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MODULE 1: DEFINITION AND NATURE OF CREATIVE WRITING

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, I am able to:
a. cull creative ideas from experiences;
b. define creative writing my own words;
c. reflect on the importance of following the steps of writing;
d. identify the reasons in writing creatively; and
e. write a three-paragraph essay.
Are you fond of writing? Do you find it easy to write or does it take time before you could
start writing? Many young writers have viewed writing as a complicated process (Ancheta, 2017).
This is made true by the fact that writing involves considering important factors like the writing
process and the basic grammar rules. In the writing process, a writer must first list down his ideas and
thoughts, organize it, and decide which ideas are best to be put at the beginning, which ones go in the
middle, and which ones are best placed at the end. Then once it’s finished, the writer has to improve
his work by rewriting, editing, and evaluating. These are just some points to remember in writing.
Hence in this module, you are to learn more details on the definition and nature of writing, specifically
creative writing.

EXPLORE!
DEFINITION AND NATURE OF CREATIVE WRITING
What does the word “creative” means to the writers? Is there a huge difference between regular
writing and creative writing? According to expert writers, there is always a creativity in writing.
“Creative writing is writing that expresses the writer’s thoughts and feelings in an imaginative, often
unique way” (Sil.org, What is Creative Writing?). It is geared towards presenting one’s ideas and
feelings rather than just conveying information. It is synonymous to gaining a license to write which
allows writers to form their rules in writing.
This suggests that the writer is an artist who explores his or her writing capability by being
adventurous and fearless in dealing with the stumbling blocks of writing. However, some experts
highlight that creative writing is not just being able to express one’s ideas and feelings, but also about
careful construction of words, phrases, and sentences. This is true since writers must be selective in
their word choice and must observe correct grammar to be fully understood by the readers, but this
thought should not hinder them from going beyond the conventions of writing. In most references,
creative writing is defined as “the process of writing stories or narrations that focus more on
entertaining and telling a story than simply relating facts. It is a form of fiction or created work”
(Cavallari, August 2014).

In your own opinion, how does writing become creative?


How can you compare a writer to an artist?
What do you think are some good reasons in engaging creative writings tasks?

FIRM-UP!
REASONS FOR WRITING CREATIVELY:
1. Write to be entertained
Writing may be a challenging task, but it gives one a sense of fulfillment. Many you
have words/ideas in your minds but don’t have the courage to speak it out. Writing is one way
for you to express it. Write about your fears, secrets, past, inner self and etc. Write about
something that is aligned to your interests to keep yourself entertained and motivated in
expressing yourself.
2. Write to share your ideas and emotions
There are instances when one cannot share thoughts and ideas freely. One good solution
instead of gathering courage to express these verbally it to try writing all of them down. There
are also some ideas and emotions that must be kept private. One can write without having to
consider what others might think. Writing can be a venue for individuals to present their views
freely and be appreciated by all kinds of readers.

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3. Write to be the person you wish to be
Writing inspires us to become what we intend to be, and enables us to use our
imagination. It is through writing that we are able to created characters that illustrate our
personality or our other side. Our creativity becomes limitless because readers tend to
appreciate unique and extraordinary characters. We achieve self-expression without having to
worry about people’s reactions. We can be a superhero, a celebrity, a politician, or anyone we
dream of becoming.
4. Write to touch people’s lives
If you have the gift of writing, you should make good use of it in order to influence
others. Your work might be compelling enough to move people and allow them to take a stand
on a certain issue. Your writing might even be an instrument to touch people’s hearts and
enable them to renew their ways of living. You can inspire them to better individuals through
your written work.

If you are to write a poem about this pandemic, what could be your objective/ reason?

DEEPEN!
PRINCIPLES OF CREATIVE WRITING
According to the Creative Writing program of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Teaching
Center in Columbia University, writers must keep in mind the following principles to further enhance
their writing skills:
1. Read before writing
Writers must be familiar with the fundamental techniques of fiction and non-fiction
writing. This is achieved through extensive reading and examining published literary folios,
journals, and all the other forms of literature. By doing so, the writer becomes aware of various
strategies in writing and learns about new writing styles. Reading models or samples of literary
works will guide the young writer to write creatively. This will also give the writer an idea to
employ his or her own unique writing style.

For example, you are tasked to write a poem about COVID-19 vaccine as the hope of the
nation. Are you able to write about it having no or little knowledge about this vaccine?
You need to have a huge background about the given topic which can be acquired through
reading.

2. Learn to make revisions


Effective writers are always aware and conscious of their writing craft. They criticize
their own work to improve it. As a writer, one should practice editing or proofreading one’s
work. It is also ideal to ask other readers to evaluate one’s word to ensure good flow of words
and presentation of ideas.

A writer’s work goes through a lot of editing and revisions before it gets to be published.

3. Know the true nature of creative writing


Every writer must learn that creative writing is not only about using one’s imagination,
but also presents ideas, themes, arguments, and questions. It provides valuable insights about
the human mind and the world.
REFLECTION: Ponder upon how the following Bible verse was creatively written

Psalm 45:11
My heart overflows with a good theme;
I address my verses to the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

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TRANSFER!
THE WRITING PROCESS
To most beginning writers, writing is a difficult task because it calls for the right skills. Writing
should not be regarded in that way because all it takes is to learn the writing process. It is comprised
of steps to follow in order to come up with a well-written work. A thorough understanding on the
steps in the writing process can help solve the writer’s block. Writing can be made more enjoyable
and thrilling by observing the following steps:

Pre-writing Writing the Draft Revising Editing Publishing

1. Pre-writing
This is the stage when the writers choose a topic, generate ideas, gather information,
and create an outline through the use of charts and diagrams. Stating the purpose for
writing and the target readers may be done at this phase.
2. Writing the draft
Writers work on their preliminary composition based on their outlined ideas and
information. In this stage, the work must be organized in order to present a clear and
specific idea. Unity and coherence is achieved by checking the topic along with its
supporting details. The purpose for writing must be reflected in the draft.
Create a draft first rather than jumping straight ahead into your piece. Drafting is the
preliminary stage of a written work in which the author begins to develop a more
cohesive product.

