SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Creative Nonfiction
Quarter 1 – Module 2
Literary Conventions that Govern the
Different Genre

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

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 LESSON 2

LITERARY ELEMENTS BASED ON ONE’S EXPERIENCE

Learning Competency 1B.Create Sample of Literary Elements based on

Experience (e.g. Metaphor to describe an emotion)
Learning Objectives: At the end of the module, the learners shall be able to:
Write literary elements based on one’s experience (e.g. metaphor to describe an
emotion)
The genre of creative nonfiction also known as literary nonfiction is broad
enough to include travel writing (travelogue) nature writing, science writing, sports,
writing, biography, autobiography, memoir, the interview and both the familiar and
personal essay ; although there is no such as new in nonfiction most common usually
encountered like what has been mentioned. There are some forms of nonfiction like
the docufiction, documentary film, Gonzo journalism and nonfiction novel.
The difference between creative writing and nonfiction is that nonfiction, by contrast is
factual and reports on true events. Histories, biographies, journalism and essays are
all considered nonfiction. This has given rise to a new trend called creative nonfiction,
which uses the techniques of fiction to report on true events.

Docufiction (or docu-fiction), often confused with docudrama, is the

cinematographic combination of documentary and fiction, this term often meaning
narrative film.
It is a film genre which attempts to capture reality such as it is (as direct cinema
or cinéma vérité) and which simultaneously introduces unreal elements or fictional
situations in narrative in order to strengthen the representation of reality using some
kind of artistic expression. More precisely, it is a documentary contaminated with

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fictional elements, in real time, filmed when the events take place, and in which
someone – the character – plays his own role in real life. A film genre in expansion, it
is adopted by a number of experimental filmmakers.
The new term docufiction appeared at the beginning of the 21st century. It is
now commonly used in several languages and widely accepted for classification by
international film festivals. Either in cinema or television, docufiction is, anyway, a film
genre in full development during the first decade of this century. The word docufiction
is also sometimes used to refer to literary journalism (creative nonfiction).
(https://findwords.info/term/docufiction)
A documentary film is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality,
primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record"
- compare documentary theatre. Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in
terms of "a filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception
[that remains] a practice without clear boundaries". Documentary films, originally
called "actuality films", lasted one minute, or less. Over time, documentaries have
evolved to become longer in length, and to include more categories; some examples
being: educational, observational, and docufiction. Documentaries are meant [by
whom?] to be informative works, and are often used within schools, as a resource to
teach various principles.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_film)

Gonzo journalism is a style of journalism that is written without claims of objectivity,

often including the reporter as part of the story via a first-person narrative. The word
"gonzo" is believed to have been first used in 1970 to describe an article by Hunter S.
Thompson, who later popularized the style. It is an energetic first-person participatory
writing style in which the author is a protagonist, and it draws its power from a
combination of social critique and self-satire. It has since been applied to other
subjective artistic endeavors.
Gonzo journalism involves an approach to accuracy that concerns the
reporting of personal experiences and emotions, in contrast to traditional journalism,
which favors a detached style and relies on facts or quotations that can be verified by
third parties. Gonzo journalism disregards the strictly-edited product favored by
newspaper media and strives for a more personal approach; the personality of a piece
is as important as the event or actual subject of the piece. Use of sarcasm, humor,
exaggeration, and profanity is common.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzo_journalism)

The non-fiction novel is a literary genre which, broadly speaking, depicts real
historical figures and actual events woven together with fictitious conversations and
uses the storytelling techniques of fiction. The non-fiction novel is an otherwise loosely
defined and flexible genre. The genre is sometimes referred to using the slang term
"faction", a portmanteau of the words fact and fiction.

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(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-fiction_novel)

Let’s Do It!

Activity 1
Do profile writing about a person (one you really love/ like and the other person whom
you hate/dislike; you can use a pseudo name)
State orally to the class your output, considering why one is easier for you to like, than
the other in comparison. (Using metaphor to describe an emotion)
Rubrics for Grading:

Let’s Answer This!

