We looked at Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, a deceptively simple story. The story is told primarily through dialogue, and we looked at the dialogue to see how what the characters say help to us see the story. From the dialogue we learn details about the characters, about who they are, about their relationship (how it is now and how it used to be). We learn about the setting and the action is moved forward. But most importantly we learn about the conflict of the story. The majority of the dialogue provides us with conflict. The man and the woman want different things from one another in order for one to get what they want the other person has to give up something. There is no winning.
Conflict
Conflict is basically a character wanting something, and there being someone or something preventing them from getting what they want. If there is no conflict, there is no story. For your narrative, you will be the main character. Think of times when you really wanted something and tried to get it and something prevented you from getting there. This'll be a good jumping off point for your narrative.
Homework
- Read "The Unauthorized Biography of Me" by Sherman Alexie and "In the Fifties" by Leonard Michaels. Write a brief paragraph for each piece explaining what the thesis for the narratives are. Why do the authors choose to highlight those events in their lives? What do the events they choose to talk about have in common? Upload this via Google Docs.
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