History Main / BooksOnTrope

* {{Aristotle}}'s ''{{Poetics}}''

** ExamplesOfMyersBriggsPersonalitiesInStories

* [[{{ptitlel20b56pb}} Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offences]]

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* [[{{ptitleidkp0hmb6z6x}} Limyaael's Fantasy Rants]]

People have also tried to condense the wide and varied world of plots into a small and succinct list of ''possible'' plots. The most basic system says that all plots are about one of two things, love and death, but the list can go up to fifty or even more. Joseph Campbell tried to pin it all down to a single heroic version in ''[[{{ptitleh1ltpj3ph282}} The Hero's Journey]]'', and while that doesn't cover every story, it works with a lot of them (and George Lucas decided to base ''StarWars'' all around Campbell's work). It's when people start claiming that ''Schlindler's List'' has the same plot as ''AliceInWonderland'' that we start to wonder if their systems make any sense, but hey, maybe they had a flash of inspiration. At any rate, studying plot archetypes can help writers to straighten out the odd kinks that are throwing them for a loop, and maybe to introduce elements that strengthen the overall story and underscore its thematic meaning. As for the reader... well, it's always fun to realize, halfway into the new blockbuster, that you're really watching a postmodern sci-fi version of ''BeautyAndTheBeast''.

* [[{{ptitleh1ltpj3ph282}} The Hero's Journey]]

* Literature.Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting

* [[Literature.Story]]: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting

* {{Literature.Story}}: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting

In case [[OlderThanTheyThink you didn't realize it]]: We here at TV Tropes are [[OlderThanTheyThink not the first]] to collect tropes and try to put them in some semblance of order. Of course, since few people would actually use the word ''trope'' to describe patterns in media, it may be difficult to find the various resources that exist. Therefore we now have ''this'' page. If you happen to run across a resource (a book, website, or other useful thing) that discusses a set of tropes, write up a summary page and stick the link on this index.

** [[http://www.rocketpunk-observatory.com/spaceguideA-E.htm The Tough Guide the to Known Galaxy]]

** [[http://www.rocketpunk-observatory.com/spaceguideA-E.htm The Tough Guide to Known Galaxy]]

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarne-Thompson_classification_system/ Aarne-Thompson Classification System]] and [[http://www.folklore.bc.ca/Motifindex.htm/ Stith Thompson Folk Motif-Index]] describe a massive set of descriptors for folktales. For example, in "An Encyclopedia of Fairies" by Katharine Briggs she gives a breakdown of Cinderella. It is Type 510 (an example of Supernatural Helpers) and contians Motifes S31: Cruel stepmother; L55: Stepdaughter heroine; F311.1: Fairy godmother; D1050.1: Clothes produced by magic; F861.4.3: Carriage from pumpkin; N711.6: Prince sees heroine at ball and is enamoured; C761.3: Taboo: staying too long at ball. Must leave before certain hour; and H36.1: Slipper test. Gi*ven that the motif index is apparently six large volumes the detail seems overwhelming!

* [[GreenwoodPress Daily Life Through History]] : A vast hoard of UsefulNotes. Use these for research and you will never again write HollywoodHistory by accident.

* [[GreenwoodPress Daily Life Through History]] : Use these for research and you will never again write HollywoodHistory by accident.

* [[GreenwoodPress Daily Life Through History]] : Use these for research and you will never again have an excuse for delivering HolywoodHistory by accident.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarne-Thompson_classification_system/ Aarne-Thompson Classification System]] and [[http://www.folklore.bc.ca/Motifindex.htm/ Stith Thompson Folk Motif-Index]] describe a massive set of descriptors for folktales. For example, in "An Encyclopedia of Fairies" by Katharine Briggs she gives a breakdown of Cinderella. It is Type 510 (an example of Supernatural Helpers) and contians Motifes S31: Cruel stepmother; L55: Stepdaughter heroine; F311.1: Fairy godmother; D1050.1: Clothes produced by magic; F861.4.3: Carriage from pumpkin; N711.6: Prince sees heroine at ball and is enamoured; C761.3: Taboo: staying too long at ball. Must leave before certain hour; and H36.1: Slipper test. Given that the motif index is apparently six large volumes the detail seems overwhelming!

* ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Discarded_Image The Discarded Image]]''--A series of lectures by CSLewis about the Medieval worldview and it's effect on literature. Very useful.

* WritingExcuses
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[[/index]]

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarne-Thompson_classification_system/ Aarne-Thompson Classification System]] and [[http://www.folklore.bc.ca/Motifindex.htm/ Stith Thompson Folk Motif-Index]] describe a massive set of descriptors for folktales. For example, in "An Encyclopedia of Fairies" by Katharine Briggs she gives a breakdown of Cinderella. It is Type 510 (an example of Supernatural Helpers) and contians Motifes S31: Cruel stepmother; L55: Stepdaughter heroine; F311.1: Fairy godmother; D1050.1: Clothes produced by magic; F861.4.3: Carriage from pumpkin; N711.6: Prince sees heroine at ball and is enamoured; C761.3: Taboo: staying too long at ball. Must leave before certian hour; and H36.1: Slipper test. Given that the motif index is apparently six large volumes the detail seems overwhelming!

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