Difference between plot and story
Plot vs story:
Plots and stories usually have a way of getting confused with one another, most probably due to the obvious connection that exists between the two. Plot and story are both essential features of literature and yet however, each of these words hold a considerable significance which should not be compensated with anything else.
What is plot?
A plot, often referred to as the storyline, is the events of a story that are linked with one another in a pattern that reflects cause and effect. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, considered the plot to be the most important element of drama and held it above anything else. Gustav Freytag divided plot in to five parts which can be listed as exposition (of the situation); rising action (through conflict); climax (or turning point); falling action and resolution. While complex plots are referred to as an imbroglio, there may be extremely simple plots such as the plots that are used in traditional ballads which nevertheless include multiple inferences.
What is story?
A story is a format that describes a series of events that lead to one another. The origin of stories run as far as ancient Egyptian, ancient Greek, Chinese and Indian civilizations while it still remains an ubiquitous component of human communication. A story can also be named as a narrative which is a story that is narrated by a character. Stories are an essential component in culture as many works of art and pieces of literature were created with the sole purpose of telling a story.
What is the difference between a story and a plot?
The relation between a plot and a story is quite similar to the relation that exists between the skeleton of a human being and the flesh of a human body. The plot can be denoted as the skeleton whereas the story is the flesh that fills out the skeleton. Therefore, in order for any writer to develop a story, a primary plot is essential. Once the plot is sketched and finalized, the story fills in the gaps, provides ornate details to where they are needed and creates a full and plump story out of the plot. A simple example can thus be given.
Plot- A man goes to work. He dies. His wife dies.
Story- A man goes to work one morning and he dies of a heart attack. His wife in finding out about his death dies of grief.
The first example of a plot is very concise and very frank. In a story, the main points of the plot are developed more, more details are added and reasons are given as to why certain events occur in the story.
Plot is essentially the first and the primary step in developing a story. Story comes only after the developing of the plot. The story depends completely upon the plot, thereby making the plot the most essential aspect of a story. However, with the same plot, different stories can be created over and over again while adjusting the plot and the order of events that adorn the plot. A plot is relatively short when compared to a story. Developing a plot requires the use of only a few words whereas a story requires more elaboration through more words, descriptions and narrations. Developing a story involves creativity and one needs to create characters and then emphasize upon their character traits, develop more adornments in order to make the story more attractive and captivating. However, a good story does not indicate a great plot. Even the most trivial of plots can be developed in to an engaging story whereas the most brilliant of all plots can be reduced in to a very banal story if the plot was not handled with skill.
Tags: allegory, anecdote, apologue, article, autobiography, beat, biography, book, chronicle, cliffhanger, comedy, conte, description, drama, epic, fable, fairy tale, fantasy, feature, fiction, folktale, gag, history, information, legend, longand short of it, memoir, myth, narration, narrative, news item, nonfiction, novel, old saw, parable, potboiler, recital, record, relation, report, romance, saga, sequel, serial, tale, tragedy, version, yarn