3. Revising
This stage involves evaluating, rewriting, and modifying the written work. This
entails restating, adding, or deleting sentences as needed. This is also the stage where the
writer may examine whether the substance and writing style are suitable for the target
readers.
4. Editing
At this phase, writers look for errors in spelling, grammar, and structure. It is the
proofreading stage in the writing process. Writers edit their work to enhance the writing
mechanics as well as their style. Letting others proofread one’s work is advantageous since
their feedback will also serve as a guide.
5. Publishing
The final step is accomplished by sharing the final output with a group. A well-written
composition may be published in print or through online or digital publishing.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1:
After knowing the nature of creative writing, its forms and principles, as well as the steps in
creative writing, write a three-paragraph essay on any of the following broad topics:
a. cyber-bullying
b. sibling rivalry
c. face-to-face learning despite the pandemic
d. best learning mode amidst the COVID-19 crisis
e. Pros and cons of modular learning
NOTE: Use the space below for your pre-writing activity. Use worksheet no. 1 for your final
output. For additional guidelines, please refer to rubric no. 1 on page 34-35.

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MODULE 2: IMAGERY
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, I am able to:
a. use sensory images in giving descriptions;
b. appreciate how sensory images is applied by reading carefully the given imagery examples in
literature; and
c. create a descriptive paragraph using cut-out words and phrases from used magazines, books,
or brochures.
Do you enjoy reading short stories, novels, verses, and etc.? How about writing one of them?
Isn’t it that when you read short stories, novels, and other forms of literature, you keep yourself
entertained as you use your imagination trying to relate the events in the story to what you have
experienced in real life? If you agree, you’re proving what Tallayo (2016) mentioned in her Creative
Writing book that “creative writing is written to entertain and educate”. She added, “we enjoy reading
novels and stories, not because they are necessary to read or helpful for us, just because we get a
certain pleasure from reading them, the pleasure which can’t be achieved from reading technical
writing”. Hence, it is similar with writing because it “involves expressing the writer’s innermost
thoughts, feelings, and ideas” (Ancheta, 2017).

EXPLORE!
IMAGERY
For you to better understand it, kindly read the following:

It was a pitchy-black night, as stifling as a June night can be, and the loo, the red-hot wind
from the westward, was booming among the tinder-dry trees and pretending that the rain was on
its heels. Now and again a spot of almost boiling water would fall on the dust with the flop of a
frog, but all our weary world knew that was only pretence. It was a shade cooler in the press-room
than the office, so I sat there, while the type ticked and clicked, and the night-jars hooted at the
windows, and the all but naked competitors wiped the sweat from their foreheads and called for
water. The thing that was keeping us back, whatever it was, would not come off, though the loo
dropped and the last type of was set, and the whole round earth stood still in the choking heat, with
its finger on its lip, to wait the event. I drowsed, and wondered whether the telegraph was a
blessing, and whether this dying man, or struggling people, might be aware of the inconvenience
the delay was causing. There was no special reason beyond the health and worry to make tension,
but, as the clock-hands crept up to and three times to see that all was in order, before I said the
sord that would send them off, I could have shrieked aloud.
-Rudyard Kipling, The Man Who Would be King

What happened in the scene you just read? Were you able to visualize and imagine the
details about it? Do the lines and details appeal to your senses?
What you have just experienced is most popularly the understood as the meaning of Creative
Writing, “writing that comes from imagination, writing that “is not true”” (Talayo, 2016). In other
words, it is about writing fiction which is a written product of your imagination. Therefore, when you
write fiction, you have to paint pictures, images, and scenes in the mind of the readers. This is what
is called as “imagery” which is the topic of this lesson.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 2.1:
Instruction: Cut out any interesting words and/or phrases from used magazines, newspapers,
brochures, and etc. that tell or describe how you are feeling right now to be collated in 2 paragraphs
with 7-10 sentences in each paragraph. Use the five sensory images. Paste it on this worksheet.
Don’t forget to consider the following criteria:
CONTENT: 10 POINTS MECHANICS: 10 ORGANIZATION: 5 TOTAL: 25
POINTS
NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 2.1 on page 36.

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FIRM-UP!
SENSORY IMAGERY
“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” -Oliver Wendall
Holmes
What can you say about this quotation from Oliver Wendall Holmes?

Sensory imagery draws on our senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound to create a vivid
and evocative picture in the mind of the reader. It is the hallmark of successful writers and poets, and
it has been for centuries.
When working with sensory imagery, it can help to employ the time-tested rhetorical tropes that
have been for centuries to help create memorable prose.
A picture paints a thousand words they say. In poetry, a word can paint a thousand pictures. In
literature, this is called imagery. Occasionally, the term imagery is also used to refer to figurative
language, metaphors and similes because writers often use figurative language to represent objects,
actions, and ideas in such a way that it appeals.
Usually, it is thought that imagery makes use of particular words that create visual
representation of ideas in the minds. Again, the word “imagery” is associated with mental pictures.
However, this idea is about partially correct. Imagery, to be realistic, turns out to be more complex
than just a picture.

