Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Narrative Preparation

Select an image for the basis of your 3rd narrative of the semester. We're doing a nice job of "showing vs. telling", but we can do more. Today, we'll strip down the process and prepare for our 3rd story. This time, I am asking you to focus on a specific task: developing characterization through imagery.

1. Study the image.

2. Characterization: Create your protagonist. List several qualities of this character. What drives him or her? What fears does he or she have?

3. Write a passage which describes the physicality and psychology of your character. Reveal these qualities through detail so that the reader is left to determine them. Here's an example: avoid: "Johnny was a roofer from the midwest who worked really hard. He was sick of his job." The problem? The reader is disengaged from the get-go. Everything is revealed; there is no puzzle, question, or curiosity to compel the reader to move forward.

Try something more like this: "His fingers, seasoned by the unmistakable breath of the Dakotan winter, clutched the dusted chrome of the handle. His red '76 Chevy, tinted a faded pink by the glow of twilight, groaned and coughed to a start. He sighed and plucked a cluster of bills from his mottled dungarees and tossed them into the passenger seat among the pile- rusty tools, foam coffee cups, faded receipts. He popped the truck into drive but his boot remained heavy on the break. An orange sliver of the fading sun pulled his gaze to the top of the roof, its shingles a crisp mosaic of sparkling grey. And on this night John sat for a moment, his flesh and bone drooping slowly into the torn fabric of his seat."

4. Post your brainstorming results and a draft of your passage here.

13 comments:

BStewart said...

I am in love at last. But am i really in love. I'm with this girl who says she loves me and i say i love her, but is that really the case is she in love with me and do i hate her. Thats the real question! i tell her i love her and i tell her that i really love her, im os confused am i in love or not? I guess what i am feeling is what they call a paradox which is that im in love with her but at the same time i hate her. So the next question i ask myself is do i hate loving you, or i do i love hating you?

Katie said...

She is somewhere far, far away. Completely untouchable. Completely unaffected. Her mind races with the toils and stresses of reality. And then they are gone. There is nothing but her and the ground around her. Her body is pressed against the coarse, prickly grass. It smells sweet and clean, as if it hadn’t been touched in months—left only for the purpose of her solitude. Above her the sky is warm and endless, stretching for thousands and thousands of miles. The blue is so clear she can see past it, past the sky and into the universe. Her hands graze the thick grass beneath them, letting each piece wrap itself around her thin, long fingers. It seems to be anchoring her down, pulling her so that she never leaves.

alaryce said...

I just blew out 19 candles. You guessed it. I am 18 years old today. I live in Aventura, Florida. I have spent my entire life here. This city just feels like home. I love living here because the weather is always nice, but I want and need a major change. I want to wake up to snow on Christmas. I always picture myself curling up next to a fireplace while looking out the window watching the snow fall.All I can do is picture myself wearing cozy sweaters, scarves, gloves, and puffy coats that will keep me warm when it's frigid outside. I want the snowflakes to fall on me, so that I am completely covered in them. I want to lay in the snow and make snow angels. I am moving out today. I am nervous to leave home for the first time. I am afraid of going to college. I am getting ready to go to Vancouver. I can't believe I am moving to a different country! I have been studying French for years and it is good to know that all of that hard work I've put into practicing is meaningful and is actually going to help me out.

Rachel said...

Elizabeth, a small town girl in California, wanted to see if she will ever find her true love. She was never into the whole dating scene because her rich parents never approved. She was smart, unique, and funny which made everyone fall in love with her. She treasured South Shore beach and loved how the soft and wet sand felt on her feet. The loud seagulls and the sound of the waves crashing made all of her feelings go away. Every morning, she would depart to this beach and express her emotions in her diary. The beach was very serene and peaceful which to her felt tranquil.

Anonymous said...

The air is thick and smoky causing me to gasp for each breath. The atmosphere around me is sweltering, feeling as if it is almost burning my skin off my body. My heavy fireman’s pants flow around my legs and my simple Hanes cotton, navy blue T-shirt covers my upper body. This clothing has not protected my skin from the sticky, dried blanket of dirt covering me now. Cool sweat trickles down my body as the heat increase. Tears stream down my face as a stare out at what used to be the Twin Towers of New York City. My rusting black helmet had become weighty on my head. There is the symbol of American trusted upon my helmet, a miniature American Flag. The flag is brand new, and clean with bright patriotic colors to stand out in this mess. Beneath my bulky boots lie aimless pieces of debris. There is card board, metal, plastic, any substance which can be imagined.

Anonymous said...

Ted Williams’ last home run

The day was hot it was late September and it had been a long game one of the last of the regular season. It was the bottom of the 7th and he knew it was going to be a good at bat. he felt the cool Autumn breeze blowing in from the Green Monster kiss the cold sweat on his nose, he felt a heightened sense of things, he heard the screams for hot dogs and cokes over the cheers for the great slugger from the crowd he could see the seams on the ball as the pitcher rolled it around in his hand awaiting the proper sign. His calluses were aching as he got a tight grip on the bat and his feet tired as he digs into the batters box. The pitcher gives the nod to okay the pitch he sees the intensity in the pitchers eyes as he goes through the wind up he knows it’s a fastball then the release. As the ball moves towards the plate he watches the seams move on the ball almost as if the ball was not moving at all. He lifts his leg and moves it forward its heavy his arms go back they ache from years of strain and arthritis and he swings with all his might. His body was tensed and his neck was flexed. Crack! The sound of the contact mad a great roar and the crowd fell silent he could still hear the ball screaming as it headed towards the stands. It was out and he knew that would be his last he had 6 more games to play before it was all over but at that moment he knew it was going to be his last one.


