Scene (performing arts)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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In fiction, a scene is a unit of drama. A sequel is what follows; an aftermath. Together, scene and sequel provide the building blocks of plot for short stories, novels, and other forms of fiction.
Characteristics of a scene
Scene has been characterized from several different perspectives. The concept of a scene in fiction comes from theater, where it describes the action that takes place in a single setting.Template:Ref Raymond Obstfeld, in Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes, describes scene as having a structure similar to a complete novel, with a beginning, a middle, and an ending.Template:Ref
Jack M. Bickham, in Scene & Structure, How to Construct Fiction with Scene-by-scene Flow, Logic and Readability, describes a scene as a segment of story action, written moment-by-moment, without summary, presented onstage in the story "now." He also portrays a scene as having a fundamental pattern:
- Statement of a goal
- Introduction and development of conflict
- Failure of the character to reach his goal, a tactical disaster
The nature and characteristics of scene are a matter of ongoing discussion.
See also
Examples