Imagery refers to the image produced in the mind by language. These are words about an
experience that could produce physical perceptions as if the readers were actually experiencing it.
-Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and
Poetics

DEEPEN!
SENSORY IMAGERY
Read the following definitions and examples of imagery carefully:
SEVEN TYPES OF POETIC IMAGERY:
POETIC DEFINITION EXAMPLES
SENSES
Visual The mind can see it. The glow of the forest gave all the trees a red hue.
Auditory The mind can hear it. The waves slapped against the shore, over and over.
Olfactory The mind can smell it. I was awakened by the strong smell of the freshly
brewed coffee.
Gustatory The mind can taste it. The stench of the dirty canal made bile rise in my
throat.
Tactile The mind can touch it. The sweltering summer heat soak her dress in sweat.
Organic The mind can sense a Wearily, the soldier slumped to the ground with the
bodily sensation like heavy weight of defeat.
hunger, thirst, fear, etc.
Kinesthetic The mind can see The butterfly swiftly flutters its wings.
movement, action, or
internal tension.

ACTIVITY 2.2:
Instruction: Using your personal sensory experience, write a short paragraph with at least 10-15
sentences describing your breakfast if you were living in the year 2046. Please consider the
following criteria:
CONTENT: 10 POINTS MECHANICS: 10 ORGANIZATION: 5 TOTAL: 25
POINTS
NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 2.2 on page 37.

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TRANSFER!
IMAGERY EXAMPLES IN LITERATURE
Example #1
Imagery of light and darkness is repeated many times in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”.
Consider the following example from Act I, Scene V:
“O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear,”
Romeo praises Juliet by saying that she appears more radiant than the brightly lit torches in the
hall. He says that at night, her face glows like a bright jewel shining against the dark skin of an African.
Through the contrasting images of light and dark, Romeo portrays Juliet’s beauty.
Example #2
John Keats’ “To the Autumn” is an ode rich with auditory imagery examples. In the last five
lines of his ode, he says:
“Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft,
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.”
The animal sound in the above excerpt keep appealing to our sense of hearing. We hear the
lamb and the crickets chirping. We hear the whistles of the redbreast robin and the twitters of swallows
in the sing. Keats call these sounds as the song of autumn.
Example #3:
In prose, imagery aids writers to accomplish a vivid description of events. Below is an example
of an effective use of imagery from E.B White’s “Once More to the Lake”.
“When the others went swimming, my son said he was going in, too. He pulled his ripping
trunks from the line where they had hung all through the shower and wrung them out.
Languidly, and with no thought of going in, I watched him, his hard little body, skinny and
bare, saw him wince slightly as he pulled up around his vitals the small, soggy, icy
garment. As he buckled the swollen belt, suddenly my groin felt the chill of death”.
The images depicting the dampness of clothes, in the above lines, convey a sense of chilly
sensation that we get from wet clothes.
Example #4:
In “The Great Expectations” written by Charles Dickens, Pip (the hero of the novel) uses many
images to describe a damp morning in a marsh:
“It was rimy morning, and very damp. I had seen the damp lying on the outside of my
little window…Now, I saw the damp lying on the bare hedges and spare grass,…. On the
very rail and gate, wet lay clammy; and the marsh-mist was so thick, that the wooden
finger on the post directing people to our village—a direction which they never accepted,
for they never came there—was invisible to me until I was quite close under it.”
The repeated use of the words “damp” and “wet” makes us feel how rough it was for him in
that damp and cold morning. The thick “march-mist” aids our imagination to visualize the scene of
mourning in a marshland.
REFLECTION: Reflect on the how imagery is used in the provided Bible verse below:
Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth, but id the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness
be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled
under people’s feet”.

ACTIVITY 2.3:
Instruction: Answer the following questions in paragraph form. Apply sensory images.
1. How would you describe bagoong, balut, or sinigang to a foreigner?
2. How would you describe sunset to a blind man?

NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 2.3 on page 37.

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MODULE 3: FIGURES OF SPEECH
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, I am able to:
a. determine the meaning of “figurative language”;
b. know how to use different figures of speech;
c. identify which type of figurative language is used in the provided quotes from famous people; and
d. recognize the importance of figurative language in writing.
You might have heard the expression “it’s a figure of speech”, but what does it really mean? A
figure of speech is just that—figurative language. It might be words with a literal meaning, a certain
arrangements of words, or a phrase with a meaning that is something entirely other than that of the
words themselves. Figures of speech can be refreshing and fun, but for some—a figure of speech can
be very confusing. In this module, you will be learning most commonly used figures of speech which
are useful in writing.
EXPLORE!
FIGURES OF SPEECH
It is a poetic device that expresses something that means something else by comparing it with
another word or phrase. It makes a familiar word unfamiliar, thus making an idea compellingly
sharp and visual. With this, it provides emotive character and voice to a work.
Figures of speech are also called stylistic devices because these are tools that can be used as part
of your personal style to give emphasis, freshness, or clarity to whatever you are trying to say.
You don’t need to use them, but they really add sophistication to your writing, and show off a
little bit of your skill and art in using the language.
Have your heard the following before?
 I told you a million times that you are not allowed to go out because you are underage.
 Some IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) were as angry as tigers to people who are not
following health protocols.

FIRM-UP!
MOST COMMONLY USED FIGURES OF SPEECH
Here are some of the most common figures of speech and their meanings:
1. Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words.
Examples:
I have a fresh fern frond from the forest.
Sally sells sea shells by the seashore.
Becky’s beagle barked and bayed, becoming bothersome for Billy.
Carrie’s cat clawed her couch, creating chaos.
Dan’s dog dove deep in the dam, drinking dirty water as he dove.
Eric’s eagle eats eggs, enjoying each episodes of eating.
Try to read the examples fast to see how difficult it is! That is why alliteration is often used in
advertising slogans to create something catchy that more people will remember.

