Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Vantage Point
This week you’ll get to write your story 3 times. You should focus on point of view. You will write each story once from 1st person point of view, once from 3rd person omniscient, and once from objective point of view. Each story should be 1/3 of a page long with NO SPACES between each story. In the end, your story will be a full page long.
1st person point of view-- One of the characters tells the story.
It was a dark night when I walked through the meadow to the sleeping house. I knew that something eventful would happen to me tonight. I could see Star above me in the window. She had a funny look on her face. Suddenly I saw a shadow of someone else rise behind her.
3rd person omniscient-- The story is told in the third person by a narrator whose knowledge is unlimited.
It was a dark night when Jack walked through the meadow to Star’s sleeping house. He knew that something eventful would happen to him. Star watched him anxiously as he approached her trap. She anticipated his surprise as the steel jaws clamped on his leg. She couldn’t have guessed that Mork was sneaking up behind her.
Objective-- The narrator is like a camera that can only record what is seen and heard. The narrator can’t comment, interpret, or enter a character’s mind.
It was a dark night when Jack walked through the meadow to Star’s sleeping
house. He walked as if in anticipation. Star watched him from the window. She kept returning her gaze to a specific spot in the meadow as if she knew something was there. Behind her Mork sneakily entered the room.
Your story should be no longer than one typed, double spaced page.
You can write about whatever topic you want. Just remember to include point of view.
What kind of point of view is in your story?
The ant tugged over the snow a piece of corn he had stored up last summer, perspiring in spite of the cold. A grasshopper, his feelers twitching and with a tic in his left hind leg, looked on for some time. Finally he asked, “Please, friend ant, may I have a bite of your corn?” The ant looked the grasshopper up and down. “What were you doing all last summer?” he snapped. “I sang from dawn till dark,” replied the grasshopper, not changing his tone. “Well,” said the ant, and a faint smile crept into his face, “since you sang all summer, you can dance all winter.” HE WHO IDLES WHEN HE’S YOUNG WILL HAVE NOTHING WHEN HE’S OLD.
Weary in every limb, the ant tugged over the snow a piece of corn he had stored up last summer. It would taste mighty good at dinner tonight. A grasshopper, cold and hungry, looked on. Finally he could bear it no longer. “Please, friend ant, may I have a bite of corn?” “What were you doing all last summer?” asked the ant. He knew the grasshopper’s kind. “I sang from dawn till dark,” replied the grasshopper, happily unaware of what was coming next. “Well,” said the ant, hardly bothering to conceal his contempt, “since you sang all summer, you can dance all winter.” HE WHO IDLES WHEN HE’S YOUNG WILL HAVE NOTHING WHEN HE’S OLD.
Cold and hungry, I watched the ant tugging over the snow a piece of corn he had stored up last summer. My feelers twitched and I was conscious of a tic in my left hind leg. Finally I could bear it no longer. “Please, friend ant,” I asked, “may I have a bite of your corn?” He looked me up and down. “What were you doing all last summer?” he asked, rather too smugly it seemed to me. “I sang from dawn till dark,” I said innocently, remembering the happy times. “Well,” he said, with a priggish sneer, “since you sang all summer, you can dance all winter.”HE WHO IDLES WHEN HE’S YOUNG WILL HAVE NOTHING WHEN HE’S OLD.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Isn’t it Ironic?
It’s time to add some sophistication to your writing. You will now have the chance to splash some irony all over one of your stories. Your story should be the story of someone who is going to respond to one of the following personal ads.
Wanted: Single, white female. Must be able to carry on an intelligent conversation about space travel. Helpful if knows Calculus and physics. Meet me any day at 12:00 noon on bench at Smucker Park.
Wanted: Someone who can give a cost-efficient make over. Must know about eyebrows and facial hair. Must bring own make over supplies. Call at 928-555-3800 after 5:00 pm.
Wanted: Partner in crime. Must have at least one felony-worthy crime under belt. Must be willing to take big risk for big payoff. Come to JOES on 4th Ave. Code word: Oatmeal.
Wanted: Man with perfect physique for artist wanting to paint nudes. Must be young and patient. Pay is good. Stop by Artie’s Art Studio between 8 am and 3 pm.
You also need to include an example of one or more kinds of irony. Have a good time!
Verbal Irony: What is said is the opposite of what is meant. Sarcasm is a kind of verbal irony.
• “My ride just left. That’s great, just great.”
• “You’re wasting away to nothing,” she commented to the obese man.
Dramatic Irony: A difference between what a character says/does and what the reader knows to be true.
• Sophomores are so immature. John, now a junior, couldn’t stand to hang around them anymore. His mother reminded him to make good decisions and come home on time as he left for his night out. He took the minivan. It would be so great when he was grown up and finally bought a truck.
• The soldier finished painting the peace sign on the left side of the vehicle before climbing into the tank.
Situational Irony: A difference between how things look and how they really are. A difference between what happens and what should have happened.
• She slipped her robe and slippers on. She looked over at her sleeping husband. The cold of the night encouraged her back to the safety of her bed. She was just going to the bathroom. She loved being home for the sense of peace and safety it afforded her. She closed the door silently and turned on the light. She turned around to face a man dressed in all black and holding a knife.
• At the end of the police investigation they finally arrested the guilty party, Detective Ruiz.
Your story should be no longer than one typed, double spaced page.
What kind of irony is in your story?
Wanted: Caretaker for big cats. Must have experience with lions, tigers, cougars, or other big cats. Please call 928-555-3800 for more information.
When Sam saw the ad in the newspaper he knew he’d hit the jackpot with this one. His wounds were almost healed. The scars on his chest were still a deep red but at least he didn’t hurt that much anymore. He thought of revenge as he went to the kitchen for another peanut butter sandwich. He glanced at the famous picture that hung on the wall over the TV. Sam was front and center with his Cabela’s safari shirt and the background was lit up with the fiery orange and black of the tigers.
