I
Can Do It Continues Part 2
Spelling
Words and definitions
a leading actor, character, or
participant in a literary work or real event
“I guess we could say that the
protagonist is who or what the story is about.”
Zander smiled with understanding, “I
know now. It is the person the whole story is really about.”
I love to create a bit of a challenge
to think a little deeper. “It could be a person, but what if the
story is about a talking dog, or a pumpkin that comes to life or even
a ghost or an alien? Those are not just people. One reason we have
words to have better understanding of what we are trying to say. If
I just said the person the story is about that might not be good
enough depending on our story. The words protagonist tells us all of
that with one word and we know who or what in the story we are
talking about.
Antagonist one
that opposes another. “Who or what is causing the problem? If we
know who the protagonist is and we know what is going on then what is
the problem or thing that is happening in the story? What is keeping
the protagonist from doing what he is trying to do? He smiled and
said, “In the little story, it is the mean boy that tripped Sam.”
I was thrilled. At that moment he had
learned two words I have never heard an 8 year old use before, but as
we continued to talk and discuss ideas for stories and examples of
things involving the protagonist and antagonist I could see him
growing more accustomed to hearing and using his new words. I did
not want to give him words so that he could learn the definitions and
memorize them, but own them by knowing and understanding them in his
own discussions and use. We continued to talk of many things but I
found ways to use the new words as we did enjoying his responses when
he too used the words. At first he seemed hesitant but soon seemed
proud.
I mentioned since he knew what a
protagonist was then he understood it was about the main character of
the story. When we say character it could mean more than one thing.
Some words have different meanings depending on how you use them.
We know that just as the protagonist is
the main person or character of our story...the character is what?
The character is a person or something that is one of the actors or
participants in the story. You may have many characters.
The boy who was a fast runner
is the protagonist that is the main character. They boy that tripped
him is also a character but not the protagonist, or one the story is
about. You could have other characters in the story such as “When
Sam fell, two other runners stopped to try to help him up and see if
he was hurt. All of the other runners ran right by and did not seem
to care.” There may be many characters.
He had to think on that one for a bit.
A smile came across his face and he was ready for more.
I told him what about this? “Look at
that little dog chase his own tail. He runs in circles. He is such
a cute little character.”
He looked confused. So I tried a
different example. “The little old man could tell such funny
stories and made us all laugh. He is such a funny character.”
What was it about the old man that made
him such a character? Was it because he did something different or
odd compared to others? Was the little dog doing something odd,
different or funny? Was the old man doing something different that
caught their attention with his stories?
Character an
odd or peculiar person
a person in a story, novel, or play
a person in a story, novel, or play
We
could also talk about what kind of character a person might have that
made them trustworthy and honest. Are they of good character? Would
the word character then describe something about a person?
Character can be moral excellence
Character can be moral excellence
We
went on discussing different ideas for stories using the new words
and he seemed to delight in one idea after another using his new
words.
Ever
so often as we used the words protagonist and antagonist I would
spell it. Casually as we talked he was learning new words and how to
spell them.
PLOT
is another word that can mean more than one thing depending on what
we are saying and how we use the word.
Plot and
mean the
main story (as of a book or movie) I like to use the word and give an
example as we talk. You notice I did not say teach, because I am
teaching by including him in the conversations or allowing him to
crave an understanding, knowing he can figure out the puzzle or
answer with it in the end.
“As
I read the story it was so interesting I could hardly wait to see how
it ends.” You could think of the plot of the story like a guide
of how the story goes from beginning to end.
What
about other ways to use the same word? If we are talking about a
ghost story it would be a paranormal story. That is something that
is not normal or out of the ordinary and normal. We could say “I
was afraid to go near the plot of the old man who is supposed to
haunt the cemetery.” We know the plot is a small piece of ground
where the old man is buried.
a
small area of ground : <a cemetery plot>
If I told you to be careful because I
think some of the characters in the story will plot mean things for
the protagonist, what do you think?
Zander laughed and said “That is
easy. The main character had better look out because there is some
bad stuff ahead.”
“That is right. We might say they
have an evil or unlawful scheme of plan that is what they are
plotting to do.
We continued talking and using the new
words we had learned. I mentioned the original children's story The
Pumpkin Field. He had heard it so many times he almost knows it by
heart. Through the years he never seems to tired of it as he looks
for other meanings for the same phrases. I wrote it hoping it would
be something to stimulate thought as well as tell a story. I
mentioned if we wanted to write the rest of the story as he had
thought we could actually use the words from the first story in the
second and develop it into a new story with the other story included.
