Creative writing activity for group/workshop
to explore the same narrative from different angles
to develop an understanding of narrator perspective and the applications of such perspectives.
groups of four, a plenary group sitting in a circle
Queneau’s Exercise de Style, the I-narrator in Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for version 2, Benji in Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury for version 4
one large sheet of paper for each participant
This activity arose from a suggestion by Matt Kimmich and was developed in close cooperation with him.
The basic purpose of the activity is to raise awareness of the dubious objectivity of narrators in narrative fiction (and memoir, for that matter).
This activity has been found to work very well and raise interesting points about writing as well as producing highly fascinating stories. The downside may be that it requires a fair amount of time
Either in your groups or on your own, develop two characters. In order
to do this answer the questions below in writing for both of them, keep
the answers in mind when you write even if these answers are not actually
mentioned in your text:
What is the greatest frustrated ambition or disappointment in this person’s
life?
What does the person hate (doing) most?
Who is the most influential man/woman in this person’s life?
Why is the person in the setting that you show her/him in?
What personal flaw or characteristic does the person have without being
aware of it?
Now set a scene in which the two characters find themselves and define a conflict that arises or exists between them.
Version 1: Write a short story from the point of view of an omniscient
narrator. In other words,
do not take sides, be as "objective" as you can be
if you want to, include information about what is going on inside the
characters’ minds
be as coldly observant as you can be
Pass the story on to your neighbour together with your notes about the
characters.
Version 2: Rewrite the story you’ve been given from the point of view of one of the characters. Pass the entire dossier on to your neighbour.
Version 3: Now rewrite the story as a 3rd-person narrative, focalising the events through the eyes of the second character. Again pass the entire dossier on to your neighbour.
Version 4: Rewrite the story as an outside observer with a limited perspective. The perspective can be physically limited (e.g. the observer cannot leave the room, only sees part of the scene, ect.) or psychologically limited (i.e. too young to understand fully what is going on, mentally handicapped, etc.)
In the vein of Queneau’s Exercise de Style, rewrite version 2 in terms of changing social background of the character, e.g. vulgar, upper-class, intellectual, ‘academic’, etc.
© 2000 - 2005 Franz Andres Morrissey, all rights reserved.