2. Anaphora is a stylistic device that consists of repeating a sequence of words at the


beginnings of neighboring clauses to give them emphasis.
Examples:
You are lovely, you are gorgeous, you are pretty, you are glorious, you are, you
just are!
Good night and good luck.
Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition! from King John, II, I, by William
Shakespeare

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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was
the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. It
was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it
was the winter of despair.”
The more the repeated words are used, the more of an emotional effect is can evoke among those
who are listening.

3. Assonance is a figure of speech that refers to the repetition of vowel sounds to create
internal rhyming within phrases or sentences.
Examples:
A certain purple curtain, captain.
(Note: cer in certain, pur in purple, and cur in curtain. Also: tain in certain,
curtain, and captain.)
Hear the mellow wedding bells. (Edgar Allan Poe)
4. Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggerations to create emphasis or effect; it is not
meant to be taken literally.
Examples:
I told you a million times to clean your room!
It was as big as a mountain!
It was dumber than a rock!
My grandmother is as old as the hills.
Your suitcase weighs a ton.
She is as heavy as an elephant
I am dying of shame.
I am trying to solve million issues these days.

This figure of speech makes things seem much bigger than they really were by using grandiose
depiction of everyday things. Hyperbole is often seen as an exaggeration that adds a bit humor to a
story.

DEEPEN!
FIGURES OF SPEECH WITH PRACTICE
NOTE:
The meaning and example of each figures of speech are provided. This time, you are to write
your own sentence in the spaces provided.
5. Irony is a figure of speech in which there is a contradiction of expectation between what is
said and what is really meant. It is characterized by an incongruity, a contrast, between
reality and appearance.
There are three types of irony:
Verbal Irony is a contrast between what is said and what is meant.
Example:
The explanation is as clear as mud.
Dramatic Irony occurs when the audience or the reader knows more about the
events than the characters themselves. In other words, what the character thinks is true in with
what the audience knows.
Examples:
One of the two identical twins tells the other, “ You are so ugly!”
The pot calling the kettle black.
Situational Irony refers to the contrast between the actual result of a situation
and what was intended or expected to happen.
Example:
The robbers stole money from the police station.
Irony pervades contemporary language. From its use in sarcasm, comedy, and just everyday
conversation, irony has long transcended from only being a literary device.
Write your own sentence here.

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6. Metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between
two things or objects that are poles apart from each that are poles apart from each other but
have some characteristics common between them.
Example:
The planet is your playground.
My heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill. (William Sharp)
In other words, the use of metaphor compares two things that are not alike and finds something
about them to make them alike. Some say, it is a direct comparison without using “like or as”.
Some writers try to use this style to create something profound out of comparing two things that
appear to have nothing at all in common.

Write your own sentence here.

7. Simile is a figure of speech directly comparing two unlike things, often introduced with the
word like or as.
Formula: as + adjective + as
Example:
Your teacher’s smile is as big as the sun.
“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.”
--a famous line from the movie Forest Gump
In other words, two things are compared that are not really the same, but are used to make a point
about each other. This is often used to make an emotional point about something. The difference
between simile and metaphor is that you can obviously see words “likes”/ “as” in the sentence.

Write your own sentence here.

8. Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is not called by its own name,
but by the name of something intimately associated with that thing or concept.
Example:
Using “Malacañang” to refer to the president or the government administration
The Malacañang has made another push for the imposition of death penalty
through lethal injection.
Saying “ a hand” to mean “help”.
Many people are in need of a hand amidst this COVID-19 crisis.
Using “crown” for “royalty” and “lab coats” for “scientists”.
We will swear loyalty to the crown.

Write your own sentence here.

9. Onomatopoeia is the use of words whose sounds suggest their meanings.


Example:
The bang of a gun scares all the people in the neighborhood.
The hiss of a snake wakes the sleeping pig.
The buzz of a bee made my baby awake.
The pop of a firecrackers signals the beginning of the new year.
Write your own sentence here.

10. Paradox is a figure of speech which completely contradicts itself in the same sentence.
Example:
“War is peace. Ignorance is strength. Freedom is slavery”. (from George Orwell’s
“1984”)
All of us are equal, but some are more equal than others.
I must be cruel to be kind.
Write your own sentence here.

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11. Personification is a way of giving an inanimate object the qualities of a living thing.
Example:
Just smile because even the sun is smiling.
The tree quaked with fear as the wind approached.
This can sometimes be used to invoke an emotional response to something by making it more
personable, friendly, and relatable.

Write your own sentence here.

12. Pun (paronomasia) involves a word that suggests two or more meanings by exploiting
multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or
rhetorical effect. Puns are constructions used in jokes and idioms whose usage and meaning
are entirely local to a particular language and its culture.
Example:
“Atheism is a nonprophet institution.”—George Carling
(Note: The word prophet is put in place of its homophone profit, changing the
common phrase nonprofit institution.)
“You can tune a guitar, but can’t tuna fish. Unless of course, you play a bass.”
—Douglas Adams
“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”—Groucho Marx
“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.”—Mark Twain
Sometimes, puns are subtle that they can be tough to pick up unless you are really listening.

Write your own sentence here.

13. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole
or the whole of something is used to represent part of it.
Examples: The part hand is used to refer to the whole person.
Sixty hands voted.
The country supported the president.
The word country is used to refer to part of the country, namely, most people.

Write your own sentence here.

14. Understatement is a figure of speech used by writers or speakers to deliberately make a


situation seem less important or serious than it really is.
Example:
A nurse about to give an injection saying, “It will sting a bit.”
To describe a disappointing experience, a participant may say, “It was…different”
An atomic blast is somewhat noisy.
Hitler was not a nice person.
It was windy in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina.
Bill Gates is financially secured.
The 1990 earthquake caused some damage in Baguio City.
Write your own sentence here.

