Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. Great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice.
Exposition
Get us Out of Here
The Big Top Mall and Video Arcade may be fun for kids, but the wild animals caged there are better suited to more natural habitats that meet their needs. Ivan, a crafty, soulful gorilla and his sage elephant friend Stella have suffered for years as mall employees and crowd pleasers, grateful to have each other for moral support. It's a hard life cooped up and ogled all day, and Ivan shows signs of depression, while Stella has been bullied by humans for so long that she doesn't have the strength to fight back. With that, Shmoopers, the terrible stage is set.
Rising Action
One More Elephant in the Room
Stella is old and wise and Ivan counts on her for her insight. As she suffers through a worsening foot infection, though, circus life takes on an even bleaker tone. And when Mack introduces a cute new baby elephant named Ruby hoping business will pick up, both Ivan and Stella are reminded that they are past their prime.
Ruby's curious nature gives Ivan more opportunities for introspection, though, and the painful memories he's buried are slowly surfacing, bringing with them a deeper appreciation for how uncool his pent up existence is. When Stella dies, it's a wake-up call for everyone. Not only has Ivan promised to take care of Ruby, he's signed on to guarantee her a brighter future. Looks like Ivan is a gorilla who's ready to act.
Climax
A Man… er, Gorilla… With a Plan
Ivan is an artist, which means he is creative, thoughtful, and idea-driven. He is also a born leader whose full potential has never quite been realized, and whose power has been underestimated. Ivan knows that art is a powerful agent for change, and he funnels everything he's got into his ingenious plan to change the future for Ruby: A billboard that identifies the zoo as a better home for the young elephant. With a little human support courtesy of Julia and her dad, Ivan pulls this off. It's a bold move… but will it work?
Falling Action
Hear Them Roar
Ivan's plan doesn't just kind of work—it's super works. In response to his billboard, the public turns out in droves, impressed by Ivan, and appalled by the animals' living conditions and treatment. The news is all over the story, and protesters fill the mall's parking lots. So though Ivan and Ruby might be captives, one things for certain: They are no longer fighting on their own. And with so much negative publicity, it looks like things just might change for the better.
Resolution
A Zoo With a View
Ivan and Ruby get a significant upgrade in their lives when they are moved to the zoo and finally given a chance to be with their people (okay, animals). Ivan is moved in with a family of gorillas, and though he's got an acute case of performance anxiety, he's happy to be there, learning what it takes to be a gorilla among gorillas. Of course he misses Ruby, but before too long, Ivan discovers she is just a holler away and he can check in on her any time from the top of a tall tree. Yay.