Creative nonfiction module Quarter 4, Study notes of English

Download Creative nonfiction module Quarter 4 and more Study notes English in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Creative Nonfiction Quarter 1 – Module 3: Creative Nonfiction Demystified 2 QUARTER 1, MODULE 3 • Creative Nonfiction Demystified What exactly is creative nonfiction? Sounds new? Definitely not, because this genre has been written for as long as we can remember. It comes with some other fancy names and topics ranging from travel, recipe, to memoir may be packaged by every creative writer into all sorts of fun and exciting stuff to the readers’ liking. If this introduction has gotten your fancy too, then that means you are ready for some new learning. Learning Competencies: 1. Do a close reading of creative nonfictional texts; 2. Identify the fictional elements in the texts. Learning Targets: At the end of the lesson, you are expected to: 1. List down the nature and characteristics of creative nonfiction; 2. Read sample creative nonfiction works and point-out the elements of fiction utilized by the writer. KEY WORDS VOCABULARY LIST 1. Characters are persons, animals and other things that live in the story. 2. Setting is the physical location and time of a story. 5 Task 2 Directions: Complete the Venn diagram below. Write your answers in your notebook. Fiction Creative Nonfiction Task 3 Directions: What are the elements of creative nonfiction? Show your knowledge of those elements by completing the following word map in your notebook. Creative Nonfiction Elements 6 Task 4 Directions: Read the following creative nonfiction work then answer the questions after it in your notebook. The Long Walk to Freedom (an excerpt) (Nelson Mandela) When I was not much more than a newborn child, my father was involved in a dispute that deprived him of his chieftainship at Mvezo and revealed a strain in his character I believe he passed on to his son. I maintain that nurture, rather than nature, is the primary molder of personality, but my father possessed a proud rebelliousness, a stubborn sense of fairness that I recognize in myself. As a chief— or headman, as it was often known among the whites — my father was compelled to account for his stewardship not only to the Thembu king but to the local magistrate. One day one of my father’s subjects lodged a complaint against him involving an ox that had strayed from its owner. The magistrate accordingly sent a message ordering my father to appear before him. When my father received the summons, he sent back the following reply: “Andizi, ndisaqula” (I will not come, I am still girding for battle). One did not defy magistrates in those days. Such behavior would be regarded as the height of insolence — and in this case it was. My father’s response bespoke his belief that the magistrate had no legitimate power over him. When it came to tribal matters, he was guided not by the laws of the king of England, but by Thembu custom. This defiance was not a fit of pique, but a matter of principle. He was asserting his traditional prerogative as a chief and was challenging the authority of the magistrate. When the magistrate received my father’s response, he promptly charged him with insubordination. There was no inquiry or investigation; that was reserved for white civil servants. The magistrate simply deposed my father, thus ending the Mandela family chieftainship. I was unaware of these events at the time, but I was not unaffected. My father, who was a wealthy nobleman by the standards of his time, lost both his fortune and his title. He was deprived of most of his herd and land, and the revenue that came with them. Because of our straitened circumstances, my mother moved to Qunu, a slightly larger village north of Mvezo, where she would have the support of friends and relations. We lived in a less grand style in Qunu, but it was in that village near Umtata that I spent the happiest years of my boyhood and whence I trace my earliest memories. 1. Who is narrating? What point of view is used? 2. What elements of fiction are present in the narrative? List them down and cite the sample lines from the text to support your answer. 3. What type of creative nonfiction work do you think is the above excerpt? What makes you say so? 7 What is Creative Nonfiction? Nonfiction is writing that is based on true events, people, places, and facts. It is a vast category and has sub-genres: it could be factual, like a scientific paper; it could also be creative, like a personal essay. The label “creative nonfiction” can apply to various categories of writing, including food, travel, memoir, personal essay, and other hybridized forms. Its defining characteristic is the use of literary techniques to create a sense of artfulness in the language, character development, and story, all of which tends to drive the narrative “inward.” Creative nonfiction work also tends to focus on transformational events in the narrator’s or central character’s life. It generally seems closer to the truth of the narrator’s experience than other forms of nonfiction, as revealing the narrator’s experience / emotional consequence of the experience often seems the implicit “goal” of the work. Because of these characteristics, creative nonfiction as a literary genre appeals both to the reader and the writer, as well. A creative nonfiction work can sound very personal and deeply revealing, and the resulting authenticity can have profound effects. The writer who has experienced that particular event being