15. Antithesis is a figure of speech that refers to the juxtaposition of opposing or contrasting ideas.
It involves the bringing out of a contrast in the ideas by an obvious contrast in the words,
clauses, or sentences within a parallel grammatical structure.
Example:
Too many choices, too little time.
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”—Neil Armstrong

“Unlike short-sighted, egocentric humans, God “sees with the equal eye” the fall
of a hero and a sparrow, the destruction of an atom or a solar system.”—Alexander Pope

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The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here.” Abraham Lincoln—The Gettysburg Address
This is a contradiction that pits two ideas against each other in a balanced way. This is often used
to indicate just how something can be more than one thing at the same time.

Write your own sentence here.

16. Euphemism is a figure of speech used to express a mild, indirect, or vague term to substitute
for a harsh, blunt, or offensive term.
Example:
Saying “passed away” for “died”; or “in between jobs” to mean “unemployed”
Using “misunderstanding” in place of “fight” or “argument”
Write your own sentence here.

17. Oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines incongruous or contradictory terms.


Example:
open secret
virtual reality
military intelligence
silent yell
civil war
Write your own sentence here.

FIRM-UP!
Words are your most important tool as a writer. Your choice of words, how you string them
together, and your attitude in communicating your ideas through words make up your individual
and unique personal writing style—that is to say, the voice that readers listen to when they read
your work.
As a singer’s voice can be honed through training so, too, can your writing style. Your
writer’s voice can be developed by improving your vocabulary, and by learning the art and
techniques of stylistic or rhetoric devices.
Figurative language is a very helpful writer’s tool that can powerfully engage the readers’
attention by generating pictures of scenes and characters in their mind. Do not be shy to use figures
of speech to your advantage! Use them often, and use them well.

TRANSFER!
REFLECTION: Even the bible is rich with figurative languages. Try to reflect on the verse provided
below:
John 8:12
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows
me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’

Jesus calls himself the “Light of the world”. In the bible, light refers to salvation, and
darkness refers to sinfulness.

ACTIVITY 3:
Write your own (one) example on each of the discussed figures of speech.
NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 3 on page 38.

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MODULE 4: DICTION
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, I am able to:
a. uncover the meaning of diction;
b. value the importance of diction in communication; and
c. write a letter to myself using the appropriate diction specified in the activity.

EXPLORE!
Have you experienced listening to speakers but can’t understand the word they are talking about?
From your friends taking up different strand, have you heard from them words/ terms which are
unfamiliar or new to you? That’s probably because the speaker used terms which are not appropriate
for the audience or the terms used by the speaker is too deep for the audience to understand. This is
the reason why “diction” is very important for the speaker and the listener to avoid communication
breakdown. As defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, diction is a choice of words especially with
regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. An example would be children’s book author/
speaker must use simple diction by choosing words that young children will be able to understand.
On the other hand, the teacher giving instructions to Grade 12 students will use more advanced diction
because the intended audience is likely to understand technical terminology.

DICTION FIRM-UP!
Diction can be defined as style of speaking or writing, determined by the choice of words by the
speaker or a writer. It often separates good writing from bad writing. It depends on a number of factors.
Firstly, the word has to be right and accurate. Secondly, words should be appropriate to the context in
which they are used. Lastly, the choice of words should be such that the listener or readers understand
easily. Besides, proper diction or proper choice of words is important to get the message across. On
the contrary, the wrong choice of words can easily divert listeners or readers which results in
misinterpretation of the message intended to be conveyed.
3 LEVELS OF DICTION
1. High or Formal Diction
-Contains language that creates an elevated tone
 no slang
 no idioms
 no contradictions
 no colloquialisms
An example is:
Discerning the impracticable state of the poor culprit's mind, the elder clergyman,
who had carefully prepared himself for the occasion.
-Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter
2. Neutral Diction
-Uses standard language and vocabulary without elaborate words and may include a few
contradictions.
An example is:
The shark swung over and the old man saw his eye was not alive and then he swung
over once again, wrapping himself in two loops of the rope.
-Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea
3. Low or Informal Diction
-is the language of everyday use. It is relaxed and conversational.
An example is:
Three quarts of milk. That's what was in the icebox yesterday. Three whole quart.
Now they ain't none. Not a drop.
-Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye
ACTIVITY 4.1:
INSTRUCTION: Write a letter to your future self by using diction to fill in the different
parts of speech including nouns, adjectives, plural nouns, etc.
NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 4.1 on page 39.

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TYPES OF DICTION
DEEPEN!
Individuals vary their diction depending on different contexts and settings. Therefore, we
come across various types of diction.
1. Formal diction—formal words are used in situations, such as press conferences and
presentations
2. Informal diction—uses informal words and conversation, such as writing or talking to
friends.
3. Colloquial diction—uses words common in everyday speech, which may be different in
different regions or communities
4. Slang diction—is the use of words that are newly coined, or even impolite
DICTION EXAMPLES IN LITERATURE
Depending on the topics at hand, writers tend to vary their diction. Let us see some examples
of diction in literature:
Example #1:
Keats in his “Ode to the Grecian Urn” uses formal diction to achieve a certain effect. He goes:
“Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes, play on”
Notice the use of formal “ye” instead of “you”. The formality here is due to the respect the urn
inspires Keats. In the same poem, he says:
“Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu.”

It is more formal to use “adieu” than to say “goodbye”.