Multiple Choice. Choose the letter that best answers the given question. Write the
letter of your answer in your notebook.
1. Nonfiction is
a. true c. a combination of True and Made up
b. made up d. written only by adults
2. The best description of how caption are used is
a. add additional information like names or descriptive
b. add facts to a graph or pie chart
c. provide a title for a passage
d. list the author of passage
3. The following are examples of non-fiction
a. auto-biographies, biographies, articles, science fiction
b. auto-biographies, biographies, articles and brochures
c. auto-biographies, biographies, brochures and poetry
d. auto-biographies, biographies, docufiction and memoir
4. Why it is important to get facts in nonfiction writing?
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 a. It isles important than we might think, many non-fiction books are published
with factual errors
b. It is important because the credibility of the author and the publisher are
reflected in the reliability of factual claims made in the book
c. It is less important than we might think; the work may contain a mixture of
verifiable facts and approximate facts or grassword by the author
d. It is important because sales will be higher if there is more fictional
context, even in a nonfiction book
5. It is a descriptive writing focused on a subject and provides a detailed information
on it.
a. Narrative essay c. memoir
b. Journal article d. profile writing

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6. Which of the following is not true about biography?
a. A written history of a person’s life
b. An account or the story of a real person’s life written by another person
c. It is about the life of a person narrates by himself or herself
d. None of the above
7. It is the most popular form of literature which is classified as a prose composition
and attempts to explain or clear up an idea, perception or point of view
a. Editorial c. fiction
b. Modern essay d. research report
8. This is the part of the introduction that grabs the reader’s attention
a. Reasons c. leading statement/hook
b. Conflict d. claim
9. Quote, statement, story and a statement about life are all examples of a
a. Conflict c. resolution
b. Text evidence d. leading statement
10. In analysis of creative nonfiction, what is the purpose of concluding sentence?
a. To end a paragraph
b. To tie together the answer and evidence
c. To confuse the reader
d. To make sure the reader understood

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 LESSON 3

ANALYZING FACTUAL/NONFICTIONAL ELEMENTS IN THE TEXT

Learning Objectives: at the end of this lesson, the learners are expected to:
1. Analyze essays and articles applying the different literary devices in the text.
2. Answer all the given activities presented in the module.

Let’s Answer This!

Multiple Choice: Choose the letter that best answer to the corresponding questions.
Encircle the letter of your answer and write it on your notebook.
1. Drama means...
a. A Greek word
b. A kind of play
c. Too many emotions
d. To act and imitate reality
2. 5 Elements of Drama include...
a. Voice, Setting, Character, Movement and Acting
b. Role/Character, Relationship, Time/Place, Tension and Focus
c. Conflict, Space, Voice, Staging and Relationship
d. Volume, Facial Expressions, Place, Use of Props and Setting
3. A monologue is...
a. A conversation between characters
b. Small movable objects
c. Private thoughts said out loud by one character
d. The hero's goal or job

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4. The hero's task is...
a. What the villain is trying to destroy
b. What the hero learns from events
c. What the hero is trying to accomplish
d. Save somebody
5. Motivations are...
a. Reasons for a character to do what he or she does
b. Events that a character takes part in
c. Conflicts that a character faces
d. A task that the hero must accomplish
6. Conversation between two characters is called...
a. A monologue
b. A discussion
c. A dialogue
d. A quotation
7. Italicized portions of text that give information beyond the dialogue and help the
audience interpret the scene are called...
a. Stage directions
b. Rules
c. Movements
d. Dialogue
8. Symbolism...
a. Props on the stage
b. Backdrops
c. Characters and/or props that reinforce the plot and theme of a drama
d. Audience imagination
9. The small divisions in a play.
a. Sections
b. Scenes
c. Chapters
d. Acts
10. The setting of a drama is....
a. Limited by what the audience can see on the stage and allows for the
audience to visualize the scene
b. Time in history
c. The stage
d. How the actors know where to go

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 Let’s Move On

Diagram Plotting
Read the given story below and identify the plot according to its part. Put your
answer in the given graphic organizer below and write it in your notebook.

