Story vs. Plot

Paraphrasing E.M. Forster, Janet Burroway distinguishes these two terms this way:

A story is a series of events recorded in their chronological order.

A plot is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance. (39)

Work Cited

• Burroway, Janet. Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft 5th ed. Longman, 2000.

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