Seven Types of Plot/Joke

I was thinking some more about how limited Hollywood movies can be in terms of plot and what happens.  But then I remembered, there are only 7 basic plots!

1 - [wo]man vs. nature
  2 - [wo]man vs. man
  3 - [wo]man vs. the environment
  4 - [wo]man vs. machines/technology
  5 - [wo]man vs. the supernatural
  6 - [wo]man vs. self
  7 - [wo]man vs. god/religion

That's not strictly true, because what about all those crappy Disney B grade films following a dog/cat/bear/pony/kangaroo getting back to its owner!

I found some great answers and links to this question of how many plots there are, and some more 7s for plots, and 36 Dramatic Situations:
Google Answers
The Internet Public Library
The Straight Dope

At the bottom of the Google Answers are another 7;

1. Overcoming the monster -- defeating some force which threatens...
  e.g. most Hollywood movies; Star Wars, James Bond.

 

2. The Quest -- typically a group setoff in search of something and
  (usually) find it. e.g. Watership Down, Pilgrim's Progress.

 

3. Journey and Return -- the hero journeys away from home to somewhere
  different and finally comes back having experienced something and
  maybe changed for the better. e.g. Wizard of Oz, Gullivers Travels.

 

4. Comedy - not neccesarily a funny plot. Some kind of
  misunderstanding or ignorance is created that keeps parties apart
  which is resolved towards the end bringing them back together. e.g.
  Bridget Jones Diary, War and Peace.

 

5. Tragedy - Someone is tempted in some way, vanity, greed etc and
  becomes increasingly desperate or trapped by their actions until at a
  climax they usually die. Unless it's a Hollywood movie, when they
  escape to a happy ending. e.g. Devils' Advocate, Hamlet.

 

6. Rebirth - hero is captured or oppressed and seems to be in a state
  of living death until it seems all is lost when miraculously they are
  freed. e.g. Snow White.

 

7. Rags to Riches - self explanatory really. e.g. Cinderella &
  derivatives (all 27,000 of them)!!!

I remember hearing that there are only 7 joke types, but I haven't found it on the Web and so far I have 8 types of joke/comedy;

1. Misunderstanding
2. Misfortune/Cruelty/Slapstick
3. Wordplay
4. Status - Fall from status or rapid rise
5. Stupidity
6. Surreal/Tangential
7. Exaggeration
8. Sarcasm/Satire/Parody

And Scott Adams of Dilbert and The Joy of Work lists Six Dimensions of Humour with a picking a  "Two of Six" rule;

1. Cuteness
  2. Meanness
  3. Bizarreness
  4. Recognisability
  5. Naughtiness
  6. Cleverness

He suggests picking at least two of these dimensions, start with one of them and then layer in a second dimension.  It works for him, so it must be correct!
That's enough plot and humour for today, burning up my Monday public holiday.

Comments

[graham brady]

hello thanks for your info. i write jokes for a living songs and the like...velly helpful.

[Elen]

hey i was looking for types of jokes. i want my pupils know more about types of jokes and i found u . pls if it's not difficult for u just answer. i'd like to talk to u more about what i wanna do and hope u can give me some piece of advice. thank you a lot !!! with love Elen

[Kevin Murphy]

I remember once hearing about X types of joke. The only one I can remember was "repetition", which doesn't seem to be on your list.

[Caio Camargo]

Tony, the seven plots you found on Google Answers are from a book called The Seven Basic Plots, by Christopher Booker. Thought the attribution would help.