EXPOSITION

RISING ACTION

CLIMAX

PLOT

FALLING ACTION

RESOLUTION

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 Elements of Factual/Nonfictional in Texts
A. Plot
A plot is the sequence of events that make up a story, it is either told, written, filmed,
or sung. The plot is the story, and more specifically, how the story is being developed,
unfolds, and moves in time. Plots are typically made up of five main elements:
RISING CLIMAX
EXPOSITION
It is the peak of the story, it is where
It is where the main character is in
It is beginning of the story major event occurs in which the main
crisis and events leading up to
where characters, setting, character faces a major enemy, fear,
facing the conflict begin to unfold.
and the main conflict are challenge, or other source of conflict.
typically Also, it is where the story becomes
complicated. The most action, drama, change, and
excitement occurs here.

FALLING RESOLUTION
It is where the story begins to Also known as the denouement, the
slow down and work towards resolution is like a concluding paragraph
its end, tying up loose ends. that resolves any remaining issues and
ends the story.

Here are a few very short stories with sample plots:

Example 1
Kaitlin wants to buy a puppy. She goes to the pound and begins looking through the
cages for her future pet. At the end of the hallway, she sees a small, sweet brown dog
with a white spot on its nose. At that instant, she knows she wants to adopt him. After
he receives shots and a medical check, she and the dog, Berkley, go home together.

In this example, the exposition introduces us to Kaitlin and her conflict. She wants a
puppy but does not have one. The rising action occurs as she enters the pound and
begins looking. The climax is when she sees the dog of her dreams and decides to
adopt him. The falling action consists of a quick medical check before the resolution,
or ending, when Kaitlin and Berkley happily head home.

Example 2
Scott wants to be on the football team, but he’s worried he won’t make the team. He
spends weeks working out as hard as possible, preparing for try outs. At try outs, he
amazes coaches with his skill as a quarterback. They ask him to be their starting
quarterback that year and give him a jersey. Scott leaves the field, ecstatic!
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The exposition introduces Scott and his conflict: he wants to be on the team but he
doubts his ability to make it. The rising action consists of his training and try-out; the
climax occurs when the coaches tell him he’s been chosen to be quarterback. The
falling action is when Scott takes a jersey and the resolution is him leaving the try-outs
as a new, happy quarterback.

Each of these stories has

▪ an exposition as characters and conflicts are introduced

▪ a rising action which brings the character to the climax as conflicts are developed
and faced, and
▪ a falling action and resolution as the story concludes.

Types of Plot
There are many types of plots in the world! But, realistically, most of them fit
some pattern that we can see in more than one story. Here are some classic plots that
can be seen in numerous stories all over the world and throughout history.
a. Overcoming the Monster
The protagonist must defeat a monster or force in order to save some people—usually
everybody! Most often, the protagonist is forced into this conflict, and comes out of it
as a hero, or even a king. This is one version of the world’s most universal and
compelling plot—the ‘monomyth’ described by the great thinker Joseph Campbell.
Examples:
Beowulf, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.
b. Rags to Riches:
This story can begin with the protagonist being poor or rich, but at some point, the
protagonist will have everything, lose everything, and then gain it all back by the end
of the story, after experiencing great personal growth.

