Ian Baird-
Brainstorm and Plot
As part of your short story assignment there are a number of requirements that you must complete in addition to writing your story. Please see the list below of items you need.
Brainstorm:
You must have a minimum of 2 of the following in your story:
- Foreshadowing– Chemical reaction that started fire ended up being a good way to make clean energy if used right
- Irony-that the kids who started the fire turned out to make the world a better place by doing what they do best.
- Personification-the fire danced while he watched the school burn down.
- Symbolism–
- Metaphor–
Characters:
You must include a Characterization page of the Protagonist and two other characters in the story. (see Darth Vader example from class)
Kermit-Ms. Witherspoon-Ed
Protagonist-Kermit=dynamic
Protagonist-Ed=dynamic
Direct characterization- “so I did something dumb when I was 7.”
Indirect characterization- (quate from Ms. Witherspoon) “This is why we can’t have nice things”
Action-sets school on fire- shows us that he is a trouble maker-but later he became a mature man who invented something that made the world a better place.
Theme:
Please include a theme statement for your story. You MUST include the 5-layer explanation we have gone over in class. (See Identifying Theme Notes.)
Layer 5 theme and theme statement
Utilizing your skills that you have learned and using them to solve the conflict. Learning from past mistakes, turning a negative into a positive.
Layer 1-the 5 w’s
Who-(Kermit-Ed the trouble makers)-Ms. Witherspoon the teacher
What-Kermit and Ed have to re-live a moment from their past
Where-Sunny park street elementary school
When-In their past and present
Why-because they need to fix their mistake that they created 10 years from where they are now
Layer 2-Making connections
Kermit starts to feel bad about what he did in grade 1
Layer 3-Imagery and mood
Having to relive watching your school burn down, that is a powerful scene if you have to see it happen over and over again.
Layer 4-Symbolism
The building of the new school symbolizes a new beginning where they get to live their lives, not going back into the past. A fresh start. It also symbolizes that when your building something your not destroying something but creating new things which helped him later on in life.
Plot:
Your plot layout must include the outline of the story. Please make sure you include all aspects of the Plot we have gone over. Point form sentences are ok but we should understand the story just by looking at the diagram and reading your examples.
- Intro (Setting, Tone, Theme)-old school but with new technology
- Conflict-them re-living this one moment and need to find a way to end it
- Rising Action (2 instances in the story)-buying on plank of wood with $1.30- making money to rebuild school- rebuilding school.
- Climax-walking through portal to meet teacher and having a talking 2 to solve the conflict.
- Conclusion the 2 of them become successful entrepreneurs and make a company that benefits the world.
Personification
The fire ate Ms. Wetherspoons desk
For the school fire descriptions
- Blast, blowup,
- burst, bursting,
- detonation,
- eruption,
- outburst.
For the kid descriptions
- disobedient,
- headstrong,
- intractable,
- obstreperous,
- recalcitrant,
- refractory,
- transgressing,
- unruly,
Strict teacher description
- authoritarian.
- bully.
- despot.
- master.
- stickler.
- teacher.
- trainer.
- tyrant.
Chemical reactions
- combination.
- decomposition.
- exchange.
- displacement.
- precipitation.
- gas-forming.
- neutralization.
- acid/base.
Inventor
- designer,
- developer,
- deviser,
- formulator,
- innovator,
- introducer,
- originator.
All of these MUST be handed in with your short story. Some of these aspects will overlap, such as, theme, metaphor, and symbolism. As we have learned, there is a lot that goes into creating a interesting story with many layers. Show me you know how to do this. Good Luck!!!!