Week 4
Becoming an Author with Purpose

Internal (Character vs. Self)

• A character is about to send a text but deletes it.

• They rehearse a lie in the mirror but can’t say it aloud.

• They stand outside a door they’re afraid to open.

Relationships (Character vs. Character)

• A secret is accidentally revealed at a family gathering.

• A friend betrays a promise or spreads a rumor.

• A confrontation begins quietly but escalates fast.

Societal (Character vs. Society)

• A character gets rejected from something they deserve (job, school, grant).

• They're told to “change” to fit in—name, accent, style.

• They're surveilled, profiled, or punished unfairly.
  
  

Survival (Character vs. Nature)

• A storm cuts off power and forces characters together.

• A character navigates unfamiliar land or terrain.

• Nature overwhelms them physically/emotionally (heat, flooding, darkness).

Tech/Supernatural (Character vs. Tech or Fate)

• A character receives an ominous notification.

• Their GPS leads them somewhere wrong—or right.

Know Your Clauses

A complete sentence in the English language follows the formula: Subject + Verb + Object, or SVO for short. 

Independent Clause = a complete sentence
Example: She runs every morning.

Dependent Clause = an incomplete idea; needs support.
Example: Because she runs every morning

Quick Check:
Mark I for independent and D for dependent:

1. ___ I went to the store.

2. ___ While it was raining.

3. ___ Because I was tired.

4. ___ We ate dinner together.

Connecting Independent Clauses (two full sentences)

To connect two independent clauses, or full sentences, correctly use

• A comma + coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
  Example: She was tired, but she kept working.

• A semicolon ;
  Example: She was tired; she kept working.

Try it:
Connect these two independent clauses:
“She was late.” + “She didn’t apologize.”

Add an Introductory Clause

Introductory clauses set the stage and are followed by a comma. Introductory clauses start with conditional words like  "after," "although," "as," "because,"  "before," "if," "since," "through," "until,"  "when," while," and "to" and then end with a comma to connect it to another independent clause (complete sentence).

Example: Although it was late, we kept working.
Example: After the show, they went out to eat.

Try it:
Add an introductory clause:
“___________ , he finally replied to the message.”

Style with Nonrestrictive Clauses

Nonrestrictive clauses use commas with words like "who,"  "which," and "especially" to add  extra, non-essential info. They often come towards the end of a sentence, but you can be set off in the middle of a sentence like the first two examples.

Example #1: My brother, who lives in Chicago, is visiting.
Example #2: The novel, which was published in 1960, is still widely read.

Example #3: The report was quite telling of the person he was, especially the part about the murders. 

Try it:
Add a nonrestrictive clause:
“My favorite food is fruit,___________ . 

Directions: Decide on how you'd like to read each other's work. Some people may like to swap, read, then provide feedback afterwards, while someone else may want to read it to the author or have the author read it to them. Whichever you choose, be sure to provide comments for each category. Write as many comments as you can. 

Praise: What do you like about my story? What works well? What are some specific examples of things that you thought were done well? 

Question: What are some things that you did not understand in my story? Are there questions that you have about why I wrote the story the way that I did? What are some parts of my story that you felt were left unfinished or not fully explored? 

Polish: What could I do specifically to make this a better story? What parts would you change and how? 

Foreshadowing what's to come!

What’s something the reader should feel by the end? Now, what small detail can you plant early that hints at that? 

• Plant small details early: A broken clock, a character’s strange reaction, a phrase overheard—something that doesn’t stand out but comes back with weight later.

• Use repetition: If something appears more than once (an object, image, line of dialogue), it starts to feel important—like a clue.

• Weather or setting shifts: A storm brewing, lights flickering, an unexpected silence—can subtly signal change or tension ahead.

Turning the Ordinary into Symbols!

What object keeps showing up in your draft? Can it represent a larger idea or feeling?

• Choose an object or idea that can carry layered meaning (a key, a tree, a song).

• Make it appear in key moments—maybe it changes, breaks, is lost, etc.

• Symbols work best when they grow with the character or plot.

Alluding to our Inspirations!

Can we sneak in a reference that would strengthen our understanding of a character, their motives, their relationships, their actions, etc.?

• Create references to pop culture, myths, the Bible, classic lit, TV shows, anime, events in history, or fairy tales

• Allusions can be subtle: A character who’s “waiting for a sign” might echo Penelope waiting for Odysseus.

• Use for irony, contrast, or depth—referencing Romeo & Juliet in a breakup scene.

1. Connect Emotions to the Physical World

Ask yourself: What does this feeling feel like in the body?