US
UK
Canada
http://www.amazon.ca/The-Pumpkin-Field-ebook/dp/B00DIQUBIE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1373169091&sr=8-4&keywords=linda+nance
Germany
Spain
France
http://www.amazon.fr/The-Pumpkin-Field-ebook/dp/B00DIQUBIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373169239&sr=8-1&keywords=linda+nance
I got out a copy of the book and he
smiled as he read and looked at each page. “You will have to do
some pictures for our book too. I know we have mostly words and the
story but I still like the pumpkins.....and the witch....and the
cat.... Well I like them all.” He remembered watching me as I did each of the original pictures. The pages are full size art works with the words included in the art. I was amazed when I saw the first book at how exact the print quality was. I could see it just like the ones I have in a folder.
It would be a challenge, but so was
creating a story that did not have characters he so loves such as
Iron Man or Spider Man. We had to learn to create our own characters
from our own imaginations and not use what other people had created.
That was a bit of a discussion before he understood and accepted that
he could not use any character or story from the television.
It was exciting as day by day we
learned new words and worked to develop what the new story would be.
He wants it to be for older children. He loves the pictures of the
story book I wrote and illustrated but he said there is so much more
to this story he wants to tell. He wants it to be one that he and
his friends could read.
We began to actually put a story
together. He chose the characters and names. We had to work to find
solutions to problems early in the story. I loved watching the
expressions on his face as he thought and would propose one idea
after another until we could find on that might work. Sentence by
sentence we made a small beginning. I know it will be written and
rewritten many times before we are satisfied but that is part of
learning to write a book. I want him to understand and question even
his own writing. “Is what I have written easy to understand? Did
I describe the characters well enough the reader knows what the look
like and what they are like as people? How do they work out their
problems? What are their problems? What are they wanting to do?
Why?” These were only some of the many things we talked about and
tried different things.
After we came up with the first part I
typed out what he thought the story should be. We have his ideas,
his characters, his story and me putting it together. I asked many
questions leading him to analyze the story and develop it as we went
along. When I asked a question challenging something the would do or
wanted to do he would think and come up with what he thought it
should be . This is the first bit we did.........
Beyond The Pumpkin Field
Several
years ago, I decided to see if the rumors I had heard about a haunted
pumpkin field were true. It was almost Halloween and many whispered
about the spooky field down the old gravel road, not too far from my
house. It was a night I will never forget. I was afraid to tell
others about it, fearing they would never believe what I had seen and
heard.
It was the
dark of night but the moon shone bright, casting shadows on things
below. I was younger then and those shadows looked spooky. I was
afraid but did not want the others to know how afraid I really was.
I should never have gone without telling my parents, but knew they
would say no or think it was silly. We did not think it was silly
and I really wanted to know the truth. I had heard many times that
there was nothing in the dark that was not there in the daylight, but
it sure looked like there might be anything hiding there in the dark.
As the
years passed I began to wonder if even in time, we might never know
what was the cause and the reason for it all. I just know what I
saw, or thought I saw. I know it was true but then again, could it
have been a dream? Those were things that I thought about from time
to time.
When I
think back to that night it was as if some kind of eerie spell had
crept in and strange things were all around. The only way for a
person to know for sure what was really going on, would be for them
to go and see.
In the day
it was a field that looked so peaceful with all of the plants the
farmer had planted. When I went there before that night in the
daylight the field was full of pumpkins the farmer had grown and corn
stalks bundled here and there. The scarecrow hung limply on his
perch looking old and worn with hay peeking out here and there. His
blue shirt was faded with age and his hat hung down low on the head
full of hay.
The moon
had a silvery light and almost blue in the shadows. I felt a chill
in the air and I began to shiver. I remembered the stories I had
heard and the rumors of how haunted the place was.
I had also
heard about the spell the old witch they told tales about was said to
have cast on the land. There were many stories about her too. They
say she used to own that land, but the farmer took it away from her.
She was so angry she moved far back in the woods, casting spells and
haunting anyone she ran across. The other children said a single
look from her could turn you to stone or some other equally bad spell
she might cast. There were other stories about her too. Each time
they were told, the stories became more fearsome.
I have to
admit that I was afraid. I was so afraid that night that I could
hardly walk. I am still afraid. I have only told a few people about
that night but none of them think it was real. Some people think
that I just fell asleep because it was late and I had a bad dream.
