Plot Development &
Character Response

Learn how stories unfold through a series of episodes and how characters respond and change as the plot moves toward resolution.

6th Grade Reading

What Is Plot?

The plot is the sequence of events that make up a story. It is not just "what happens": it is the cause-and-effect chain that connects one event to the next, building tension and driving the story toward a resolution.

The Plot Arc

Key Terms: Plot Elements

Exposition

The opening that introduces the characters, setting, and initial situation.

Rising Action

A series of episodes where the conflict intensifies and complications arise.

Climax

The moment of greatest tension: the turning point where the outcome is decided.

Falling Action

Events after the climax where conflicts begin to resolve and tension decreases.

Resolution

The conclusion where loose ends are tied up and a new normal is established.

What Is Character Response?

Character response is how a character reacts to the events of the plot: through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, and feelings. As the plot progresses, these responses often change, revealing growth or transformation.

The Core Principle

Plot Events vs. Character Change

	Plot Events	Character Change
Definition	What happens in the story	How the character grows or shifts
Focus	External: actions, conflicts, outcomes	Internal: feelings, beliefs, decisions
Example	A storm destroys the village	The hero becomes braver and takes charge
Signal Words	Then, next, suddenly, meanwhile	Realized, decided, felt, understood

How to Analyze Plot and Character

1

Identify the episodes. Break the story into its major events or scenes. What happens first, next, and last?

2

Map the plot arc. Label each episode as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, or resolution.

3

Track character responses. For each major event, note how the character reacts: what do they say, do, think, or feel?

4

Identify change. Compare the character at the beginning to the character at the end. How have they grown or changed?

5

Connect cause and effect. Explain why the character changed: which specific events triggered the transformation?

Example: Maya's Journey

Story summary: Maya is a shy student who avoids speaking up in class. When her teacher assigns a group project, Maya's partners ignore her ideas. Frustrated, she writes her ideas down and presents them herself. The class applauds her presentation, and Maya volunteers to lead the next project.

Example: Marcus and the Championship

Story summary: Marcus only cares about winning the basketball championship. During the final game, his teammate Alex sprains an ankle. Marcus must choose between going for the winning shot or helping Alex off the court. He chooses to help Alex. The team loses, but the coach praises Marcus for true sportsmanship.

Beginning

Marcus is focused only on winning. He sees the championship as the most important thing.

Turning Point

Alex gets hurt. Marcus faces a choice: personal glory or helping a teammate.

End

Marcus chooses his teammate over the trophy. He learns that sportsmanship matters more than winning.

Example: A Harder Case

Story summary: In The Giver by Lois Lowry, Jonas lives in a community with no pain, no color, and no choice. When he is assigned the role of Receiver of Memory, he begins to receive memories of the past: both beautiful and terrible. He discovers the truth about his community and decides to flee.

1

Exposition: Jonas is obedient and trusts the community's rules completely.

2

Rising Action: He receives memories of color, love, and also war and suffering. He feels confused and angry that these were hidden.

3

Climax: He learns the community plans to "release" (kill) an infant. His response: horror and rebellion.

4

Resolution: Jonas escapes with the baby, choosing freedom and danger over safety and ignorance.

Tracking Responses Across Episodes

Types of Character Change

Emotional

The character's feelings shift: fear to courage, sadness to hope, anger to forgiveness.

Behavioral

The character's actions change: from avoidance to confrontation, from selfishness to generosity.

Intellectual

The character's beliefs or understanding shift: they learn something new that changes their worldview.

Finding Evidence in the Text

Authors use specific language to show character responses. Look for these signal categories:

Dialogue

"I can't do this" early on vs. "I'm ready" later shows growth through what the character says.

Actions

A character who hides at the start but steps forward at the climax: their behavior is the evidence.

Thoughts / Feelings

"She felt her heart pounding" vs. "She felt calm for the first time": the narrator reveals internal shifts.

Others' Reactions

When other characters notice change: "You've really grown up" is indirect evidence of transformation.

Common Mistakes

✕ Retelling Instead of Analyzing

Simply listing events ("First this happened, then that happened") without explaining why they matter or how the character responded.

✕ Ignoring Internal Change

Focusing only on what happens externally and forgetting to describe how the character's feelings, thoughts, or beliefs shifted.

✕ Skipping the "Why"

Saying "the character changed" without connecting that change to a specific plot event that caused it.

Question 1 of 5

In a story, the climax is best described as:

The climax is the moment of greatest tension: the turning point where the main conflict reaches its peak and the outcome begins to be decided. It is not the beginning (exposition) or the very end (resolution).

Question 2 of 5

Passage: At the start of the story, Lena refuses to speak to anyone at her new school. She eats lunch alone and keeps her head down. After her art teacher enters Lena's painting in a contest, Lena is shocked when classmates compliment her work. By the end of the story, Lena invites two classmates to work on a mural together.

▼ Tap to read passage

Which of the following best describes Lena's character change?

Lena transforms from someone who avoids all social contact to someone who invites others to collaborate. The key event (classmates complimenting her painting) triggered this shift from isolation to connection.

Question 3 of 5

A reader wants to analyze how a character responds to a plot event. Which type of textual evidence would be most useful?

Character response is shown through dialogue (what they say), actions (what they do), and thoughts or feelings (what they think). These are direct evidence of how a character responds to events.

Question 4 of 5

Passage: In a story, Darius refuses to join the school recycling club because he thinks it's a waste of time. When a documentary shows him how much plastic ends up in the ocean, he feels guilty. He starts recycling at home. Eventually, he becomes the club president and organizes a community cleanup.

▼ Tap to read passage

Which plot event is the turning point that changes Darius's attitude?

The documentary is the turning point because it is the specific event that causes Darius to feel guilty and begin changing his behavior. Becoming president and organizing the cleanup are results of that change, not the cause.

Question 5 of 5

Which statement best explains the relationship between plot and character development?

Plot and character are deeply connected. Each plot event forces a character response, and those responses reveal growth or change. This happens throughout the entire story, not just at the end.

Plot Development &Character Response

What Is Plot?

The Plot Arc

Key Terms: Plot Elements

What Is Character Response?

The Core Principle

Plot Events vs. Character Change

How to Analyze Plot and Character

Example: Maya's Journey

Example: Marcus and the Championship

Example: A Harder Case

Tracking Responses Across Episodes

Types of Character Change

Finding Evidence in the Text

Common Mistakes

Question 1 of 5

Question 2 of 5

Question 3 of 5

Question 4 of 5

Question 5 of 5

Plot Development &
Character Response