Example #2:
In sharp contrast to Keats, John Donne uses colloquialism in his poem “The Sun Rising”:
“Busy old fool, unruly Sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains, call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?
Saucy pedantic wretch,”
Treating the sun as a real human being, the poet speaks to the sun in an informal way using
colloquial expressions. He rebukes the sun because the sun has appeared to spoil the good
time he is having with his beloved. Further, he orders the “saucy pedantic sun” to go away.
Example #3:
Writer’s skillfully choose words to develop a certain tone and atmosphere in their works. Read
the following excerpt from a short story “The School” by Donald Barthelme:
“And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died.
Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery
wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got thirty kids there, each kid has
his or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids
looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.”
The use #4:
Example of the words “died”, “dead”, “brown sticks”, and “depressing” gives a gloomy tone to the
passage.
Sometimes writers repeat their chosen words or phrases to achieve an artistic effect. Read the
following example from “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was
the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it
was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it
was the winter of despair.”
By repeating the phrase “It was...” throughout the passage, the writer ensures that the readers will
give more consideration to characteristic of “age” they are going to read about in the novel.

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TRANSFER!
FUNCTION OF DICTION
In literature, writers choose words to create and convey a typical mood, tone, and atmosphere
to their readers. A writer’s choice of words and his selection of graphic words not only affects the
reader’s attitude but also conveys the writer’s feelings toward the literary work. Moreover, poetry is
known for its unique diction that separates it from prose. Usually, a poetic diction is marked by the
use of figures of speech, rhyming words etc. In short story and novels, authors employ diction in
describing the setting or molding the characters. For instance, if the setting is in the urban, expect
descriptions related town on cities. Moreover, “some authors in the modern day and age have adopted
the diction used by literary legends such as Shakespeare. They use archaic terms to inject a classic
touch to their work, e.g. “art,” “thee,” “thy,” etc. This showcases how well-versed they are as a writer
and allows the readers to time travel back to the Elizabethan era.” (kidsconnect.com)
REFLECTION: What do you think are the importance of words? Reflect on the following:

Matthew 12:37
“…for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be
condemned.”

ACTIVITY 4.2:
Instruction: In the provided situations, construct at least two exchange of conversations of
the characters mentioned using proper diction. Take note to use at least one figure of speech
in each situation.
Example:
Situation A: A man is introducing himself to a kid he met for the first time.
Man: Hello, young man. It is a true pleasure to make your acquaintance. How are
you feeling today? Simile
Young man: Hello sir. It is nice meeting you as well. I feel like I’m in paradise,
thank you.

NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 4.2 on page 40.
MODULE 5: POETRY WRITING
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, I am able to:
a. determine specific forms and conventions of poetry;
b. use selected elements of poetry in short exercises;
c. explore innovative techniques in writing poetry; and
d. write a short poem applying the various elements, techniques, and literary devices.

Composing poems is one effective way to express our innermost thoughts and feelings. When
poets feel blissful, inspired, or downhearted, they are able to compose verses using colorful language.
Through poetry writing, we create various images and symbols that reveal truths about life. The poet
must have passion in composing in order to attain the appropriated tone and mood. Readers are
encouraged to think and associate their own thoughts and emotions. As they discover the truths behind
well-crafted lines, they appreciated these and relate them to their personal lives.
Poetry, like other forms of creative writing, can be a great way to propose ideas, convey
emotions, and entertain the audience all in one. Poetry writing is a way to grow emotionally and
intellectually, as the language articulates and frames experience symbolically. It is also a natural
process, serving people’s innate need to explain themselves and their lives in the world.

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EXPLORE!
REVIEW ON THE ELEMENTS OF POETRY
The first thing you need to have when you decide to write a poem is something to write about.
You need not concern yourself with coming up with a profound material or topic. Anything can be
the subject of the poem you want to write. Many great poems written by great poets were about
common and everyday things like a red wheelbarrow (William Carlos Williams), a gas station
(Elizabeth Bishop), and pieces of broken glass on the beach (Amy Clampitt). One of the reasons why
everyday things are such good topics for a poem is because it is very easy to write a good poem about
something the writer knows well or has experienced firsthand. What makes a poem interesting and
profound are the hidden details or qualities you discover in your subject—details that not everyone
may notice or that remind you of something else.
Before you compose your own poem, you must first recall the various elements of poetry.
Familiarity with the elements—especially the major ones—will guide you in creating well-written
verses by choosing the right words, symbols, and imagery.
Poetry is a literary from which expresses an individual’s emotions and ideas. Those strong feelings
and thoughts are often presented figuratively in order to deliver the true meaning or essence of human
emotions. Through poetry, the poet may reveal his or her views about other people, the environment,
society, the country, and even the world.
A. Review on the Elements of Poetry
1. Stanza refer to the grouping of lines or the succession of lines arranged together according to
substance. It is similar to a paragraph in prose writing. It is separated from another stanza
through the use of space. One way to identify a stanza is to count the number of lines. Thus:
Couplet - 2 lines Sestet - 6 lines
Tercet - 3 lines Septet - 7 lines
Quatrain - 4 lines Octave - 8 lines
Cinquain - 5 lines

2. Form pertains to the style of the poem or how the poem is structured. Classical poetry shows
metrical pattern, has specific number of lines, and has rhyme scheme. Contemporary poetry is
different since it does not have meter, rhyme, nor pattern, hence it is often called free or blank
verse.
3. Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds. There are different kinds of rhyme, such as the end
rhyme and the internal rhyme. The end rhyme, as the term suggests, refers to words with
similar sound that appear at the end of the lines. It is often used in children’s rhymes, which
helps young readers appreciate poetry. While internal rhyme is a kind of rhyme found in the
middle of the lined or rhyme within the lines.
Rhyme contributes in creating a pattern when read appropriately. It creates a special
effect which results in being pleasant and motivating. Humans in general are susceptible to
patterns. As a matter of fact, we live with all sorts of patterns every day in our lives. Our very
lives are patterns themselves. The human mind itself has an inherent (internal) patterning force
and capacity which allows the individual to perceive and create the patterns inherent in poems.
4.
AndRhythm refers
it is rhyme to the
which tempo
is one of theorcontributors
beat createdto through the stressed
pattern created and unstressed
in reading or writing asyllables
poem:
presented in the lines. It differs from rhyme
squeeze…tease through its pattern
run…fun which is illustrated
demonstrate…what by sounds
she ate
repeated regularly.
Observe the following lines from a poem:
As she WALKED to the MOON,
We could ALL hear her SWOON,
To the MARvelous SIGHTS,
In which she NOW so deLIGHTS.

