Theme and Conflict
More often than not, the theme or underlying message of a story lies within the story's conflict. What does the character want, how do they go about getting it, and do they ever get it. The answers to that question often lead to bigger questions and answers that are often related to more universal themes. In The Lesson, Mrs. Moore wanted the kids in her neighborhood to be successful and in order to do so she tried to teach them about money. Her plan doesn't go as plan because the lesson makes the children uncomfortable because they are forced out of their comfort zone. What does this tell us about life? About what it takes to become better people? That's the stories theme.
In The Unauthorized Autobiography of Me by Sherman Alexie, the conflict is both internal and external. Alexie wants people to see him as both Indian and American and he gives us examples of what happens when he tries to assert this. Sometimes people refuse to see him as American. They stereotype him and discriminate against him and "other" him. Sometimes people refuse to see the Indian in him. They deny his Indianness or discriminate against him for asserting it. If he claims his Indian heritage, he will be less successful than those who don't or who only assert a part of it. They want to label him instead of allowing him to label himself. The piece swings back in forth between asserting the Americanness of Alexie's upbringing (the music, the games they play, the people he admires) and the Indianness of his experience (the toils of reservation life, the way he connects to the different aspects of his heritage.) In some ways, the two seem to contradict each other but in the end neither identity has to be mutually exclusive, he is both Indian and American even if the world tries to tell him otherwise. This is the theme.
As you start looking at your narratives, especially your personal narratives, I'd like you to think about some of the major themes you'd like to explore in your piece. What are some of the bigger lessons people can learn from you and your character's experiences? If you're writing a love story, what does your piece say about love? If you're writing about perserverance, what things do you want the audience to take away from your piece about perserverance? This is what gives your narrative depth. When people ask why does this story matter, you can say it matters because it talks about people and how they deal with specific aspects of life, whatever they may be for your story.
Dialogue and Conflict
We looked at Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway and the way dialogue works in that piece. From the things the two characters say and the tone they use we learn the majority of the story: the conflict, the setting, what the characters are like, bits about their past, etc. Dialogue is a great way to show information without directly telling it. We can see that two characters don't get along based on the way they talk to each other. From the way they talk to each other we can learn how long they've known each other, is their relationship personal or professional, romantic or platonic, healthy or toxic. Explore this in your narrative. It's a much more interesting and active way of telling a story.
Homework (Due Thursday 9/24)
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Upload your Description of a Influential Person or Place to ELI Review
- Write a One Page Dialogue between two characters who are negotiating over a specific object (Be prepared to share this with the class)
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