Abstract: The plot tension of a novel refers to the anticipatory suspense formed by the conflicts of the plot. The tension of the novel is expressed through three steps: "balance - variation (tension) - rupture". The tension building in the novel is mainly accomplished by establishing basic tension, enhancing the tension of the plot, and releasing the tension. There are two main ways to enhance plot tension. The first is to intensify the contradiction between the two levels of tension. The second is to add two levels of attributes.

Keywords: literary theory, novel, tension

A successful novel must have the following three conditions: lifelike characters, ups and downs of the story, and beautiful and moving plots. Writing style (environmental description), these are also the three major elements that make up a novel. But if you want to write an excellent novel, it is not enough to have these. It must also have something that can firmly capture the reader's heart, something that people can't help but read on. That is a novel. of tension.

So what is novel tension? Why does fiction need tension? Where is the tension in the novel specifically expressed? How to build tension in the novel?

In the concept of physics, tension refers to a way of existence between two or more conflicting, interdependent, and complementary factors, that is, a certain reconciliation of various competing forces. , or "a stable pattern in contradiction.

The concept of tension in literary theory is very complex. At first, the French literary critic Alan Tate initially transplanted this concept from the field of physics to literary criticism Later, it was just to explain the phenomenon of the unity of opposites between denotation and connotation in poetic language. Later generations gradually used the concept of tension to analyze the function of literary language. In fact, “anywhere there are opposing but interrelated forces, impulses or meanings.” There is tension everywhere. "(Fowler's words). It includes the tension of the character, the tension of description, the tension of superficial meaning and metaphorical meaning, so here I will narrow the scope to the tension of the plot in the novel and give a brief explanation.

< p> So the so-called plot tension of the novel is simply the suspense of expectation formed by the conflicts of the plot. To use a phenomenon in life as an example, it is the performance of dewdrops on a full glass of water. The tension seemed to be about to drop, but it never happened.

A novel is not just a simple combination of language, it is an organic combination of characters, events, time and space scenes and other factors. . We arrange the structure of the work, especially the plot tension effect in a very limited space, to increase the inner depth of the work, making its connotation have infinite symbolic and metaphorical meaning, so that the novel can achieve artistic perfection. Sexuality.

?The specific expression of tension is achieved through the three steps of "balance-variation (tension)-fracture"

In this classic tear-jerking plot. , what are the readers paying attention to? Destiny, the fate of the girl. So, where is the tension between the girl's naive and beautiful expectations and the cruelty of reality? Between the plain truth and the man's shameless deception

People always hope for happiness. A helpless girl can easily arouse the sympathy of readers, and readers are also happy to see the girl get her own happiness. , helpless, with nothing, there are two levels of basic tension between the girl and happiness. At this time, the tension is still very weak, forming a balanced state of tension.

When the plot develops, the girl realizes. The relationship between men heats up rapidly, but when the female boss has a cold attitude, the tension begins to intensify. The readers hope that the girl can achieve a happy marriage, but they will also have questions from the attitude of the female boss. Here, it is the "suspense" of the clear sword and clear gun. ”.

The girl is dazzled by love and follows the man without hesitation. Up to this point, the work has not exposed the man’s true intention, but most readers will be worried.

The silly but reasonable plot of the girl arguing with the female boss puts the female boss and the man as two levels of tension intuitively before the readers, and a new kind of tension is created in the above plots. Variant tension that creates tension.

The climax of the plot is when the man leaves, and the girl discovers that she has been deceived and becomes homeless, with twists and turns, tight ups and downs, suspense released, and dreams shattered. At this point, the suspense is released and the tension breaks.

Just when the reader laments the harshness of the world and can't help but sympathize with this stupid girl again, the female boss appears again. This is called sudden suspense, and the strong contrast produces a tear-jerking effect. This is the kind of unexpected and reasonable ending characteristic of O. Henry's novels.

The tension hidden in the work must be based on the reader's attention, and the reader's first attention is mostly to the superficial tension, obvious contradictions, and contrasts, thus forming an expected suspense in their hearts.

Therefore, in the first step, we should focus on how to establish two basic tensions and attract readers' attention for the first time. This is more important than how to set up suspense step by step and how to construct deep-seated multi-dimensional tension elements. Much.

For example: A racing car with excellent performance, a racing car with championship potential has deviated from the track. Who doesn’t want to put it in its right place and let it continue to race? Who wouldn't want to be a successful candidate in high school next year? A kind and beautiful girl, who doesn’t want to give her happiness? There are lovers, who doesn’t want them to get married eventually? Who wouldn't want to teach a heinous villain a lesson? Who doesn't want revenge for killing his father and seizing his wife? Japs, who doesn’t want to be killed?

These are the two basic tensions, which are actually placed in front of the readers, forming an expected suspense and making the readers pay attention. The release of this suspense is usually completed by time.

But the setting up of expected suspense cannot be accomplished with a simple rhetorical question or a flashback.

Therefore, in the second step, we need to strengthen the tension of the plot and let the tension produce variant tension. The greater the tension, the stronger the suspense generated. Therefore, in the process of setting up expectant suspense, we must use all reasonable means to strengthen this tension, step by step, face to face, and in detail, without sparing any words.

If a racing car with excellent performance carries all the efforts and dreams of someone or a group of people, or even the unfinished posthumous work of a certain master, or if it is to cheer up a terminally ill girl, Is the courage to survive more tense? In addition, there are bad people who are obstructing it, and there are many times of destruction with open guns and covert attacks. Isn't it better? What about the arrogance and courtesy from the audience and the media?

If a well-educated college candidate, whose family is in decline and burdened with the responsibility of revitalizing the family, goes to find his engaged fiancée but is humiliated by her husband, encounters many setbacks on the way to the exam, becomes impoverished, and becomes enemies with the powerful in the capital, Doing evil in secret...

If a kind and beautiful girl is haunted by evil spirits, makes careless friends, and even sells her body to support her younger brothers and sisters who depend on each other...

If there is a lover, if the third The third person, the fourth person, the fifth person... what if they are actually brothers and sisters? Or amnesia? Or if someone dies, it turns out that humans and ghosts are on different paths?

What if the heinous villain turned out to be his best friend? What if they were brothers? Even biological parents?

There are two main ways to enhance plot tension. The first is to intensify the contradiction between the two levels of tension. The second is to add two levels of attributes. Another way of thinking is to add time limits and increase the sense of urgency. The best example is the speed of life and death. Feng Qingyang teaches Linghu Chong how to practice swordsmanship in "The Swordsman".

Finally, after completing the variation of tension, we have to release the tension. People's suspense has been answered.

In addition, in novels, setting up suspense and releasing suspense are often carried out simultaneously. Before one suspense is completed, another suspense comes again, and several suspense are raised simultaneously. The primary and secondary are connected and the collision is lingering.

Of course, in addition to the superficial tensions of desire and ability, reality and dreams, strength and circumstances, etc., there are also deeper hidden tensions, such as sensibility and rationality, freedom and loneliness, love and death, and superego. With the Self...all the great works in history have reached unprecedented heights in implicit tension.