5. Meter is the pattern of sounds or the organized arrangement of sounds. This is shown by the
kind of foot and the feet number. Specific types of foot are iambic, trochaic, dactylic, or
anapestic. The number of feet may be monometer (one foot), dimeter (two feet), trimester
(three feet), tetrameter (four feet), pentameter (five feet), or hexameter (six feet).

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B. Establishing Structure, Meter, and Rhyme Schemes
Some writers see poetry writing as more complicated than prose writing. In addition to the
challenges found in any form of literature, poetry also includes certain elements and requirements that
set it apart and make a unique certain elements and requirements that set it apart and make a unique
challenge for budding poets. Some of these are the structure, the rhyme scheme, and the meter.
In general, structure has to do with the overall organization of the lines of the poem and/or the
conventional patterns of sound. Although this is not always the case. Many modern poems may not
have any identifiable structure at all. Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds in a poem, the most
common is the end rhyme. As the name suggests, end rhymes occur at the end of two or more lines.
Lastly, meter is the systematic regularity in rhythm. It is usually identified by examining the type of
“foot” and the number of “feet” in the poem.

FIRM-UP!
STRUCTURE OF POEM
A. Poetic Line
In establishing the structure of a poem, a poet must think of the length of the lines and
how each line ends. The first and third lines may have the same length, while the second and
fourth lines may be the same.

To illustrate this, study the beginning of the poem composed by Robert Herrick:
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying: same ending sound
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying. same ending sound

This example clearly gives us an idea that line length and break produce a unique
structure which the reader may find appealing. Creating lines in poetry is utterly different
from the lines you write in stories or essays, since each line must be carefully structured. Each
line break allows the reader to pause. The length of the lines, whether condensed or lengthy,
also make the reading speed faster or slower. Structure gives the poem a distinct look. Are the
lines compressed or are the lines showing a lot of spaces? Lastly, it also shows emphasis which
indicates the significant words within each line.

B. Line Types
Poets decide on the form of the poem as well as length of the lines. If a poet composes a
verse like an ode or a sonnet, his or her writing is controlled by the standard set of rules dictated
by the verse type. As this may be the case, you should still figure how your thoughts and words
can be expressed in each line. A reader pauses when there is a period at the end of the line. A
reader continues reading when the lines are written in a continuing manner.
For lines with sudden stops or unusual breaks, this may suggest another idea or thought
that can be puzzling or thrilling to the readers.
There are lines called end-stopped lines, which end at usual pauses and are indicated by
a comma or a period.

The following is an example: end-stopped line


Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
If you choose to compose a free verse and not follow the conventional or standard form,
you may experiment with the line length and even the layout or how the lines are written. You
have more ways of formulating your lines since there are no rules or guidelines to follow.
Some modern poets present lines according to the shape of the subject matter reflected in the
poem.

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Here are some examples:

pinterest.co.uk
pinterest.co.kr

C. Stanzas
In order to organize ideas in poetry, lines that go together form a stanza. The idea is
similar to prose writing where closely linked sentences form a paragraph.
Here is the example of a stanza taken from a poem by Robert Herrick:

That age is best which is the first, The first two lines of the poem speak of
In this next two When youth and blood are warmer; the good things about being young.
lines, the But being spent, the worse, and the worst
speaker reveals Times still succeed the former.
the how Then be not coy, but use your time, In the last four lines, the persona says
miserable life And while ye may, go marry: that one must marry while one still
can be as one For having lost but once your prime, has the opportunity and the capacity
gets older. You may for ever tarry. to marry.

D. Meter
Poetry meter is defined by the Poetry Foundation as “the rhythmical pattern of stressed
and unstressed syllables in verse”. Meter adds color to the poem, and has rhythm indicated
through the accented and unaccented syllables.
It pays to have a clear concept of meter in poetry because it allows the reader to discover
what goes on in the mind of a poet, and how words, phrases, and lines are grouped together to
illustrate the poet’s idea. If you have a full understanding of what poetry meter is all about,
composing a poem will not be as hard as you think. Whether you are waiting a conventional
form or free verse, it is still better to learn how both forms are written.
Please remember the following symbols:
/- stressed syllable _ unstressed syllable

Page | 17
Example: 1 foot
happy
it is a basic repeated sequence of meter composed of stressed/ accented
E. Types of Foot: or unstressed/ unaccented syllable/s.
1. Trochaic Foot or Trochee
This is a type of foot which is a succession of accented/stresses and unaccented/
unstressed syllables, or an unaccented syllable following an accented syllable.
Try to read the following words:
HAPpy, SORrow, PEOple, THUNder

Here is an example from William Blake’s “The Tyger”:

Tyger, Tyger, burning bright

In the forests of the night


For you to feel the beat, try to clap you your hand in each syllable. Clap your hands
stronger to produce a loud sound in every “stressed syllable” and clap your hands
silently in every “unstressed syllable.” Use this strategy, every after identifying the
stressed and unstressed syllable of each line of the poem.

2. Anapestic Foot or Anapest


It consists of two unaccented or unstressed syllables followed by one accented or
stressed syllable. This metrical foot produces a strong kind of rhyme brought forth by the
succession of two short syllables and a long syllable which is often found in classical
verses.