Examples:
The Count of Monte Cristo, Cinderella, and Jane Eyre.
c. The Quest:
The protagonist embarks on a quest involving travel and dangerous adventures in
order to find treasure or solve a huge problem. Usually, the protagonist is forced to
begin the quest but makes friends that help face the many tests and obstacles along
the way. This is also a version of Campbell’s monomyth.
Examples:
The Iliad, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon

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d. Voyage and Return:
The protagonist goes on a journey to a strange or unknown place, facing danger and
adventures along the way, returning home with experience and understanding. This is
also a version of the monomyth.
Examples:

Alice in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Wizard of Oz

e. Comedy:
A happy and fun character finds a happy ending after triumphing over difficulties and
adversities.
Examples:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Home Alone
f. Tragedy:
The protagonist experiences a conflict which leads to very bad ending, typically death.
Examples:
Romeo and Juliet, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Macbeth
g. Rebirth:
The protagonist is a villain who becomes a good person through the experience of the
story’s conflict.
Examples:
The Secret Garden, A Christmas Carol, The Grinch

As these seven examples show, many stories follow a common pattern. In fact,
according to many thinkers, such as the great novelist Kurt Vonnegut, and Joseph
Campbell, there are only a few basic patterns, which are mixed and combined to form
all stories.
The Importance of Using Plot
The plot is what makes a story a story. It gives the story character development,
suspense, energy, and emotional release (also known as ‘catharsis’). It allows an
author to develop themes and most importantly, conflict that makes a story
emotionally engaging; everybody knows how hard it is to stop watching a movie before
the conflict is resolved.

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Plots can be found in all kinds of fiction. Here are a few examples.
Example 1
The Razor’s Edge by Somerset Maugham

In The Razor’s Edge, Larry Darrell returns from World War I disillusioned. His fiancée,
friends, and family urge him to find work, but he does not want to. He embarks on a
voyage through Europe and Asia seeking higher truth. Finally, in Asia, he finds a more
meaningful way of life.
In this novel, the plot follows the protagonist Larry as he seeks meaningful
experiences. The story begins with the exposition of a disillusioned young man who
does not want to work. The rising action occurs as he travels seeking an education.
The story climaxes when he becomes a man perfectly at peace in meditation.
Example 2

The Road not Taken’ by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost’s famous poem “The Road Not Taken,” has a very clear plot: The
exposition occurs when a man stands at the fork of two roads, his conflict being
which road to take. The climax occurs when he chooses the unique path. The
resolution announces that “that has made all the difference,” meaning the man has
made a significant and meaningful decision.
Plot Devices are ways of propelling the storyline to move forward. It serves to motivate
the characters, creating urgency of resolving complicated situations. This however can
be compared with moving a story forward using a dramatic method by making it
happen since the character are capable of doing “well developed reasons”.

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Plot Outline is a narrative of a story that can be transformed into a film. It consists of
a page with longer and detailed synopsis summarized into one or two paragraphs.
B. Conflict are problems, issues, or situations that the character needs to resolve
through time. Conflict is often expressed through the actions and dialogues of
the character(s).
Types of Conflict
(1) One Character Against Another Conflict shows one character having a
grievance against another character.
(2) A Character or Group Against Society Conflict demonstrates a character
who is against society’s values, ideas, norms, culture, and values.
(3) A Character Against Nature Conflict reflects a character who is wrestling
with natural disasters or calamities.
(4) Character Against Himself or Herself Conflict illustrates the inner struggles
and emotions of the character (wood, 2013).
Theme pertains to the idea that philosophers deeply think or it is simply the subject of
the story.
Character
A character is an individual (could be an object or animal but usually as a
person) in a narrative in a work of fiction or creative nonfiction. The act or method of
creating a character in writing is known as characterization.
Characters perform actions, create dialogues, and can be seen through their
physical appearance. “A character may provide background information, description,
or an assessment of another character’s life or personality. However, be sure to filter
out character’s bias (woods, 2013, p.142).
Types of Characterization
1. Direct (Explicit) Characterization- informs the readers of what the character
is like which can be deciphered through the narrator, or through how the
characters behave, act, or speak.
2. Indirect (Implicit) Characterization – allows the readers to infer about the
character’s thoughts, actions, conversations, physical appearance,
idiosyncrasies, and workmanship or team play with other characters.

The Character’s conversations will reflect his or her personality, determining

whether the character is educated or not, the formality and informality of the situation.

