emplot

Emplot is a concept in narrative theory and philosophy that refers to the process of constructing a coherent plot from disparate events and elements. The term was prominently developed by French philosopher Paul Ricoeur in his work "Time and Narrative." Emplotment involves organizing events into a meaningful sequence that follows a recognizable narrative structure with a beginning, middle, and end.

According to Ricoeur, emplotment is not merely a literary technique but a fundamental human activity through which we make sense of experience. It transforms raw events into stories with causal connections, motivations, and thematic significance. This process allows individuals and societies to construct identity, memory, and history.

Emplotment operates through three key aspects: mimesis (the representation of action), configuration (the arrangement of elements into a plot), and refiguration (the way stories reshape our understanding of reality). By engaging in emplotment, humans can bridge the gap between chronology (time as sequence) and narrative time (time as meaning).

The concept has influenced literary theory, historiography, psychology, and cultural studies, demonstrating how narrative structures shape human understanding across various domains of knowledge.