Cyn

For just sheer plot "ideas", there is a book written in 1868 (yes, 1868) called The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations.

Georges Polti collected ideas from the predominate literature of his day and categorized it, and off shoots into thirty-six major plots.

For instance, the first situation is: SUPPLICATION:

The necessary elements:

A persecutor, a suppliant, and a power in authority. (Works great with Morgan's balance of characters.)

Then Polti breaks SUPPLICATION down into sub categories that show twists to the idea of SUPPLICATION:

1) Fugitives imploring the powerful for help against their enemies
2) Assistance implored for the performance of a pious duty which has been forbidden
3) Appeals for a refuge in which to die
4) Hospitality besought by the shipwrecked
5) Charity entreated by those cast off by their own people whom they have disgraced
6) Expiation: The seeking of pardon, healing or deliverance
7) The surrender of a corpse, or of a relic, solicited
8) Supplication of the powerful for those dear to the suppliant
9) Supplication to a relative in behalf of another relative
10) Supplication to a mother's lover in her behalf.

Don't read this expecting a lot of answers. Most of his support comes from classical Greek and French literature, but you get enough of a drift to see what he's driving at.

For instance, in number 8, he uses the Biblical example of Queen Esther. Esther risked her life several times by going to the King as asking for a favor, at a time when the King didn't see his wives or concubines unless HE called for them. Her supplication ... the King's advisor was plotting to exterminate her people and she plead her case to him to save them.

I had to order the book special order through The Writer magazine.

Lucynda
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