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 (Initial Situation)
Silver and Gould
Peace has finally come to Costaguana after a long period of civil war and the cruel reign of a man named Guzmán Bento. Charles Gould, a native Costaguanero of English extraction, decides to take advantage of a mining concession granted to his family and get the San Tomé mine pumping out silver. His hope is that the new mine will help the country become prosperous and, in the process, achieve some lasting peace. Oh yeah, and to become filthy rich himself.
Rising Action (Conflict, Complication)
(South) American Hustle
After joining forces with a rich and powerful American steel and silver magnate, Charles gets the San Tomé off the ground in no time. As the mine starts booming, Charles gains increasing influence and power in Costaguana politics. In fact, he even helps bring about the appointment of Don Vincente Ribiera as President. Things seem to be humming along on a good track, as far as Gould is concerned.
Climax (Crisis, Turning Point)
Let's (Not) Give Peace a Chance
Unfortunately for Gould, some folks don't really appreciate how much power Europeans and Americans have gained in Costaguana's political circles. Huh, wonder why? In particular, Don Vincente Ribiera's Minister of War, General Montero, gets all sorts of angry with Ribiera's involvement with foreign interests and spearheads the movement to kick him to the curb. The Goulds and their allies in Sulaco go into a frenzy trying to defend their homes (and money-making schemes) from ruin.
With his eyes on the prize of achieving lasting peace and security, an anti-Monterist journalist named Martin Decoud convinces the Goulds to push for the Occidental province to split off as their own country. So, on the eve of the invasion of Monterist forces, Martin and Nostromo set out with two goals: 1) to protect the Goulds' most recent silver shipment from the invaders and 2) to get to a guy named Barrios in nearby Cayta and bring him back (and oh, yeah, and there's a third goal: to keep Martin alive).
Falling Action
Can You Vote Yourself off this Island?
Martin and Nostromo's plan hits some bumps, and Martin ends up chilling on the Great Isabel (an island) with the silver (which is hidden) while Nostromo heads back to town to help out. Nostromo is eventually able to make himself useful by going to Cayta and bringing Barrios back. Unfortunately, Martin goes crazy on the island all alone and decides to kill himself. He helps himself to a couple of bars of the silver to help sink his body: that's a pretty classy weight there, Martin.
Resolution (Denouement)
All's Well that Ends… Yeah, that Ends
Nostromo eventually retrieves the silver from its hiding place and, since everyone else already thought it was gone, decides to just keep it for himself. After all, he put himself at considerable risk keeping the silver out of enemy hands, which was the key thing, and didn't get a ton for his trouble. What could possibly go wrong with this plan?
Don't start settling in for a happy ending, though. He quickly gets way too obsessed with the silver and starts making some bad decisions. It's a long and twisted story, but the upshot (pardon the pun) is that he ends up getting a gun fired at him while he's prowling around checking on his silver. And there you have it—the silver claims yet another victim.