Guidelines for "The Diary of Evildoers"

Dearest Freshmen:

For your creative writing journal #1, you are to write a journal entry from the point of view of one of the characters in “The Cycle of the Sun and the Moon” OR
an underdog or misunderstood character from any story.

Last year, some of the best entries were journals of the following "bad" people:
1. Adolf Hitler
2. Plankton
3. That bad guy from Final Fantasy 7
4. The Devil himself

So, here are your rubrics

The entry shows imagination and creativity and is fun to read….. 5 points
There is proper grammar and punctuation…5 points
The entry really shows the actual character’s behavior….. 5 points

For a total of 15 points.

Here are some of the best examples:
This one from Mr. Dacanay made me and my co-teachers laugh out loud:

Dear Diary,

The kids always jump on me and squeeze me to death. I said to myself,Why are the kids trying to kill me? I'm cute aren't I? It is hard to understand kids.I am their idol, the Friendly Dinosaur. Why are they killing me?
They have a song for me called "Kill the Dinosaur". I hate that song because it's pretty harsh for me. Normally I'm purple, but now I'm red because my vengeance is taking over me. Now that I'am evil, it feels good for me having revenge. I'am a Dinosaur, a born killer.

By:"The Obsessed Dinosaur"
"Barney"


This next one is more serious, but he got into the mind of the character well enough. Courtesy of Mr. Johan Nocom :)

Dear Diary,

My best friend, Eugene Krabs and I took a walk at the beach shore. We chattered all day about different sorts of topics until his mother called. I went home gloomy and lonely. While I was on my way home I passed by his restaurant and took a peek. I saw fishes with their bellies filled with tasty Kraby Patties. My stomach grumbled; I wanted to buy one. I waited for someone to open the door for me. Once this bloated fish opened it, I rushed in, and went straight to the kitchen, avoiding the big fishes’ fins. I saw this yellow sponge; he didn’t seem to notice me, obviously … So I went up on the grill to get his attention. When he saw me, he flicked me with his finger, causing me to fly back the front door. Again, I walked up to the counter and climbed up the cash register. I asked this big-nosed octopus if I could buy a Kraby Patty. He said that it would cost 1 dollar but I didn’t have money. I attempted to steal it, but on my way out the front door I saw my best friend, Mr. Krabs, who stopped me from getting out. It was on this day when our friendship ended. I went home filled with revenge, I swore to get the formula.

Love, Plankton

Try to really get into the mind of the character. How would they think? How would they feel? How would they act? Why do they do the things they do?

Good luck, ragazzi.

Teacher Jack

I. Write the correct form of the verb on the blank:

1. Jack and Jill (go) go up the hill everyday.

2. Humpty Dumpty (sit) __________ on the wall.
3. Little Miss Muffet, not the spider, (eat) __________ curds and whey.
4. The lamps, as well as the genie, (be) __________ missing.
5. None of Aladdin’s wishes (come) __________ true.
7. Daffy (have) __________ been suspected of robbery.
8. The troll or the giantess (be) __________ invited to the soiree.
9. Neither the three pigs nor the wolf (be) __________ going to the party.
10. Some princesses but no prince (stay) __________in the tower.
11. A hundred years (be) __________ a long time for Aurora to sleep.
12. In the country, half of the giants (die) __________ because of Jack, the Giant-killer.

II. Identify whether the subject is singular or plural. Change the verb so that it agrees with the subject.
1. The staff (be) ____is_______ ready for you.
2. Water (freeze) ___________at 0® Celsius.
3. The flock (follow) ___________ the shepherd.
4. James (like) ___________ sports.
5. Physics (explain)_________ motion in the environment and atomic world.
6. Three-fourths of the cake (be) ___________ eaten by the class.
7. Half of the mangoes (belong) ________ to you.
8. Sugar (give) ___________ energy.
9. Life (be) ___________ a rollercoaster

Answers below:

1 1. Jack and Jill (go) go up the hill everyday.

2. Humpty Dumpty sits on the wall. - Humpty Dumpty IS Singular. Remember, singular subject, singular verb (verb WITH "S" = sit + s: sits)

3. Little Miss Muffet, not the spider, eats curds and whey.Little Ms. Muffet is the subject. Not the spider is an intervening phrase.

