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nd more about the term of “plot”. An author presents his characters in action, but he often finds it necessary to violate the strictly logical and chronological order of action. While manipulating the action in a way he plans, the author is creating his plot (Lan Renzhe, 1987: 10). But action must be presented in an event. Though there are many stories or events in the essay Don’’t Get Comfortable, they are relatively independent to each other. That is to say, they are independent events, not episodes. It is obvious that there is plot in every independent story. But it is impossible to construct a plot in the essay, because they are irrelevant to each other. Therefore, untraceable plot becomes the fourth characteristic of the essay. 3.4 Irrelevant episodes to the theme Traditionally, a good story usually has by a controlling theme, which selects and arranges everything that goes into the story—the characters, the action, the resolution of the conflict, and anything else used by the writer to express the main theme. Although modern writers often imply their theme rather than state it explicitly, through the portrait of characters and action, or sometimes through atmosphere, setting, even some im ages or symbols, to make their themes extremely subtle and ambiguous. In this story, the theme is quite clear. The first clue is in the title “Don’t Get Comfortable”. Why should we “not get comfortable”? A lesson that narrator’s father falling down twice teaches us “one thing you need to know to do ‘high work’: ‘don’t get comfortable’ what he means goes beyond the commonplace ‘keep your wits about you’” and Best’s tragedy warns us not forget to “watch ourselves” and not be “too comfortable”. The theme of “don’t get comfortable” is easy to be found in this story. However, it seems only “my” father’s story and Best’s tragedy are good examples for the theme, although many other stories are told in the essay, like “my” hunting story, which is irrelevant to the theme at all. As we have discussed that the title of Don’t Get Comfortable can be regarded as the theme. Logically all the clues or examples should support the theme: why or how one should not “get comfortable”. The hunting story in the essay, for example, is irrelevant to the theme at all. The hunting story is the last time “I” go hunting with “my” father, “We” step around the icy stones and fallen limbs into the deep woods. “My” father finds “a large patch where turkey had been scratching the winter-decayed leaves, a large flock probably discovered and broken up by other hunters earlier in the morning”. Believing that “the turkeys would still be in the area”, “my” father decides to try calling them in and a turkey answers. Finally, we find the turkey on the edge of the ridge. But “I” do not want to kill the turkey, so “I” shoot behind it. But father is convinced “I” have hit the bird by the time “we” arrive at the Sigel Hotel, because he believes that “I” am “a great wingshot”. All these seem to have little to do with the theme: “don’t get comfortable”. Nevertheless, the story is popular with the readers—it was awarded as “one of the most popular short stories” in 1999 in America, as mentioned above. This is not without reasons. Firstly, it is easy to read. The words are common and simple and sentences are woven with short and long ones. Secondly, it is very interesting to read. The story is made up of various amusing stories. Thirdly, maybe it is the violation of the standard of