There's supposed to be only ten basic plot lines, upon which every film or story can be based. What are they?

Question

I'm fairly sure it's ten, though it may be twelve. Dunno, anyway, apparently every story you could possibly make up or every film you could create is only a variation of one of these basic plot lines. What are they?

Answer 1

1) Overcoming the monster
2) Rags to riches
3) The quest
4) Voyage and return
5) Comedy
6) Tragedy
7) Rebirth

Answer 2

I've never seen a poem written like this....your invention, I take it? Are you going to name it? For those of your readers (well, me actually) who are not very quick on the uptake, could you provide a teensy clue about meaning in a title? I like puzzles, I do...I spent years doing crosswords, my favourite being the cryptic kind..but at least then I knew that if I puzzled long enough the answer would be there....my puzzling over this has led me nowhere. My only thought is that this is connected with the trenches in the First World War. Or else a pair of grave diggers on the night shift.

Answer 3

I thought there was only one.... and all the others are variations on the theme of that one.

"Boy meet's girl, boy looses girl, boy get's girl back again"

Answer 4

steve T is right.There are SEVEN basic (VERY basic) plot lines into which every novel/film/play can be slotted

Answer 5

If you want to take this sort of film theory even further look into Vladimir Propp's ideas. Propp examined the narrative structure of Russion folk and fairy tails and amounsgst other findings (ie only 8 charcter types per story) he identified that every tale followed a similar pattarn of 31 narrative steps. If you like film theory it can be quite good fun to try to get these steps to fit any movie (Star Wars is quite a nice example.)

here are his 31 narrative steps:

1.A member of a family leaves home (the hero is introduced);
2.An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there', 'go to this place');
3.The interdiction is violated (villain enters the tale);
4.The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc; or intended victim questions the villain);
5.The villain gains information about the victim;
6.The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim);
7.Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy;
8.Villain causes harm/injury to family member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc, comits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc);
9.Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc/ alternative is that victimised hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment);
10.Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action;
11.Hero leaves home;
12.Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc, preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);
13.Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against them);
14.Hero acquires use of a magical agent (directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, eaten/drunk, help offered by other characters);
15.Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;
16.Hero and villain join in direct combat;
17.Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);
18.Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);
19.Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revivied, captive freed);
20.Hero returns;
21.Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);
22.Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life);
23.Hero unrecognised, arrives home or in another country;
24.False hero presents unfounded claims;
25.Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);
26.Task is resolved;
27.Hero is recognised (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);
28.False hero or villain is exposed;
29.Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc);
30.Villain is punished;
31.Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).

Try the below links for more info.

Answer 6

I thought there were only four

Answer 7

wow..learn something new everyday