He picked up the phone and called 928-555-3800. An elderly, gruff voice answered. Sam brought up the ad, and a short, impersonal interview ensued. “I have a feeling the cat is going to love you,” encouraged the man before he hung up. That had been surprisingly easy. The man hadn’t even asked anything about his experience with big cats.
The next morning as he drove to the huge mansion he reminisced about his trip to the zoo just over 8 months ago. Sam and two of his friends had been throwing peanuts at the tigers. Suddenly one of the tigers jumped over the barricade out into the pedestrian walkway. He seized on one of Sam’s friends who was dead before he knew what had happened. In an attempt to rescue his friend, Sam had received a nasty swat across his chest which had cut to his ribs. The tiger pounced on him again and bit down on his shoulder. Suddenly the tiger went limp and he fell over, a large dart sticking out of his flank. It had taken six months to be well enough to leave his house on his own.
Sam noticed an elderly man just inside the gate to the mansion. He stopped his car. “Here will be fine. You can leave your car,” stated the old man. “You look perfect, so young and tender.” They walked down a small path and stopped in front of a cage housing a magnificent male lion. The old man unlocked the door and motioned for Sam to step inside. Sam naively did and the man locked the door again. “Have a nice lunch,” the old man invited the lion.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Creative writing was always a difficult idea for me to teach because grading someone's creativity is sooo hard to justify. Here are some creative writing assignments I've designed to help focus the students' ideas as well as clearly outline gradable-expectations.
Valentines Day
Another essential part of a story is CONFLICT!! Without a conflict, it would be difficult to find the point to your story. The story that you are going to write is going to be about Valentines Day. The only catch is that you cannot use the words LOVE, HEART, FEBRUARY, FLOWERS, ROSES, CHOCOLATES, BALLOONS. Have fun and remember to focus on CONFLICT
Conflict:
Man vs. Man
2 guys fighting, sporting events, war
Think of a movie/story
Man vs. Himself
Psychological diseases, conquering fears, figuring out who you are
Think of a movie/story
Man vs. Society
Fitting into a group, fighting racism, fighting governments
Think of a movie/story
Man vs. Nature
Getting eaten by a bear, tornadoes, earthquakes, disease
Think of a movie/story
Man vs. God
Dealing with circumstances, disease, trying to do the right thing
Think of a movie/story
Your story should be no longer than one typed, double spaced page.
Your story should be about Valentines Day without using the words LOVE, HEART, FEBRUARY, FLOWERS, ROSES, CHOCOLATES, BALLOONS.
What kind of conflict is in your story?
The sniper slipped soundlessly through the fresh leaves. His skin pricked up as he sensed his target nearby. He couldn’t see him in the deep blackness of the moonless night but he had a 6th sense that had kept him alive all these years. A slight shiver in the bushes below let him know that his target was moving. His agility let him slip down the backside of the tree, the scent of oak leaves fresh in his nose. He silently slipped around the base of the giant tree to find a gun barrel 2 inches from the bridge of his nose. It was the last thing he saw.
His breathing felt thick to him and his footsteps sounded heavy. He hunkered down into the bush outside his living room window. The fear was on his tongue like a heavy syrupy drink. He physically felt the presence of the assassin in the tree but couldn’t muster the courage to do anything about it. The only calming thought was the .270 hunting rifle. He could smell the gunpowder as he held it against his face. His knees shook and he saw the man lower himself from the oak. He scampered toward the tree and pointed the gun. His fear overcoming him, he pulled the trigger.
After he’d vomited on his lawn, the man sat down to contemplate the circumstances that had gotten him to this point. Five years ago, he’d been approached by government officials who had offered him his freedom in exchange for his services as a mule for transporting sensitive documents. They’d forced him to leave his job as an accountant and compensated him well but the toll on his family had been irreparable. The FBI had taken everything important in his life from him. Now they were trying to take his life.
He stood up and decided to walk away from this whole mess. He started down the road as a light rain started to fall. The wetness felt clean at first and then the wind started to blow. The rain soon changed to a thick, wet snow. He felt his eyebrows freeze and the area around his mouth and nose began to chap because of the moisture in his breath. He had no idea how far he’d have to walk but knew that without a coat he wouldn’t make it for very long in the plummeting temperatures.
As he trudged down the empty a road, headlights suddenly appeared in the distance. He wanted to hide but couldn’t muster anymore of the lies. A police cruiser highlighted him with his headlights and pulled up next to him. The officer asked if he was okay. The man didn’t know what to do. If he told the police about the dead assassin on his front lawn, his life would be immeasurably more complicated and he would almost certainly end up dead. If he kept walking he would definitely end up dead tonight. He didn’t know what the right thing to do would be. Could he redeem himself somewhat if he started to tell the truth now?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Rich in metaphor and simile and captivating in theme, this group of poems is ideal for helping students identify and analyze the comparisons which make poetry so meaningful.
When my students find a metaphor or simile, they write a complete sentence to explain the comparison. The structure I teach them looks like the following:
__________ and _________ are being compared because ___________________.
An example taken from "Dream Deferred" would end up saying, "A raisin in the sun and a dream deferred are being compared because both lose the life which makes them motivational."
Monday, January 26, 2009
Though rich in other literary elements, I use these poems with 10th grade students to focus on rhyme scheme.
Each poem has a different rhyme scheme and each poem has unusual characteristics with rhyme.
I teach my students to write about the rhyme scheme in a complete sentence:
The rhyme scheme is _________________________.
An example would be the following: "The rhyme scheme is ABAB, CDED, FGHG.
“Cross”
