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
About a Boy
The beginning of Paperboy introduces us to the narrator, Victor, and his life—we're talking his neighborhood, his friends, his family, and his main problem (stuttering). It also gets readers into the premise of the story, which is that Victor will be taking over the paper route for his friend for a month this summer. All of this sets into motion the things that happen for the rest of the book… and the lessons that Victor will learn.
Rising Action
Paperboy Days
During Victor's paperboy days, a lot happens—he meets people like Mr. Spiro (a man who is well-read and talks to Victor like an adult), Mrs. Worthington (a beautiful woman with a drinking problem), and TV Boy (a kid who watches TV all day long). He also has some issues with Ara T, a junkman he hires to sharpen his knife. Unfortunately, Ara T just steals his knife… and then beats up Victor's nanny, Mam, when she goes to get it back for him. What a jerk.
Climax
The Truth Comes Out
Things get hairy when Victor finds out one day that his father isn't biologically related to him—it's a doozy of a discovery. At the same time, Victor's paper route comes to a close and he has to say goodbye to Mr. Spiro, who is leaving on a trip. He also realizes that Mrs. Worthington is a sad alcoholic, and that he cannot help her. When Victor comes home, he finds his room trashed and knows right away that Ara T broke in and stole his stuff. Everything is falling apart for our main man. When he tells Mam about Ara T breaking in, though, she immediately decides that she's going to get Victor's stuff back. This will either go well… or terribly wrong.
Falling Action
Confronting Ara T
Mam and Victor go together to find Ara T and settle this thing once and for all. Ara T initially tries to choke Mam, but Victor throws a bottle at his head and he lets go of her. Then he comes for Victor, but Big Sack—one of Mam's friends—ends up saving them both. Phew. In the end, Big Sack tells Ara T to move on and not bother Mam or Victor anymore, and they are able to go home with all of Victor's stuff safe and sound. Victor's friend Rat also returns from vacation and takes over the paper route again.
Resolution
Moving Forward
After quite the summer, Victor finds that he's more confident and willing to speak up, despite his stutter. He also decides that he doesn't care if he's not related to his father—he still loves him and considers him family, and besides, his dad shows him unconditional love. Victor befriends TV Boy—he's deaf, so they both struggle a whole lot with communicating, and it's nice to have this in common. And Victor looks forward to the day when Mr. Spiro comes back from his trip and they can resume their adult conversations about literature, history, and all sorts of interesting stuff.