And it was.

Anonymous said...

Ted Williams’ last home run

The day was hot it was late September and it had been a long game one of the last of the regular season. It was the bottom of the 7th and he knew it was going to be a good at bat. he felt the cool Autumn breeze blowing in from the Green Monster kiss the cold sweat on his nose, he felt a heightened sense of things, he heard the screams for hot dogs and cokes over the cheers for the great slugger from the crowd he could see the seams on the ball as the pitcher rolled it around in his hand awaiting the proper sign. His calluses were aching as he got a tight grip on the bat and his feet tired as he digs into the batters box. The pitcher gives the nod to okay the pitch he sees the intensity in the pitchers eyes as he goes through the wind up he knows it’s a fastball then the release. As the ball moves towards the plate he watches the seams move on the ball almost as if the ball was not moving at all. He lifts his leg and moves it forward its heavy his arms go back they ache from years of strain and arthritis and he swings with all his might. His body was tensed and his neck was flexed. Crack! The sound of the contact mad a great roar and the crowd fell silent he could still hear the ball screaming as it headed towards the stands. It was out and he knew that would be his last he had 6 more games to play before it was all over but at that moment he knew it was going to be his last one.


And it was.

Jess said...

His hand, warm and soft, reached for mine. Under great big blue skies. Everything seemed so peaceful. Blue birds chirping blissful tunes. Roses, daffodils, daisies, all sorts of flowers blooming. Water crashing down into the harmonious lake. Walking towards the sunset, hand in hand. Together as one. I knew he would be happy when we were to be together on the other side. The side where it is peaceful, loving and happy.

Keiko said...

It’s a day before the show. Actually, 25 hours, 37 minutes. Trust me, I’ve counted. My first opening evening performance of Romeo & Juliet. The thick crimson curtain rises at 8:21 sharp, on the dot. Rises to ten thousand microscopic faces staring down upon me, beating down on me, watching my every move. I have to admit, I am more nervous than I have ever been in my life. This even beats out the time I auditioned for my favorite company, my dream company, Bolshoi. Legs shaking, nerve stricken face, sweating palms, and this is worse. I’ll have to admit, standing here, looking out into the enormous house that will look back at me tomorrow night, it’s kind of relieving. The shadowy, muggy darkness and almost eerie silence calms me. I run through my intricate steps during the Party Scene of the first act for the last time in my raggedy tattered dress and my sweater made from old ripped tights. The difficult steps frustrate me to no end. I can’t get the timing right; I could never get the timing right. A wetness streams down my face as I fall apart in front of those thousands of seats all gawking at me. I wipe this wetness away from my eyes and off of my already dewy face. Why can’t I get it right? Now with only 24 hours, 56 minutes and decreasing. Rapidly.

BRIDGET:) said...

Ahh, time to rest at last. As I snuggle up comfortably in front of the warming fire, surrounded by the new toys and indulging in the christmas aroma I think about my busy day. Christmas is always the funnest and most tiring day of the year. I love playing with the joyful kids and all their new Christmas presents. Their faces are lit with joy when they open each neatly wrapped present. I love pawing each toy to see what it will do and if it moves, I jump back and do it again, this time more cautiously. The kids love this and squeal with laughter everytime I do it. Then they come over and pick me up tenderly. They gently stroke the top of my head, this feels so good. I begin purring as they hand me to their mother with grace. It always amazes me at how gently they handle me, for such loud and rough kids, I would assume they wouldn't be as gentle, but they always are. As their mother happily takes me into her lap, I curl into a ball as she strokes me. I am so comfortable and at peace with myself right then. when it is time for her to start dinner, she picks me up and replaces me on the couch with care. This spot is not as warm as her lap so I gracefully jump down onto the warm carpet and nestle between the toys, drifting off into a wonderful dream.

Cindy said...

I live nowhere, and I live everywhere. I've seen the world and I'm 2 years old. We are always on the road. No time to stay at one place for longer than a week. When other children my age spend a weekend at their grandparents house, I spent my weekends with a nanny behind stage. Mommy and daddy don't care for me. They don't have the time too. I'm a hassle for them. I was an accident, and they will always make me feel it. sometimes, I lay on the sofa, drifting away into dreams. Dreams are better than life. I can dream up a life. I don't have a real home. I live nowhere and I live everywhere. I'm two years old and I have seen the world.

Judy said...

Dear Diary, this is Ralph again. I haven't written in you for a while...I was just taking my morning walk this morning when the most amazing this happened to me.

It was August 19, 1976 the day that I met Sally. It was early in the morning when I went to do my morning routine on the beach of Vietnam when the sight of this one girl caught my eye. She was the most beautiful girl that I had ever met. The way she smiled, the way she looked, her personality, I was mesmerized by the sight of her when I first laid my eyes on her. She was like the flower "Ai Hong". She was unique and I knew that she was "the one." She wasn't like any other girl that I have met before. There was just something about her that made me fall head over heels for her.

R G Dewar said...

Hey. This is an outstanding assignment. Nice job with it. I really am impressed with your blog. Keep it up.