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 Point of view is the perspective from which a speaker or writer recounts a narrative
or presents information. This is also known as a viewpoint. This depends on the topic,
purpose, and audience. Writers of nonfiction may rely on the first-person point of view
(I, we), the second-person (you, your, you're), or the third-person (he, she, it, they).

With first-person point of view, the character is telling the story. You will see the
words "I," "me," or "we" in first-person point of view. This point of view is commonly
used for narratives and autobiographies.

First-person point of view can be singular or plural. The singular form uses "I"
or "me" and plural form uses the word "we." Both are used to give the writer's personal
perspective.

Some examples of first-person narrative include:

• I always look forward to my summer vacation at the beach. I like to collect seashells
and swim in the ocean.
• We love walking the dogs in the woods. We all think it is so much fun.
• If it was up to me, I would choose the white car.
• We didn't want to drive so we took the train to the city and back home.

When writing in second-person point of view, the writer has the narrator
speaking to the reader. The words "you," "your," and "yours" are used in this point of
view. Some common uses for second-person point of view are directions, business
writing, technical writing, song lyrics, speeches, and advertising.

Some examples of second-person point of view are:

• In just a few simple steps you can make a big change in your life!
• To make a great chili is you must season it early and often.
• Management is very happy with the progress you are all making.
• You gotta fight for your right to party! - "Fight for Your Right," Beastie Boys

Third-person point of view has an external narrator telling the story. The words
"he," "she," "it," or "they" are used in this point of view. This point of view can either be
omniscient where the reader knows what all the characters are doing in the story or it
can be limited to having the reader only know what is happening to one specific
character. Third person can also be gender specific or neutral, singular or plural.

Third-person point of view is often used in academic writing and fictional writing.

Some examples of third person point of view:

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• He is a great football player. He scored the most touchdowns this season.
• She was the one who knew all the answers on the test. She had the highest grade in
the entire class.
• What they told her was not the truth.
• She heard a loud crash in the middle of the night. She was so scared that she didn't
know what she should do next.

Angle of the Story

Angle is the precise way to choose on how to tell a story — it’s the element that
sets your story apart from all the rest. In other words, a way of presenting your
information and telling the story that makes it interesting, unique, and memorable.

Angle can be opposite to the ending of the essay, it can be comparisons, or

opposing point of views.
Symbols or Symbolism
Symbols in literary writing is usually applied in poetry and each symbol signifies
a meaning. When an author introduces a particular mood or emotion, the writer uses
symbolism, hinting it rather than saying it literally.
Some common types of symbols are:
black – evil or death ladder – connection between heaven and
earth
broken mirror – separation light – good, power
dark – death, shadows night – end of road, peace, death or darkness
day – beginning, good, opportunities red rose – love and romance
dove – peace water – baptism, purification
fire – danger, anger, passion, love, pain
or death

Symbolism is employed by writers to make the literary piece interesting and the ability
of not giving the literal sense of the ideas or things. Likewise, an action, event, or
exchange of words in a conversation may illicit symbolic values (Literary Devices).
Irony
Irony is the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal
meaning.
Irony is a storytelling tool used to create a contrast between how things seem
and how they really are beneath the surface. The term comes from the Latin
word ironia, which means “feigned ignorance.” The three main types used in literature
are dramatic, situational, and verbal, as mentioned above.

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People often conflate irony with sarcasm, coincidence, or bad luck. While these
concepts can have ironic characteristics, they’re not interchangeable with irony.

So for example, if you run to catch the bus and miss it by two seconds, that’s not
ironic — unless the reason you’re late is that you were bragging about how you
wouldn’t miss the bus. This creates an unexpected and comic contrast to what would
otherwise just be an unfortunate situation.

Figures of Speech
A figure of speech is a word or phrase that possesses a separate meaning from
its literal definition. It can be metaphor or simile, designed to make a comparison. It
can be the repetition of alliteration or the exaggeration of hyperbole to provide a
dramatic effect.

