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By
Luci Cummings
Are
there only a certain number of basic plots in literature? This was
the question faced by a distinguished panel of authors and critics
at the Oxford Literary Festival. The discussion was sparked off
by Christopher Booker’s recent book ‘The Seven Basic Plots’,
in which he outlines seven narratives which he believes are the
basis of all stories ever told. These include themes such as, ‘the
quest’, ‘comedy’, ‘tragedy’ and ‘rags-to-riches’.
Valentine Cunningham (Professor of English at Oxford), Joanne Harris
(author of ‘Chocolat’ and ‘Jigs and Reels’)
and Philip Pullman (author of ‘His Dark Materials’) discussed
the issues, chaired by author and critic John Carey.
Is
plot necessary?
The panel seemed to agree that the answer to Carey’s first
question was ‘yes’. However, Harris admitted to starting
her novels with images rather than plot, from which the stories
unfold. In answer to Carey’s suggestion that there must be
some kind of conflict in any plot, she answered that it was necessary
for characters to have something to fight against, or there would
be no plot at all.
Plots
That Repeat
Cunningham agreed that there is a certain amount of plot repetition
in literature, especially of themes and ideas which have proved
to be successful in the past. Harris jokingly likened the plot of
‘Chocolat’ to the film ‘A Fistful of Dollars’.
Pullman meanwhile compared the parallel universes depicted in the
‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy to the other worlds visited
by characters in ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’
and ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
Only
Seven Plots?
Opinion was divided on whether this was the case, or even whether
this was a valid theory. Pullman wryly claimed that he preferred
his own eleven-plot theory, although he suggested that this kind
of idea was not necessarily very useful for readers or authors.
Cunningham countered that he thought that there were only four plots
in the world. He continued to say that readers ‘plug in’
to plots they recognise, making certain books more successful.
The
conclusion seemed to be that providing such a menu of basic plots
was not very worthwhile. As Pullman says, it is the treatment of
the plot which will ultimately grab the reader’s attention.
The
views expressed in these comments are those of the contributor's
and not the BBC.
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