Only four original stories ever written?

Question

I've heard there is truly only four original stories ever told; the rest are versions of them. What are they?

Answer 1

I have always heard them referred to as basic plots. I have heard one, three, seven.

1 - [wo]man vs. nature
2 - [wo]man vs. man
3 - [wo]man vs. the environment
4 - [wo]man vs. machines/technology
5 - [wo]man vs. the supernatural
6 - [wo]man vs. self
7 - [wo]man vs. god/religion

You can find that list along with the others here:
http://www.ipl.org/div/farq/plotFARQ.html - The Internet Public
Library

Additional information about the above list:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/001124.html - The Straight Dope: What are the seven basic literary plots?

Answer 2

I heard the number was in the twenties, like twenty two... in any case, perhaps you are thinking of the three types of stories?

1. Man against nature.
2. Man against man.
3. Man against himself.

Ah, and there's the 36 dramatic situations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thirty-Six_Dramatic_Situations

which all stories can be explained by.

Answer 3

there are supposedly only 7 plots used in stories. check out 'the seven basic plots:why we tell stories' by christopher booker

Answer 4

Mine? Haha. I hardly complete up thoughts. :) I wrote pages after pages, yet stopped midway by way of because of the fact i grew to become into fired by technique of yet another completely unoriginal concepts. :) there grew to become into one I wrote around 5 yrs previous. It grew to become into approximately 2 brother rabbits. One is undesirable and the different sturdy and the sturdy grew to become into rewarded and the undesirable grew to become into punished and the undesirable one regretted and apologised. i grew to become into very very happy with my mini tale at that factor. I even revealed the only-internet site long tale out and made it into 10 tiny pages and utilized cardboard covers. Haha. while i grew to become into around 10 i ended yet another tale. It grew to become into delusion and in touch speaking animals, pheonixes and unicorns. It grew to become into unique and particularly long and that i grew to become into so happy with it I wrote a sequel, in user-friendly terms that it grew to become into left mendacity around because of the fact I had no staying power. i'm at present TYPING out a special. i've got got here till a hundred and forty something pages and that's the LONGEST I ever wrote. I didnt even understand I had that lots staying power. i wish to end it, of direction. :)

Answer 5

Oh, probably all religious books...