The Story’s Endgame

Worksheet Description

This worksheet prompts students to define the term “denouement” and to consider whether this narrative component is a universal feature of stories. It provides lines for students to express, in their own words, what a denouement is and to argue whether all stories contain a denouement, encouraging them to provide reasons for their answer. The task requires students to use critical thinking to explore the structure of story endings and the purposes they serve. It is an opportunity for students to reflect on the variety of narrative conclusions they have encountered in different stories.

The worksheet is teaching students to engage with the concept of the denouement critically. It helps them understand that the denouement is the part of a story where the plot strands are typically resolved following the climax. Through this exercise, students learn to analyze whether a conclusive segment is necessary for all stories and what function it fulfills. This thought process aids students in recognizing the diversity of narrative structures and the creative choices authors make when concluding their stories.