Types of Figure of Speech

There are countless figures of speech in every language, and they fall into hundreds
of categories. Here, though, is a short list of some of the most common types of figure
of speech:
A. Metaphor
Many common figures of speech are metaphors. That is, they use words in a manner
other than their literal meaning. However, metaphors use figurative language to
make comparisons between unrelated things or ideas. The “peak of her career,” for
example, is a metaphor, since a career is not a literal mountain with a peak, but the
metaphor represents the idea of arriving at the highest point of one’s career.
B. Idiom
An idiom is a common phrase with a figurative meaning. Idioms are different from
other figures of speech in that their figurative meanings are mostly known within a
particular language, culture, or group of people. In fact, the English language alone
has about 25,000 idioms. Some examples include “it’s raining cats and dogs” when it
is raining hard, or “break a leg” when wishing someone good luck.
Example
This sentence uses an idiom to make it more interesting:
There’s a supermarket and a pharmacy in the mall, so if we go there, we can kill two
birds with one stone.
The idiom is a common way of saying that two tasks can be completed in the same
amount of time or same place.

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C. Proverb
A proverb is a short, commonplace saying that is universally understood in today’s
language and used to express general truths. “Don’t cry over spilt milk” is a popular
example. Most proverbs employ metaphors (e.g. the proverb about milk
isn’t literally about milk).

Example
This example uses a proverb to emphasize the situation:
I know you think you’re going to sell all of those cookies, but don’t count your chickens
before they hatch!
Here, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” means that you shouldn’t act like
something has happened before it actually does.
D. Simile
A simile is a very common figure of speech that uses the words “like” and “as” to
compare two things that are not related by definition. For example, “he is as tall as a
mountain,” doesn’t mean he was actually 1,000 feet tall, it just means he was really
tall.
Example
This example uses a simile for comparison:
The internet is like a window to the world—you can learn about everything online!
The common phrase “window to the world” refers to a hypothetical window that lets
you see the whole world from it. So, saying the internet is like a window to the world
implies that it lets you see anything and everything.
E. Oxymoron

An oxymoron is when you use two words together that have contradictory meanings.
Some common examples include small crowd, definitely possible, old news, little giant,
and so on.
F. Metonym
A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to represent something related to bigger
meaning. For example, fleets are sometimes described as being “thirty sails strong,”
meaning thirty (curiously, this metonym survives in some places, even when the ships
in question are not sail-powered!) Similarly, the crew on board those ships may be
described as “hands” rather than people.

G. Irony
Irony is when a word or phrase’s literal meaning is the opposite of its figurative
meaning. Many times (but not always), irony is expressed with sarcasm (see Related

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Terms). For example, maybe you eat a really bad cookie, and then say “Wow, that
was the best cookie I ever had”—of course, what you really mean is that it’s the worst
cookie you ever had, but being ironic actually emphasizes just how bad it was
Dialogue
Dialogue is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more
people, and a literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange.
Dialogue, when used as a literary technique, helps to advance the plot of a
narrative, as characters engage in dialogue to reveal plans of action and their inner
thoughts and emotions. Sometimes, authors show us a character's inner
dialogue where thoughts and feelings are revealed as the character has a
conversation with him or herself. Often, we read outer dialogue, which occurs between
two characters as spoken language.

Other literary devices:

(1) Hyperbole is a term for overstatement or exaggeration.
(2) Understatement is exactly the opposite of hyperbole, when the writer tries
to play down the significance, magnitude, or intensity of a situation or event.
(3) Incongruity is a circumstance when something is out of proportion or strange
situations knit together.
(4) Irony is a position when there is “a gap between what is said and what is
meant” (woods, 2013).

