Final answer:
The plot in literature refers to the main sequence of events in a story, while a subplot is a secondary or subordinate sequence that enriches the narrative. In a story about a scientific search for new medicine, the challenges faced within government bureaucracy that impede the medicine’s approval represent a subplot. Subplots enhance the main storyline by providing additional layers, conflicts, and insights into the story’s characters and themes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In literature, the plot is the main sequence of events that defines the narrative of a story. This includes a series of occurrences that are connected and provide a structure to the tale.
When it comes to a novel about a scientific search for new medicine, the plot would focus on the series of events surrounding this search including the discovery, development, and potential impact of the new medicine.
However, the storyline may also integrate subplots—secondary sequences that are subordinate to the main plot. These subplots often involve supporting characters and can unfold simultaneously, providing depth to the world and the characters within it.
This secondary thread adds complexity to the story, showing how external factors can affect the main course of action, similar to the subplot involving Mercutio and Tybalt in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Subplots not only enrich the narrative but also offer insights into different aspects of the story, such as character backgrounds or societal critiques. The bureaucratic obstacles could shed light on issues within the government system, reflecting real-world complications in the process of medical approvals.
Therefore, the subplot connects to the main plot by highlighting the challenges faced by those seeking to advance medicine and can serve as a tool for the author to explore broader themes beyond the central storyline.