Creative writing activity for group/workshop

Moral Tales

Objective

1. to situate a text ideologically
2. to experiment with fables, allegories, satires and folk tales

Organisation

groups to start off with, then individual writing

Example

any fable, etc.

Materials

one piece of note paper per participant

Procedure

1. Each participant writes down a potential ‘moral of the story’. This can be a real moral or it can in itself be a subversion. This piece of paper is passed on.
2. With the ‘moral’ you’ve just received, make a decision as to what format of story would suit it best.
3. Devise a situation, the characters and the plot, which would be suited best to bring out the moral.
4. Write the first part of the tale, which is the exposé from which the story then proceeds towards the episode in which the moral takes effect.
5. Pass this text on.
6. With the new text complete the story with your own moral or lack of it. You can subvert the story or you can subvert the genre here.

© 2000 - 2005 Franz Andres Morrissey, all rights reserved.