• • “Her anxiety sat on her chest like a stack of bricks.”

  • “His guilt clung to him like the smell of smoke.”
    
    

Tip: Choose textures, weights, or natural forces (wind, gravity, water) to describe internal states.

2. Use the Setting as a Mirror

Let the environment reflect the character’s mood or growth.

• “The cracked sidewalk matched the way she felt inside.”

• “Sunlight spilled in, as if the room itself had taken a breath.”
  
  

Tip: Look at the weather, landscape, or room details—what could reflect the character’s situation?

3. Make a Character Think in Metaphor

People naturally compare things. Use metaphors in narration or internal monologue.

• “Trying to talk to her was like chasing smoke.”

• “He was a puzzle with half the pieces missing.”
  
  

Tip: Think about what the character would compare things to based on their world (sports, music, mechanics, food, etc.).

4. Choose a Central Metaphor and Extend It

Pick a big image or theme and run with it throughout. This becomes a controlling metaphor or motif.

• If the story is about grief → use metaphors of drowning, shadows, echoes.

• If it’s about freedom → use wings, cages, open doors.
  
  

Tip: Let the metaphor evolve. If a character starts caged, maybe the door opens near the end.

5. Turn Objects into Metaphors

Find everyday things that could mean more, ask yourself What object keeps showing up in my story? What could it symbolize?

• A mirror = identity or reflection

• A broken phone = communication problems

• A stained shirt = something you can’t hide
  
  

6. Use Contrasts, Ironic, or Unexpected Metaphors

Great metaphors often surprise:

• “Her love was a war, and he didn’t know which side he was on.”

• "He was a lighthouse in the fog—brilliantly useless." 

• “His voice was sugar-sweet but left cavities.”

1. Full-Circle Ending

Bring the story back to an image, phrase, or theme from the beginning.

• Example: If the story opened with the character packing a suitcase, end with them unpacking it in a new place—or hesitating to do so.

• Good for: Stories about growth, transitions, or reflection.
  
  

2. Open-Ended or Ambiguous Ending

Leave the final moment unresolved to reflect the uncertainty of real life.

• Example: A character stands outside a door, unsure whether to enter. The story ends with them reaching for the doorknob.

• Good for: Themes of identity, belonging, or choices that don’t have easy answers.

3. Epiphany Ending

End with a realization or shift in the character’s mindset, even if their situation hasn’t changed.

• Example: A character accepts that they will always feel torn between two cultures—but that it’s not a flaw, it’s a feature.

• Good for: Stories where internal change is more important than external events.
  
  

4. Twist Ending

Introduce an unexpected turn that recontextualizes the story.

• Example: The narrator has been speaking in the third person about a "friend" or "cousin"—but it turns out it's their own story.

• Good for: Stories that play with narrative perspective or family dynamics.

5. Bittersweet Ending

Mix hope with loss. Maybe something is gained, but at a cost.

• Example: A character achieves a goal (like learning English or getting a job) but realizes they’ve lost part of their connection with home.

• Good for: Realistic stories where gains come with sacrifices.

6. Symbolic or Poetic Ending

End with a powerful image, metaphor, or line that captures the emotional truth of the story.

• Example: A child watches planes cross the sky, wondering if they’ll ever fly in the other direction.

• Good for: Strong writers or stories that are theme-driven.

7. Flash-Forward Ending

Jump into the future to show how things turn out.

• Example: A character reflects as an adult on a moment from childhood that they now see differently.

• Good for: Stories about growth, memory, or generational shifts.

8. Quiet Ending

Don’t go big—go intimate. End on a small gesture or quiet moment that says everything.

• Example: A character fixes their father's collar before his first job interview in the U.S.

• Good for: Character-driven stories with emotional depth.

Three ways to submit it

1. Submit it on Google Classroom: Though You can submit it on Google classroom.

2. Email it to me: You can write it on a Google Doc or Word Doc and email it to me (droberts@Bostonpublicschools.org).

3. Handwrite it and then hand it in physically: You can handwrite it and hand it to me physically or taking a picture and emailing me (droberts@Bostonpublicschools.org) the whole short story with footnotes. 

Assignment's Requirements

• 4-5 pages double-spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman or similar font style.

• Includes one moment of dialogue (at least two people talking) with proper formatting of quotation marks and dialogue tags.

• Includes at least one metaphor, extended metaphor, simile, or personification.

• Includes five footnotes explaining five choices you made in the piece. Each explanation should be 1-3 sentences long -- it's okay to write more if needed!