Plot of Decline

Naturalist stories often feature a “plot of decline”—a plot that depicts a

character’s progression towards degeneration or death. Each story
contains a metaphorical journey, with the protagonists encountering
nature and succumbing to its indifferent wrath. In groups or on your
own, you will need to identify important steps along the
character’s journey—key events or narrative observations from
either “The Open Boat” or “To Build a Fire”—and plot these
key events on a chart. Cite AT LEAST TEN events on your chart.
Do the events you cite lead toward the character’s decline?
You also need to answer the following questions:
1. How does each event you cite affect the following event?
2. Are the effects or consequences of each event better or worse than
the one that preceded it? Why or why not?
3. Can you think of ways in which the protagonist could have changed
the course of events?
4. What are several factors that might prevent the protagonist from
changing the course of events?
5. How would you describe the ending of your story? What is the
outcome like?

Plot of Decline
Naturalist stories often feature a “plot of decline”—a plot that depicts a
character’s progression towards degeneration or death. Each story
contains a metaphorical journey, with the protagonists encountering
nature and succumbing to its indifferent wrath. In groups or on your
own, you will need to identify important steps along the
character’s journey—key events or narrative observations from
either “The Open Boat” or “To Build a Fire”—and plot these
key events on a chart. Cite AT LEAST TEN events on your chart.
Do the events you cite lead toward the character’s decline?
You also need to answer the following questions:
1. How does each event you cite affect the following event?
2. Are the effects or consequences of each event better or worse than
the one that preceded it? Why or why not?
3. Can you think of ways in which the protagonist could have changed
the course of events?
4. What are several factors that might prevent the protagonist from
changing the course of events?
5. How would you describe the ending of your story? What is the
outcome like?