Some told me they thought I was telling lies. Some just laugh and
think I am making it all up to scare them. When I think about it, I
see no way it could be real. I wonder myself how it could have
happened like I remembered. To this day I remember it all.
I walked
up to the pumpkin field down a long road lined with big trees and
bushes. I expected for one of my friends to jump out and try to
scare me any time but it seemed like I was all alone. I could hear
the frogs singing their night song not far away in a pond near the
field. There were lightening bug or fireflies that flickered in the
dark. I had a flashlight but was afraid if I used it, someone might
come to see who was there and tell my mom and dad I had been sneaking
around in the dark of night. I did not want to get into trouble.
I did not
realize that if I got hurt, no one would know I was there. Any bad
thing could have happened. It was really not a smart thing to do but
here I was thinking about doing it again. Since no one believed my
story I began to wonder about it myself. It all seemed so real but I
could see no way that it could be real.
Now that I
am a teenager you would think I would have figured it out, but I just
have more questions. I decided I would have to go back. I might
have to go back more than once. No matter what it took, I would have
to figure out if it was real or only a dream. I had a plan to take a
friend or two this time. I was going to have a witness if there was
anything special to see.
This time
it would be more than just me that saw things in the dark of night
that sent a shiver down your spine. The next day at school we were
eating lunch with everyone laughing and talking. I decided to
confide in my two closest friends about my plan and hoped they might
decide to join in too.
Matt could
come and stay with me on the weekend. We would be able to sneak out
together and be back home before daylight. I did not like to sneak
but that night haunted my memory for all they years after it had
happened.
Mary was
friends with my older sister. Her name is Amie and she is only a
year older than I, but thinks she has the right to always boss me
around and treat me like I am only a little kid. The only way I
could think of for Mary to be able to come with us, would be for her
to stay overnight with my sister. My sister might tell on us and
then none of us could go. She also might think it would be a lot of
fun or another chance to show how stupid I am. It was a risk I would
have to take and hope that Mary could convince her that it would be
fun.
When I
first began to explain what I had in mind, they both laughed and
asked me if I was serious.
“I
remember when you first told me all of that and can not believe you
are serious. Are you telling me after all this time you still think
you saw all those things and that place is haunted with an old wicked
witch waiting to catch people?” Matt laughed and I worried others
might start to wonder what we were talking about.
“Keep it
quiet. You two are the only ones I trust with this. The last thing
I need, is for everyone to find out and start telling the whole
world. I would be in a lot of trouble if my mom and dad found out.
I don't want to listen to some of those bullies teasing me or making
fun of me either. I know it sounds crazy but maybe you are just too
afraid to come and investigate with me. There are all kinds of
groups that investigate things like this that are haunted. They call
them paranormal investigators. We would be like them, doing an
investigation.” I waited for them to think it over and hoped they
would not think it was silly too.
A big
smile came across Matt's face. “Have you got a plan on how we can
all get there in the middle of the night? The more I think about
this the more I think it would be fun. We could be the official
Pumpkin Field Ghost Chaser Team.” He broke out in peals of
laughter.
“I don't
think this is funny. I am serious and hope you will be too. You
could come and stay the night with me this weekend and Mary could
stay with my sister. They are both in the choir together and I think
still friends. Sometimes I wonder how anybody could be friends with
my sister as bossy as she is.” I waited to see if I would have
company or have to make the investigation on my own.
Matt and
Mary both started to smile but it was Mary that spoke first. “You
can count me in. I would not miss this for the world. I think we
will have to change the name a little. I will go for the Pumpkin
Field Ghost Hunters but have to leave the chasing to you guys. If I
find a ghost I will be busy runny away.” They all three laughed at
her new name for their little expedition.
We have a
long way to go and I am considering changing it to third person point
of view. For right now we have had fun with him acting as if he was
the protagonist and telling his own story. We will wait and see what
develops. We have had such a good time and the hours flew by as we
talked back and forth about, what if this or what if that? They
could have done this but what if that? Questions and answers and
before long it is as if we know them.
When I
finished typing it he read it allowed and said, “I think we got it
Mamaw. This is really going to be cool. I think we have enough
ideas we will have to write at least 20 or 30 books. I know we can
do it.” I had to laugh. He has told me that several times and his
mother and grandpa too. We can do it. We are doing it. What a
summer adventure.
STORY
DETAILS
CHARACTERS
Jimmy
main character Protagonist
Matt
his best friend Character
Mary
another friend Character
Amie
Sister... 1 year older Character
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