Tracing the Action of a Story

Using the elements of plot, we can trace the action of a story with some simple questions:

Look at how the questions work with a sample text.

Matthew 8:23-27 (NRSV)

23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. 27 They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

Exposition: What is going on?

The verbs in a text are your best friends for answering the question, "What is going on?" In the table below is a series of questions based on the verbs in Matt 8:23-27.

Directions: Using verbs from the scripture text above, fill in answers to the questions. Then click the "show answers" button to see if you and I are on the same wavelength here. The questions are in the order they occurred to me as I read through the text.

Just from this look at the action, you probably have a good idea of the answers to the rest of the questions associated with elements of the plot. Let's take them one by one:

Complication: Where's the trouble?

For such a short text, there are several experiences of trouble. Which of these is evidence of a complication in the plot? If you like, you can check the box beside the statements you like.

Do you have a favorite answer here? Do you see merit in calling each of these a "complication" in the plot? I am inclined to think all of them represent real trouble in the text.

Troubles & Sermons

What difference does it make what you name as the primary conflict or complication in a text? To answer that question, here are three mini-sermons on the text. Each takes its theme from a different conclusion about the trouble in the text.

If the trouble is a storm, the preacher might say, "Life is filled with so many difficulties! Our boats sometimes take on water faster than we can bail, but Jesus can calm the storm. Even the winds and the waves obey him."

If the trouble is a sleeping Jesus, the preacher might say, "Do you ever pray and wonder if anyone is listening? You're knocking on the door: lights on, nobody home. Does it feel like that? Don't you give up! Those panicked disciples probably yelled at Jesus and shook him until he woke up. Pray like that! Jesus is with you, there in the boat, and he can calm the storm. Even the winds and the waves obey him."

If the trouble is the little faith of the disciples, the preacher might say, "What got into the disciples? They have been right beside Jesus. They have seen that his touch brought healing to Peter's mother-in-law and to dozens more who heard of his power and came to him. Now, in the boat during a storm, these followers of Jesus are sure they are dying, and they are even more sure Jesus doesn't care about it. When he wakes up and sees them, of course, they are busted. Their "little faith" shows all too clearly in their panicked faces. He comments on it, and then he does something to change it, something that only he can do to inspire great faith: he calms the wind and the waves. Even before the disciples' faith—or ours—can begin to reflect the truth about Jesus, Jesus demonstrates that he is their Lord and the Lord of all creation.

Any of these mini-sermons has the potential to grow into a sermon that is closely tied to the story on which it is based, yet it is clear that they are not all the same. They are different because they focus on different conflicts within the same plot.

Climax: What happens?

In the midst of all these interlocking complications, what happens? Matthew says, "He rebuked the wind and the waves, and there was a dead calm." This is the climax of our story.

To find the climax of a text, try a "before" and "after" exercise. Is there a place near the end of the story where things are significantly different than they were before? This change may point you to the climax or turning point of the plot.

Look at before and after in our story: before Jesus' rebuke to the wind and waves, the disciples are crying out to Jesus, the waves are crashing into the boat, and Jesus is chiding the disciples on their little faith. After, there is nothing but calm.  The turning point is the rebuke he speaks to the wind and waves.

Resolution: How does it end?

The stilling of the storm ends with a question from the disciples. The climax has passed, and in its wake, they are amazed and they say, "What sort of man is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?" The resolution of this small story's plot includes a question that remains in the background as the plot of the gospel as a whole continues to unfold.

Gaps: What about _________?

Different people will see different things missing—or be curious about different gaps—in a story. Why was Jesus sleeping? Was he tired after a long day's work, or was he just a sovereign at peace, knowing that the wind and the waves would not hurt him or his disciples? And how could he possibly sleep when such a great storm was raging?

The story does not fill in the gaps here. We are left with some things to puzzle about, perhaps finding solutions as we continue reading the gospel.

What's Next: Two-Minute Tutorial on Classical Rhetoric

From here, we turn to non-narrative texts, and look at how ancient rhetorical categories help us trace the action and follow the argument in New Testament letters. Follow the link below to the next page of introductory material for this skill.

Next: Two-Minutes (or so) on Classical Rhetoric