Most of the meta-plots are variations on the following pattern:
Anticipation Stage The call to adventure, and the promise of what is to come. Dream Stage The heroine or hero experiences some initial success - everything seems to be going well, sometimes with a dreamlike sense of invincibility. Frustration Stage First confrontation with the real enemy. Things begin to go wrong. Nightmare Stage At the point of maximum dramatic tension, disaster has erupted and it seems all hope is lost. Resolution The hero or heroine is eventually victorious, and may also be united or reunited with their other half (a romantic partner). Overcoming the Monster a hero must defeat a monster and restore order to a world that has been threatened by the monsters presence. Examples: Beowulf, Theseus, Dracula, Jaws Rags to Riches These stories feature modest, generally virtuous but downtrodden characters, who achieve a happy ending when their special talents or true beauty is revealed to the world at large. Examples: Aladdin, Cinderella, Prince & The Pauper The Quest A hero, often accompanied by sidekicks, travels in search of a priceless treasure and fights against evil and overpowering odds, and ends when he gets both the treasure and the girl. Examples: The Odyssey, Raiders of the Lost Ark Voyage and Return Stories of normal protagonists who are suddenly thrust into strange and alien worlds and must make their way back to normal life. Examples: Alice in Wonderland, Lost in Space Comedy Following a general chaos of misunderstanding, the characters tie themselves and each other into a knot that seems almost unbearable; however, to universal relief, everyone and everything gets sorted out, bringing about the happy ending. Examples: Shakespearian Plays, Oscar Wilde Plays Tragedy A character through some flaw or lack of self-understanding is increasingly drawn into a fatal course of action which leads inexorably to disaster. Examples: Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet Rebirth There is a mounting sense of threat as a dark force approaches the hero until it emerges completely, holding the hero in its deadly grip. Only after a time, when it seems that the dark force has triumphed, does the reversal take place. The hero is redeemed, usually through the life-giving power of love. Examples: A Christmas Carol, Its A Wonderful Life