# Small, finite number of stories? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2006, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995 "2006-11-11T10:26:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/1 "2006-11-11T10:26:39Z")
In another forum, someone explained that he was told that there are only a small, finite number of stories, and that there were no truly original plots. This revelation seemed to really upset this young person. I’d like to be able to explain this concept to this guy in a way that would put his mind at ease, but I really don’t remember any detail about this from previous discussions here at the SDMB. Would some kind, patient, knowledgeable person(s) please explain this “no original story” theory? Thank You. ~~SSgt Baloo ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/2 "2006-11-11T11:41:36Z")
Cecil himself did a column on the [question](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/001124.html). ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/3 "2006-11-11T14:20:16Z")
There are basic rules for entertaining a human. We have not however hit the end of all possible permutations of a story that fit within those rules. But it does seem that we’ve fairly well gotten the rules down to being pretty set. Saying that that’s bad would be similarly to start eating human feces because you were limitted by that whole food group thing. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/4 "2006-11-11T19:13:02Z")
I read this the other day somewhere…kinda makes sense if you think about it: There are 2 stories - A stranger comes to town; A man goes on a journey ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/5 "2006-11-11T22:09:40Z")
Muchas gracias. I figured the answer was something like what Cecil and the rest of you describe, but it’s nice to have a cite available should anyone ask. Once more: Thanks! \>\>SSgt Baloo ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/6 "2006-11-11T23:13:59Z")
[QUOTE=HelloKitty] I read this the other day somewhere…kinda makes sense if you think about it: There are 2 stories - A stranger comes to town; A man goes on a journey [/QUOTE] What about the story about that guy that just sits around all day not doing much of anything by himself? ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/7 "2006-11-12T00:50:43Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] What about the story about that guy that just sits around all day not doing much of anything by himself? [/QUOTE] Ahh, Grasshopper - is that not in itself a journey? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/8 "2006-11-12T08:20:23Z")
I never thought very much about those ‘thirty-seven basic plot’ systems, because all of my favorite stories never seemed to fit into any of them without getting mangled. That seems to fit with what Cecil was saying: “The categories can’t cover everything in literature yet, and even if they could they don’t seem to tell us anything really useful.” Though come to think of it - the thirty-six dramatic situation might be a vaguely useful web link for my nanowrimo, just as a source of possible inspiration. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-finite-number-of-stories/379995/9 "2006-11-12T08:42:10Z")
[QUOTE=Billdo] Cecil himself did a column on the [question](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/001124.html). [/QUOTE] Cecil left out an important one. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl. Of course that’s just a variation of the riches to rags to riches story (see The Book of Job).