Narrative Structure in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”

1. Narrative Structure in“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” Marjorie Antonio

2. Exposition • The previous senator dies in the state, leaving the Governor in charge to appoint a new one. They need a clueless person who can be easily controlled. • They find Jefferson Smith, a young, optimistic, and patriotic individual, and is a leader of the boy rangers in the state.

3. Rising Action • Mr. Smith goes to Washington D.C, but when he reaches the capital of the country, he gets overwhelmed and goes to visit monuments instead of arriving in his office, to the annoyance of his peers. • While at the Lincoln Memorial, he overhears a child reciting the words of Lincoln, with his proud grandfather standing beside him. • While the other senators are whipped in the a frenzy trying to find Smith, the young senator finds his way to his office, catching his assistant Saunders, off guard. • Mr. Smith is then taken to the Capitol, where is appointed to office by the president of the senate. • Jeff Smith is then made fun of by the other senators after he is taken to a photo shoot with some journalists that spin the truth. He eventually understands that other people aren’t taking him seriously, so he decides to make a bill.

4. Rising Action (Continued) • Jeff Smith works with Saunders on a bill for the building of a boy’s camp on the land of Willet Creek. • When Smith presents the bill to the senate, the land is later revealed to be a part of dam building graph scheme, in the works by Jim Taylor, through Senator Paine. • Senator Paine enlists his daughter, Susan, to distract Smith when they present a bill to senate tomorrow, about building a dam. Saunders decides she wants to quit her job after seeing this revelation. • Smith is accused for graph and for owning the land surrounding by Willet Creek, by the many men under Taylor’s influence.

5. Climax • Saunders comes back and coaches Smith to help defend himself in the Senate. • Smith launches a filibuster, and goes talking non-stop for twenty-four hours. Saunders help out by gesturing cues and helping him stay awake and energized. Smith calls for a quorum. • Jim Taylor prevents anything that Smith says to get back to the State. • Soon, Smith’s Boy Rangers are getting hurt and Smith has to stop. • All the senators are listening to Smith now. • Paine brings out the last straw; telegraphs of thousands of individuals calling for Smith to stop. • Smith remind Paine that he was a lost cause, and that Paine believed in lost causes once. • Paine runs out and Smith faints. He tries to kill himself with a gun and exclaiming that he isn’t fit to do this anymore.

6. Resolution • Paine runs out and Smith faints. He tries to kill himself with a gun and exclaiming that he isn’t fit to do this anymore. • Senator Paine cracks and reveals that everything the Smith said was true, revealing Taylor as the villain and a political machine. • Smith is passed out and couldn’t even celebrate the victory over Jim Taylor.