4. The lamps, as well as the genie, are missing.Lamps = plural, therefore, use are. As well as the genie is another intervening phrase.

5. None of Aladdin’s wishes comes true. None is an indefinite pronoun and indefinite pronouns (nobody, somebody, everyone) are always singular.

7. Daffy has been suspected of robbery. Daffy is just the name of the guy.

8. The troll or the giantess is invited to the soiree. In this case, take note of OR. It is followed by a singular noun (giantess). The verb (is) agrees with the noun closest to it. (giantess is)

9. Neither the three pigs nor the wolf is going to the party.
10. Some princesses but no prince stays in the tower.
11. A hundred years is a long time for Aurora to sleep. A hundred years = period of time, always singular :)

12. Half of the giants die because of Jack, the Giant-killer. Half of the giants. The fraction (half) describes giants (plural). The verb agrees with the noun, not the fraction (giants - plural die - plural)

Theme, Plot

THEME: The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight. It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey. The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature.

Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:

- Things are not always as they appear to be (Coraline)
- Love Conquers All (Beauty and the Beast, Harry Potter)

PLOT : It is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed. Example:

Princess Alin and Prince Bantugan (characters) were siblings who loved each other very much. They lived in the kingdom of Purowa, which was a prosperous place. (setting)

b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

One day, warriors from the neighboring kingdom of Pan attacked and captured Alin.

Bantugan was also captured, and was almost killed but he escaped and swore to get revenge on the king of Pan.

However, on his way to Pan, he meets people who reveal more about him and his true identity as the true successor to the throne of Pan. He then joins rebels who planned to overthrow the king and who intended to establish a new order.

Conflict is the opposition of forces (eg, villain versus hero, man versus nature) which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move. It is any form of opposition that faces the main character.

There are two types of conflict:
1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self. (Bantugan versus the king of Pan)

2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

(Bantugan trying not to lose hope)

c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

Bantugan and the king face off. However, as Bantugan is about to win, the king suddenly makes Alin as his shield, so Bantugan could not harm him without harming his sister.

Alin sacrifices her life so that Bantugan could capture the king.

d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not.

The king is thrown into prison and Bantugan and his men set about restoring order to the kingdom.

e) Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

Bantugan returns to his own kingdom, with the loss of his sister, but gaining the friendship of the people of Pan, who are grateful to him forever.

Source:

http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/engramja/elements.html

Character and Characterization

CHARACTER

It is a person in a work of fiction

1. Protagonist: He or she is central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character

(E.g., Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins, Crisostomo Ibarra)

Give an example of a protagonist and the story they came from:

2. Antagonist: The opposer of the main character is called the ANTAGONIST.

(E.g., Voldemort, Sauron, Padre Damaso)

Give an example of an antagonist and the story they came from:

Aside from the main characters, there are also supporters to the protagonist, and supporters to the antagonist.

Ex. Elias is a supporter to the protagonist Ibarra

Bellatrix is a supporter to the antagonist Voldemort.

Give an example of supporting characters and the story they came from:

CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES

Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters. That way, the characters become more realistic. The author may reveal a character in several ways:

a) their physical appearance

Joe has a dark, boyish face, and long black hair, which he ties in a ponytail. He likes to wear statement shirts like "Down With Imperialism!" and "Crush Capitalism". His face is always in a good-natured grin, though.

Character Traits: Joe is a non-conformist and political. Yet, he is a cheerful person.

b) what they think, feel and dream

Kelly felt bad about getting only 99% in her test.

Character Traits: Kelly is highly intelligent, and has high expectations of herself.

c) what they say or do (or what they don’t say or do)

"I came to tell you I'm sorry," said Jim sincerely.

"BE QUIET!" Nancy screamed at him.

Character Traits: We can say Jim is humble and sincere. Nancy, on the other hand may be said hot-tempered.

d) what others say about him/her and how others react to him/her

When Mr. Drake approached the boys, they threw him a nervous look and went back to their seats.

Character Traits: Mr. D is probably a strict teacher and a disciplinarian. He is probably also intimidating as a person.