Examples of Dialogue:

"Lisa," said Kyle, "I need help moving this box of toys for the garage sale. Will you help
me?"
"Sure!" Lisa put her book down and moved to lift one end of the box for her brother.
She glanced down into the box. "Hey!" she exclaimed. "You can't give away your Harry
Potter collection!"
"Well, I am not taking them to college with me." Kyle smiled at his little sister. "Do you
want them?"
"Yes!" Lisa smiled back. "I will read them all again, and it will remind me of how we
used to pretend to be Harry and Hermione."
"They are yours, Squirt." As Kyle smiled as his sister, he realized how much things
would change in the next few days.

Scene
A scene is where the place and time where the action of the literary and factual
narrative takes place.
The word ‘scene’ has multiple literary definitions. On one hand, it is ‘A place or
setting regarded as having a particular character or making a particular impression.’

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(OED). When we talk of a scene as a unit of story structure, a scene is ‘A sequence
of continuous action in a play, film, opera, or book’ (OED). It’s also ‘A representation
of an incident, or the incident itself.’ (OED)

How do these definitions combine? Scenes, individual story units smaller than
chapters (but somewhat self-contained), show us sequences of actions and incidents
that reveal place and time, characters’ actions, reactions or dilemmas.

Scenes (in short fiction and novels, plays and films) serve several functions. They:

• Move the story forward: They keep us engaged, asking ‘what happens next?’
• Establish characters’ arcs or cause and effect. This links to the first point.
For example, a scene might begin with a character missing a train. As a result,
the character may be late for a meeting. The reader wonders what impact this
small misfortune will have
• Reveal consequences of earlier events. A subsequent scene following the
missed train, for example, might show the consequences for the character
when they are late for a crucial meeting
• Make a story easier to follow. Scenes chunk what could be a narrative mess
into digestible units of action and event. They allow us to play with how we
release information to the reader (for example, a scene resolving an earlier
subplot might only take place much later in a novel. As writers we can make
some plot gratification instant and some delayed)

Let’s Practice!

Essay Analysis:

Read the Article written by Exie Abola. Then, extract and analyze each section
using the literary tools. After crafting your analysis posted in white cartolina,
write them in your notebook. Follow the format below.

Many Mansions
by Exie Abola

It probably was a small house, but size throws off a child. What seems modest
to an adult is extravagance to a little one. It was the world to me.

It certainly seemed ample then. There were three bedrooms, which we called
blue, green, and aircon. Children’s names, these; one bedroom was painted blue, one
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green, and one had a new air-conditioner. I don’t remember what we called it before
the air-conditioner arrived, but it was yellow, with a parquet floor and a deep dressing
area. It was the room of my parents, which is why the new Sony color TV and Betamax
were there. The old TV was in the living room downstairs, a Zenith in a large cabinet
with doors that slid open. In front of it was a coffee table and the blue sofa where Tito
Bing, when he was visiting, would sit shirtless, leaving a deep, sweaty impression on
the vinyl.

My mother sent most of us to piano lessons, and soon enough, a piano took its
place in our living room. We went to a music studio in northeast Greenhills, a short
walk from the Greenhills shopping center. To us that whole complex was simply
Unimart, where my mother bought groceries; then came Virra Mall, a modern marvel,
not yet a seedy haven of smuggled goods. This was my small, well-traveled universe:
Ledesma Street to Unimart; further down Ortigas to Meralco, where my father worked
and where we played tennis on Sunday afternoons; and then on to Ateneo, where I
had studied since grade school.

San Juan seemed pretty much the whole city then, because even my relatives
were there. On M. Paterno Street, adjacent to Ledesma, lived Tito Pepot with my
father’s parents. Tito Tito and the Litonjuas lived in another part of Greenhills, with Tita
Letty and the Mendozas nearby on Mariano Marcos Street. Sundays we heard mass
in Mary the Queen, where I would marry my wife years later.
The big round dining table was new, and I suppose like a lot of families, we
experienced that moment of bliss when, having changed from a long table to this round
one with a novelty called the lazy Susan, we were liberated from the forced courtesies
of asking people to pass this or that dish. I wonder though if something was lost, if the
convenience of just turning an inner platform set on marbles until what you wanted
was right in front of you did away with the learned cordiality, the togetherness with
one’s table mates that taught you the give and take of community.

