Stories can have a problem and a solution — Language, 4–6
Many stories become easier to follow when something goes wrong and someone tries to put it right. You can notice the trouble, the attempts and the moment when things change.
The trouble gives a story something to solve
In many stories, a character wants something, but a difficulty gets in the way. The story follows what the character tries, and a solution may make things better. The ending does not have to be perfect, but something has changed.
Why notice the problem?
Without the trouble, a character’s actions can feel like a pile of unrelated events. Storytellers use a problem to give those actions a reason: the character is trying to reach, find, save or understand something. Spotting it helps you predict what might happen next.
A story about a missing teddy
First, Ana wants to sleep, but her teddy is missing: that is the problem. Next, she looks under the bed and in the toy box, but finds only a shoe. Then her brother hears a soft sound, and they find the teddy inside the laundry basket. The problem is solved because Ana can hold it again.
The first difficulty is not always the whole problem
You might call every small event a new problem, because each one makes the story harder for a moment. That is reasonable: a wet shoe and a locked door really are difficulties. Try asking, “What is the character trying to make better?” The answer is usually the main problem.
Finding the problem in real stories
When you tell someone about a lost ball, a broken toy or a seed that will not grow, naming the problem helps them follow you. Then you can say what you tried and what happened. This is useful in play, at home and when you explain an event at school.
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