What is an enveloping action of a plot?

Answer 1

In fiction the enveloping action is the one action that gives the story unity. It is an archetypal, universal action such as anger, love or some lack of love, loss of innocence, or any action that bespeaks the human condition and which is not just typical but archetypical, that is, an action that every person in every time and place will commit and which enforms the actions proper of the story. As Aristotle said, "What gives a story unity is not as the masses believe that it is about one personbut that it is about one action. THE ILIAD is about wrath. "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" is about the inability to forget. The key to understanding the enveloping action of a story is to perceive what the controlling image is for that image contains the essence of the enveloping action. In a finished work of art, the perception of the controlling image and the enveloping action is the surest way to ensure that the reader understands the story as well as the writer of the story. The actions proper are the many, the enveloping action the one; the appearance and the reality. Every fictive work of art is a metaphor for a universal action. In the end, "A Worn Path" is a metaphor for the way a writer works.

Answer 2

An enveloping action of a plot involves immersing the audience in the story by creating a compelling and engaging narrative that keeps them emotionally invested in the outcome. It typically includes dynamic and interconnected events that propel the story forward and captivate the audience's attention. This kind of plot development aims to engross the viewer or reader, making them feel as though they are part of the unfolding events in the story.