Plot. A plot is a series of events related to a central conflict, or struggle. A plot usually involves the introduction of a conflict, its development, and its eventual resolution. The exposition sets the tone or mood, introduces the characters and the setting, and provides necessary background information. The inciting incident is the event that introduces the central conflict. The climax is the high point of interest or suspense in the story. The crisis, or turning point, often the same event as the climax, is the point in the plot where something happens to decide the future course of events and the eventual working out of the conflict. The resolution is the point at which the central conflict is ended, or resolved. The dénouement is any material that follows the resolution and that ties up loose ends. As you read, focus on how the plot unfolds in this story. Use a plot pyramid like the one below as a guide for tracking the points of plot through the story. Identify a sentence or phrase from the story that illustrates each point of plot, and write it next to the appropriate part of the plot pyramid.
Setting. The setting of a literary work is the time and place in which it happens. Writers create settings by describing landscape, scenery, buildings, furniture, clothing, the weather, and the season. Setting can also be revealed by how characters talk and behave. As you read, think about the ways the author has chosen to create setting in this story.
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- History Connection. “The Osage Orange Tree,” by William Stafford, takes place during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Great Depression was the worst economic slump in American history, ultimately affecting most of the industrialized world. In addition to the problems faced by businesses in America, a massive drought in 1931 and 1932 destroyed farms throughout the Midwest and the South, turning much of the land into a dust bowl.
- The Osage orange tree is native to Arkansas and adjacent regions in the United States. The Osage is a spreading tree with shiny leaves and grows from 30 to 60 feet in height and up to 2 feet in diameter. Its wood is hard, strong, and flexible, with a satiny texture. The Osage has fearsome thorns and is sometimes used as a hedge.
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