There is quite a bit of debate around the three-act structure. But it, and variations on it, are still taught in school and often used as a way to analyze novels and films, whether they were written using this method intentionally or not. Could be seen in much the same ways as [[Music Theory]] as useful, but limited. > The three-act structure is a model used in narrative fiction that divides a story into three parts (acts), often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution. It was popularized by Syd Field in his 1979 book Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. Based on his recommendation that a play have a "beginning, middle, and end,". \- via [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-act_structure) # Wikipedia Excerpts > the structure has been falsely attributed to Aristotle, who in fact argued for a two-act structure consisting of a "complication" and "denouément" split by a peripeteia. ## Act > An act is a major division of a theatre work, including a play, film, opera, ballet, or musical theatre, consisting of one or more scenes. The term can either refer to a conscious division placed within a work by a playwright (usually itself made up of multiple scenes) or a unit of analysis for dividing a dramatic work into sequences. The word act can also be used for major sections of other entertainment, such as variety shows, television programs, music hall performances, cabaret, and literature. \- [Act (drama)](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_(drama)?useskin=vector#Three-act_plays>) article via Wikipedia ## Story Structure > A story structure is how to unify a story's elements under an expected order, which can include events, theme, tone, character, and so on, which is not always located in the plot. These can be also called Narrative structure which is usually presented in written form or dramatic structure which is presented in audiovisual from. This is more of an overview of how story structure works in a cross-cultural and general sense. \- [Story Structure](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Story_structure) article via Wikipedia ## Dramatic Questions > As the story moves along, the plot usually progresses in such a way as to pose a _yes_ or _no_ question, **the major dramatic question**. For example, _Will the boy get the girl? Will the hero save the day? Will the detective solve the mystery? Will the criminal be caught by law enforcement and brought to justice? Will the protagonist be murdered by the fugitive?_ This question must be answered in the climax of the story. The answer is often _yes_; _no_; _maybe_; _yes, but..._; or _no, and what's more..._ ## Structure ### First Act > The first act, or opening narration, is usually used for exposition, to establish the main characters, their relationships, and the world they live in. Later in the first act, a dynamic incident occurs, known as the inciting incident, or catalyst, that confronts the main character (the protagonist). The protagonist's attempts to deal with this incident lead to a second and more dramatic situation, known as the first plot point, which (a) signals the end of the first act, (b) ensures life will never be the same again for the protagonist and (c) raises a dramatic question that will be answered in the climax of the film. The dramatic question should be framed in terms of the protagonist's call to action, (Will X recover the diamond? Will Y get the girl? Will Z capture the killer?). ### Second Act > The second act, also referred to as rising action, typically depicts the protagonist's attempt to resolve the problem initiated by the first turning point, only to find themselves in ever worsening situations. Part of the reason protagonists seem unable to resolve their problems is because they do not yet have the skills to deal with the forces of antagonism that confront them. They must not only learn new skills but arrive at a higher sense of awareness of who they are and what they are capable of, in order to deal with their predicament, which in turn changes who they are. This is referred to as character development or a character arc. This cannot be achieved alone and they are usually aided and abetted by mentors and co-protagonists. ### Third Act > The third act features the resolution of the story and its subplots. The climax is the scene or sequence in which the main tensions of the story are brought to their most intense point and the dramatic question answered, leaving the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who they really are. # See Also - [[The Snowflake Method]] - [[The Hero's Journey]] # References Locally cached articles: - [[The Three-Act Structure The King of Story Structures]] - [[The 5 Stages of Freytag's Pyramid Introduction to Dramatic Structure]] - [[The Three-Act Structure What It Is and How to Write It, with Examples]] ## Wikipedia ```cardlink url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-act_structure title: "Three-act structure - Wikipedia" host: en.wikipedia.org favicon: /static/favicon/wikipedia.ico ``` ```cardlink url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_(drama)#Three-act_plays title: "Act (drama) - Wikipedia" host: en.wikipedia.org favicon: /static/favicon/wikipedia.ico ``` ```cardlink url: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Story_structure title: "Story structure - Wikipedia" host: en.wikipedia.org favicon: /static/favicon/wikipedia.ico ```