Their reactions to the movies, as well as Nayeli's travel plans give you a greater understanding of their character's personalities. At the end of the chapter, you read inside the head of Tia Irma as Garcia Garcia comes to her house and asks to stay. He asks this because banditos have taken over his big, white house and he has no where to go. This is an interesting interaction because Tia Irma and Garcia Garcia have generally not gotten along. Tia Irma seems pleased to see Garcia Garcia needing her help and assistance, but knows that there are greater dangers coming to Tres Camerones.

        ReplyDelete
      3. In chapter7 multiple view points are explored. At some points you are reading from Nayeli's point of view but the book and it then switches to Garcia-Garcia and then Tia Irma. When the author switches between these characters the dialogue and general opinion's of the other townsfolk changes with it.

        ReplyDelete
      4. Alannah Scardino

        Does the chapter contain multiple points of view? Are there instances when readers are “inside the heads” of specific characters? How do the author’s narrative strategies contribute to the story?

        The chapter is very keen on Nayeli focusing on her friends’ pasts. This technique is very adequate in making a backstory for a bunch of characters, including Nayeli’s father. There are several memories that are evoked from Nayeli’s thoughts, such as Nayeli’s father taking her down to the Baluarte River to shoot his gun. There is also a memory of his leaving, so you understand how upset she was when he’d finally gone. These memories give us an idea of the kind of person Nayeli’s father is, and more of who she is. This chapter also shows some sides of the less major characters, such as Garcia-Garcia, the cinema owner. The point of view switches over to him briefly at times as it reveals his background. Yolo’s, Vampi’s, and Tacho’s personalities are also all described as they develop a plan to help their town.

        ReplyDelete
      5. Jahde, Janelys, Jasmina, Reyenne


        1) Yes, at first it is 3rd person limited for Nayeli and then for Irma at the end.

        2) Yes, we get into Nayeli’s head throughout the whole chapter. We get to see how she feels.

        3) He uses 3rd person limited to show the characters’ beliefs

        ReplyDelete
      6. In chapter seven there are a lot of different point of views from some characters. There are some moments when we get to read what the characters are really thinking about, and how they really feel. For example, in the beginning of the chapter Nayeli remember how she spent time with her father, and how he looked and how their relationship was before he left her. I think that when the author changes the perspective of the points of views, the story also starts to come together more, and give me, the reader, a feel of why the conflict is there, and how the story might turn out in the end.

        ReplyDelete
      7. This comment has been removed by the author.

        ReplyDelete
      8. The chapter starts with Nayeli talking about Vampi’s backstory, her home, and her memories of her father. It then switches to Garcia-Garcia deciding how to work McQueen into a Brynner film fest, and eventually coming up with The Magnificent Seven, the movie that sparked the quest north. An outside narrator then discusses the physical aspects of the movie theater, then back to Nayeli as she watches the movie. The very end of the chapter gives Aunt Irma a glimpse of how bad these Banditos really are. The omniscient narrator writes from the views of many characters, giving depth to the plot and letting the reader know much more than the characters do, creating tension.

        ReplyDelete
      9. Robert & Justice
        The topic of this chapter changes every time the perspective changes. One of the perspectives is Nayeli who talks about a couple friends back rounds including Vampi. And also some of her fathers back story. Another perspective is also Garcia-Garcia and the author gives us some history of him as well.

        ReplyDelete
      10. In Chapter Seven shows the point of view of many of the characters and how they feelings throughout the whole chapter . the author changes the perspective

        ReplyDelete
      11. Chapter Seven , which shows us views which are explored threw the mind of Nayeli. Nayeli is a girl who is on a journey to find her friends pasts.The author decides to change the point of view in Nayeli's mind. To see how she feels threw chapter seven. the backs of a bunch of characters and Nayeli.

        ReplyDelete
      12. in chapter seven nayeli is in a way in the mind of vampi by talking about how she must feel being an orphan and how her parents died. then it goes into the mindset of garcia-garcia and how she begins to work with mcqueen and coming up with ideas and talks about some history

        ReplyDelete
      13. In chapter 7 it changes the views between people throughout. First it was the main character Nayeli. Who is looking for the pasts of some of her closest friends. Then it changes to Garcia-Garcia and him making decisions. Then it switches to a Narrator (unknown) describing the movie theater while Nayeli is watching the movie.
        Leilanis Molina

        ReplyDelete

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