narrated is in the best position to talk about the experience from his or her viewpoint. The reader, on the other hand, can feel an affinity towards the writer’s work as it was narrated from an authentic, no-filter landscape, hence making it something to be trusted. Lee Gutkind (2019) has this to say in describing the art of creative nonfiction: “a concept that offers great flexibility and freedom, while adhering to the basic tenets of nonfiction writing and/or reporting. In creative nonfiction, writers can be poetic and journalistic simultaneously. Creative nonfiction writers are encouraged to utilize fictional (literary) techniques in their prose - from scene to dialogue to description to point-of- view - and be cinematic at the same time. Creative nonfiction writers write about themselves and/or capture real people and real life in ways that can and have changed the world. What is most important and enjoyable about creative nonfiction is that it not only allows, but encourages the writer to become a part of the story or essay being written. The personal involvement creates a special magic that alleviates the suffering and anxiety of the writing experience; it provides many outlets for satisfaction and self- discovery, flexibility and freedom.” Elements of Creative Nonfiction “Creative non-fiction blurs the distinction between fiction and non-fiction but only at the periphery of knowledge, where fact and truth are unavailable or obscured (Penn, 2017).” If the “periphery of knowledge” is the one thing that delineates one from the other, logically, it follows that creative nonfiction shares similar elements with fiction. Let’s find out. A. Plot. Plot is one of the basic elements of every story: put simply, plot refers to the actual events that take place within the bounds of your narrative. Using our 10 some questions that might be asked in finding the appropriate angle for a narrative: 1) Is this something slightly or very familiar to the readers already? 2) What difference will it make if it will be written from this perspective? 3) Is there something new offered to the readers about this topic/subject? F. Setting and Atmosphere. Each story has a setting. The setting is the place where the story takes place. Usually, an effective story establishes its setting early in the story: otherwise readers will have a difficult time visualizing the action of the story. G. Symbols and Symbolisms. Writers use symbols to give meaning to objects, or events that are outside of the literal. Many people are familiar with common symbols in everyday life. Red roses are symbols of love, and doves are symbols of peace. Many classic works of literature employ symbolism. Symbolism in literature provides a way for a writer to explore depth, frequently though double meaning. For example, if a character crosses a river, the writer is usually employing symbolism to signify rebirth, like baptism. Many writers use color for symbolism, with white representing good, black representing evil, and green symbolizing new life. Symbolism in literature is often used to evoke various archetypes, such as good versus evil. When a character takes a trip, it is usually symbolic of a journey to discover the self. Authors use symbolism to tie certain things that may initially seem unimportant to more universal themes. The symbols then represent these grander ideas or qualities. H. Irony. Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this seems like a loose definition, don't worry—it is. Irony is a broad term that encompasses three different types of irony, each with their own specific definition: verbal irony, dramatic irony, and situational irony. Most of the time when people use the word irony, they're actually referring to one of these specific types of irony. There are three types of irony: 1) Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which the literal meaning of what someone says is different from—and often opposite to—what they actually mean. For example, if someone has a painful visit to the dentist and when it's over says, "Well, that was pleasant," they are using verbal irony because the intended meaning of their words (that it wasn't at all pleasant) is the opposite 11 of the literal meaning of the words. Verbal irony is the most common form of irony. In fact it is so common that when people mention "irony," they often are actually referring to verbal irony. 2) Dramatic irony is a plot device that highlights the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the audience. When the audience watching a movie know what's behind that door, but the character in the movie has no idea, that's dramatic irony. 3) Situational irony refers to an unexpected, paradoxical, or perverse turn of events. It is an example of situational irony when, in the O. Henry story "The Gift of the Magi," a young wife cuts off her hair in order to buy her husband a chain for his prized watch, but the husband sells his watch to buy his wife a comb for her beautiful hair. Although these three kinds of irony may seem very different at first glance, they all share one important quality: a tension between how things appear and how they really are. Also, it's worth knowing that sometimes instances of irony don't quite fit into any of these categories, and instead align with the more general definition of irony as something that seems to be one way, but is in fact another way. Put more broadly: sometimes irony is verbal irony, sometimes it is dramatic irony, sometimes it is situational irony, and sometimes