What Is the Weakness of the Plot? Uncovering Story Flaws
If you've ever watched a movie or read a book and found yourself thinking, "Something just doesn’t add up," you’ve probably encountered a plot weakness. But what exactly does that mean? How can you identify when the plot of a story falls apart? Well, in this article, we're diving deep into the flaws that can derail a story and how you can spot them, whether you're a writer, a reader, or a movie buff.
The Core of a Weak Plot: Lack of Consistency
The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about plot weaknesses is consistency. If the plot doesn’t follow its own rules, it’s going to confuse the audience. And, honestly, nothing is more frustrating than a plot that forgets the basics.
Characters Acting Out of Character
Ever watched a character do something completely out of character just to push the plot forward? Yeah, me too. It’s like, one moment they’re calm and thoughtful, and the next, they’re making irrational decisions that completely contradict their established personality. I had this feeling when watching a show with a character I loved, who suddenly became reckless—seemingly for no reason at all. The plot felt forced, and I didn’t buy it. That’s a huge red flag.
Plot Points That Don't Add Up
Sometimes a plot takes a turn that leaves you scratching your head. You know when the story builds up tension, but then a resolution comes out of nowhere, and it just doesn’t make sense? Yeah, that can be a serious weakness. If key moments or twists don’t align with what has been previously established, they’ll leave the audience feeling cheated.
Predictability and Lack of Surprises
Another weakness of a plot is predictability. If you can guess the ending halfway through the story, it’s a big problem. Sure, sometimes we like stories that reassure us, but come on, we also want the thrill of surprise.
Recycled Tropes and Clichés
Look, I get it—tropes can be comforting. But when they’re overused, they can make the entire plot feel stale. I was chatting with my buddy Alex the other day, and we were both ranting about a movie we’d seen that had all the usual "hero’s journey" clichés. And don't get me wrong, the hero's journey can be epic, but when it’s too predictable, it feels like the writers didn't even try to be creative.
The 'It’s All a Dream' Twist
Ugh, don’t even get me started on the “It was all just a dream” twist. If a story relies on that to wrap things up, it can be a massive letdown. It’s like the writer ran out of ideas and thought, “Hey, let’s just say it didn’t happen.” No one wants to feel like their time was wasted on a cheap plot device.
Emotional Disconnect: A Plot That Doesn’t Connect With You
A weak plot often fails to emotionally engage the audience. It might have all the right elements, but if those elements don’t connect on a deeper level, the plot feels hollow. It’s hard to care about a plot that doesn’t make you feel anything.
Unrealistic Motivations
When a character's motivations are unclear or make no sense, it’s tough to stay invested in their journey. Remember a movie I watched recently? A character made this huge, life-changing decision, but the film never explained why they acted that way. It felt forced, and honestly, I couldn't connect to their struggle at all. That’s a major flaw in plot construction.
Lack of Stakes or Conflict
If the stakes aren’t high enough, or worse, they’re not clear, the plot lacks urgency. I’ve seen some stories where nothing really feels at risk. And without that tension, it’s hard to feel the impact of the plot. Think about the last time you watched a show or movie that had low stakes—did you really care if the hero succeeded or failed?
Pacing Problems: Dragging or Rushing Through Key Moments
Okay, let’s talk about pacing. This is one area where you can really tell if a plot is weak. A story can have a great setup, but if the pacing is all wrong, it can ruin the experience.
Overlong Expositions
Exposition is necessary, right? But too much of it can drag the story down. I remember this one show where the first episode was all talk, explaining the backstory and setting everything up, but I honestly couldn’t wait for the action to start. That’s when pacing becomes a plot killer.
Rushed Conclusions
On the flip side, a rushed conclusion can also hurt a plot. If the story builds up tension for hours, and then everything is wrapped up in 10 minutes, it feels rushed. I’ve been there, frustrated by an ending that felt like it was just “tacked on” instead of earned.
Conclusion: Understanding Plot Weaknesses to Enhance Storytelling
So, after all this, what can we conclude about the weaknesses in a plot? Well, it’s about consistency, surprise, emotional connection, and pacing. If any of these elements fall apart, the entire plot can feel weak and unconvincing. Whether you’re crafting your own stories or critiquing someone else’s, keep an eye on these potential flaws. It’s all about finding the right balance to create something that resonates.
And, hey, if you’re ever in doubt, just ask yourself: does the plot make sense, or does it feel like it’s trying too hard to be clever?
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Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.