Plot and story line

Question

Are they essentialy the same? similiar? one within the other?Would anyone give examples to illustrate the differences between the two.Thanks in advanceRaen

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Are they essentialy the same? similiar? one within the other?

Would anyone give examples to illustrate the differences between the two.

Sometimes they are used with no real difference intended.

However, here are a few commen ts on subtleties.

plot - A word that is both formal and informal. A more precise word.

story line - An informal word. Less precise. For example, unlikely to be used in a question for an academic essay.

Suggests looking at the book, play, etc. in a pretty superficial way. eg It sounds a bit ludicrous to talk about 'the story line of Hamlet'.

Unsuitable in cases where the plot is non-linear, with no clear progression from beginning to middle to end. eg the play 'Waiting for Godot', the novel 'Uysses'. ie thee is no clear story involved.

Best wishes, Clive

Philip · Answer

You might also find a novel with a plot with several story-lines (not sub-plots necessarily) that feed into the plot. I think of Ragtime from the 70's in U.S. Another, more recent novel would be The Given Day. The two novels are similar in style as well as content.

Plot and story line

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