it is just irony. Besides the three main types of irony described above, two other literary devices—sarcasm and satire—share a lot in common with irony: 1) Sarcasm is a bitter, cutting, or mocking taunt used to denigrate a particular person, place, or thing. It can sometimes take the form of verbal irony. For instance, if you were to say to someone who had just cut you in line, "What a polite, civilized person you are!" that would be sarcasm in the form of irony, since your meaning is the opposite of the literal meaning of your words. Sarcasm very often involves irony. However, it doesn't always have to use irony. For instance, when Groucho Marx says "I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception," he is being sarcastic, but his words, however witty they are, mean exactly what they say. 2) Satire is a form of social or political critique. Like sarcasm, it often makes use of irony, but it isn't always ironic. I. Figures of speech. These are the various rhetorical uses of language that depart from customary construction, word order, or significance. Specifically, a 12 figure of speech is a rhetorical device that achieves a special effect by using words in a distinctive way. Though there are hundreds of figures of speech, here are the most common you will encounter, either in prose or poetry writing: 1) Alliteration: The repetition of an initial consonant sound. Example: She sells seashells by the seashore. 2) Anaphora: The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses. Example: Unfortunately, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time on the wrong day. 3) Antithesis: The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases. Example: As Abraham Lincoln said, "Folks who have no vices have very few virtues." 4) Apostrophe: Directly addressing a nonexistent person or an inanimate object as though it were a living being. Example: "Oh, you stupid car, you never work when I need you to," Bert sighed. 5) Assonance: Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words. Example: How now, brown cow? 6) Chiasmus: A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed. Example: The famous chef said people should live to eat, not eat to live. 7) Euphemism: The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit. Example: "We're teaching our toddler how to go potty," Bob said. 8) Hyperbole: An extravagant statement; the use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect. Example: I have a ton of things to do when I get home. 9) Irony: The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Also, a statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea. Example: "Oh, I love spending big bucks," said my dad, a notorious penny pincher. 10)Litotes: A figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite. 15 POST-TEST Directions: Make a diary entry by choosing one of the three topics. Be sure to use at least three figures of speech. Write your entry in your notebook. 1. My Summer Vacation amid COVID-19 2. My First Online Class 3. My Mask, Face Shield and Social Distancing ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ _________________________ _________________________ ____________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ *Rubrics 5 – Correct use of language/grammar; use of three or more figures of speech; appropriateness of figures of speech used; clear narration of events 3 – Minor errors on the use of language/grammar; use of less than three figures of speech; appropriateness of figures of speech used; clear narration of events 1 – Major errors on the use of language/grammar; without the use of figure of speech; unclear narration of events 16 ASSIGNMENT Directions: Try reflecting on your experiences. Which among them do you think is worth telling your readers? Write a letter to yourself. Do it in your notebook. _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ ____________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ *Rubrics 5 – Correct use of language/grammar; clear presentation of experiences; statements that manifest own reflection; correct letter-form 3 – Minor errors on the use of language/grammar; clear presentation of experiences; statements that manifest own reflection; correct letter-form 1 – Major errors on the use of language/grammar; clear presentation of experiences; a statement that manifests own reflection 17 References Department of Education. (February 2014). K to 12 Senior High School Humanities and Social Science Strand – Creative Nonfiction Curriculum Guide. Elements of Creative Nonfiction. Adapted from "Chapter 2: Telling a Story" from EmpoWord by Shane Abrams, Chapter 2, licensed CC BY NC 4.0 by Portland State University from https://human.libretexts.org/Courses/ASCCC/Writing_and_Critical_Thinking_Through_L iterature_(Ringo_and_Kashyap)/02%3A_About_Creative_Nonfiction/2.02%3A_Element s_of_Creative_Nonfiction Freytag's Pyramid. Authored by: Gustav Freytag. Provided by: Wikipedia. Located at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure. License: CC BY-SA: AttributionShareAlike “Symbolism.” www.literarydevices.com/symbolism/ “Symbolism.” https://www.papermasters.com/literature-symbolism.html “Irony.” https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/irony Nordquist, Richard. (2020, February 11). Figures of Speech: Definition and Examples. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-are-figures-of-speech-1690858 https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-define-a-beat-a-sequence-a-scene-and-an-act- inliterature