There were orange glasses and a matching orange pitcher, and at meals we’d
have it and a blue one on the table. Tito Bing would pour orange juice into his coffee,
forgetting that the water was in the orange pitcher, the orange juice in the blue one.

Ledesma Street was a short one, and quiet. Our house was unassuming, with
walls of a modest height and a green gate. The gate opened to a long three-car
garage. We’d play football there, and Bombit, the eldest, once fell on his wrist and
broke it. On birthdays there would be parties, with folding tables from one end to the
other, balloons, spaghetti, hotdogs, ice cream, and our painfully cute posing for
pictures.

Our next-door neighbor made coffins, or so they said. I don’t remember seeing any.

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Actually, I don’t remember seeing anyone in that tiny gray house on our left. My mother
says that some of the people there had gone insane. Somehow, coffin-making and
insanity come hand in hand, as we’ve learned from old horror movies.

In high school I discovered the perilous thrill of chasing after girls. Going to
soirées, meeting them, getting their phone numbers, calling them up – how crazy it all
was, to daydream an entire afternoon away, my books on the living room coffee table,
my head in the clouds. The studying could go to hell as my mind floated in its hormone-
induced bliss. It was a heady time, reveling in the rush of taking risks, then wallowing
in the crushing despair of rejection.

The Assumptionistas wouldn’t let you stay on the phone with them more than
fifteen minutes. The Scholasticans would talk for hours, and I loved that. Niña and I
would talk often, it would be daylight out, then it would be dark and I wouldn’t even get
up to turn on the lights, and we’d talk some more. But I should have seen how that
affair would turn out: she lived on Vito Cruz, way beyond my familiar orbit. At a certain
point, we saw each other at a volleyball game in La Salle Greenhill, then asked "Was
that you?" later in the evening when I called. When you don’t know what each other
looks like anymore, the courtship has officially failed.

Then we transferred. It was 1984, I was fifteen and finishing my second year in
high school. When we were about to leave, we felt the excitement of moving to a new
house, a bigger one, in a more upscale neighborhood. It meant good things that we
were moving up in the world.

Literary
Tools Analysis

Type of mansion

Plot (synopsis)

(1) Conflict of the story

(2) Theme

(3) Characters of the Story

(4) Setting

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 Let’s Answer This!

Multiple Choice. Choose the letter that best answers the given question. Write the
letter of your answer in your notebook.
1. Which part of the plot is the most intense?

a. Falling action
b. conflict
c. exposition
d. climax
2. A struggle between two or more opposing forces.
a. climax
b. conflict
c. character
d. chapter
3. What type of conflict is best shown here?
a. character vs. character
b. character vs. self
c. character vs. nature
d. character vs. society
4. The story's time and place is
a. tone
b. plot
c. setting
d. voice
5. The main idea, or message, in a literary work is the
a. setting
b. plot
c. tone
d. theme
6. Which part of the story is represented by this blue blob?
a. exposition
b. rising action
c. climax
d. resolution

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7. Which part of the story is represented by this blue blob?
a. exposition
b. rising action
c. falling action
d. resolution

8. Which part of the story is represented by this blue blob?

a. climax
b. rising action
c. falling action
d. resolution

9. Which part of the story is represented by this blue blob?

a. climax
b. rising action
c. falling action
d. resolution

10. Which part of the story is represented by this blue blob?

a. climax
b. exposition
c. falling action
d. resolution
11. Character versus self is an conflict
a. internal
b. external
12. In this element of plot the author introduces the characters and setting...
a. Resolution
b. Climax
c. Exposition
d. Rising Action
13. The theme is a lesson learned; the moral of the story.
a. True
b. False

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14. What type of conflict is best shown here...
a. character vs. character
b. character vs. self
c. character vs. nature
d. character vs. society
15. Which part of the plot creates tension and suspense?
a. rising action
b. climax
c. falling action
d. resolution

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