This is illustrated through Lord Byron’s “The Destruction of Sennacherib”:

Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green,


That host with their banners at sunset were seen:
Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,…
3. Dactylic Foot or Dactyl
It consists of a stressed or an accented syllable which is followed by two unstressed
or unaccented syllables. In classical verse forms, it is a succession of one long syllable and
two short syllables.
An example is Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “The Charge of the Light Brigade”:

Half a league, half a league,


Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred

Practice!
Try to identify the stressed/ accented and unaccented part of each word in each line by
following the example provided. Mark this symbol “ ” for accented and “ ” for unaccented.

4. Iamb or Iambic Foot


It is a type of foot consisting of a short syllable which is followed by a long syllable,
or an unstressed syllable which is followed by a stressed syllable.

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The poem “After Apple Picking” by Robert Frost has an iambic foot:

My long two-pointed ladder’s sticking through a tree


Toward heaven still,
And there’s a barrel that I didn’t fill
Beside it, and there may be two or three
Apples I didn’t pick upon some bough.
But I am done with apple-picking now.
Essence of winter sleep is on the night,
The scent of apples: I am drowsing off.

SUMMARY:
Trochaic: accented/ unaccented
Anapestic: unaccented/
unaccented/ accented
Dactylic: accented/ unaccented/
unaccented
Iambic: unaccented/ accented

F. Meter in Poetry/ Number of Feet:


After familiarizing yourself with the types of foot, it is also necessary to know the
number of feet illustrated in every line of the poem.
1. Monometer is a verse line having a single metrical foot.
Example is Robert Herrick’s “Upon His Departure Hence”:

Thus I 1 Foot

Pass by,
FORMULA:
And die:
stressed syllable + unstressed syllable= 1 foot
As One,
Unknown,
And gone:
I’m made
A shade,
And laid
I’th grave,
There have
My Cave.
Where tell
I dwell,
Farewell.
2. Dimeter consists of a line showing double metrical feet.
Example: Thomas Hardy’s “The Robin”:
double or two feet
When winter frost
Makes earth as steel
I search and search
But find no meal,
And most unhappy
Then I feel.

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But when it lasts,
And snows still fall,
I get to feel
No grief at all,
For I turn to a cold stiff
Feathery ball!
3. Trimeter is a line having three metrical feet.
Example: Robert Bridges’ “The Idle Life I Lead”:
three feet
The idle life I lead
Is like a pleasant sleep,
Wherein I rest and heed
The dreams that by me sweep.
4. Tetrameter refers to a line showing four metrical feet.
Example: William Blake’s “Milton”
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountain green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen?
5. Pentameter shows a line with five metrical feet.
Example: This passage from William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night:
If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! it had a dying fall:
O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound
6. Hexameter, also called Alexandrine, has six metrical feet in a line.
Example: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Evangeline”:
Now had the season returned, when the nights grow colder and longer,
And the retreating sun the sign of the Scorpion enters.
Birds of passage sailed through the leaden air, from the ice-bound,
Desolate northern bays to the shores of tropical islands.
7. Heptameter is a line consisting of seven metrical feet.
Example: Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee”:
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
SUMMARY:
Monometer: 1 Foot
Dimeter: 2 Feet
Trimeter: 3 Feet
Tetrameter: 4 Feet
Pentameter: 5 Feet
Hexameter: 6 Feet
G. Rhyme Schemes Heptameter: 7 Feet
Poets who composed traditional poetry viewed rhyme as an essential element of verses.
Rhymes show musicality in a verse which offers a melodic pattern. Rhymes are also used to
give more substance to the lines of a verse. When words rhyme, the readers pay close attention
and try to make meaning out of the lines. It is also for strengthening the shape of the verse.
Rhyme scheme is achieved by placing rhyming words at the end of the line. It gives the
reader a pattern of end lines that rhyme. It can be identified by giving end words that rhyme
with each other the same letter starting from letter “A”.

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Below is an example from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18:
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? A
Thou art more lovely and more temperate: B
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, A quatrain
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date; B
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, C
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; D This
quatrain sonnet
And every fair from fair sometime declines, C
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd; D has three
But thy eternal summer shall not fade, E quatrains
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; F and 1
quatrain couplet
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade, E
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: F
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, G couplet
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. G
In the particular sonnet, Shakespeare used the A-B-A-B rhyme scheme where the first line is A,
second line is B, third line is A, and fourth line is B.
Rhyme Scheme: A-B-A-B, C-D-C-D, E-F-E-F, GG

TYPES OF POETRY
DEEPEN!
People write poetry for a number of reasons. One of which is the liberating effect of poetry.
Poetry allows the poet to express himself in ways that would otherwise be impossible. It gives the
poet a unique and distinct voice. It allows the poet to be himself or herself with no restrictions and no
limitations.
The poet has all the power in choosing the type of poetry be it lyrical poem, an ode, an elegy, a
sonnet, etc. This is true for seasoned poets as well as beginning writers. And since the poet has the
power over the final outcome of the poem, it is imperative that he/she be familiar with the structure
of the poem. But with knowing the structure, meter, rhyme scheme of the poem comes the
understanding of the traditional forms of poetry in which a set of rules in writing have to be observed.
This lesson will to familiarize the student/poet with the rules and regulations surrounding the
different types of poetry, as well as to present some examples of each.
TYPES OF POETRY
A. Narrative Poetry
In prose writing, a narrative type of writing presents a story. It is the same in poetry
writing in which the narrator in the poem tells a story. It has a plot which is similar to the plot
development of prose fiction. Its plot line consists of the exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, and denouement. Common subjects of narrative poetry are heroic deeds, love,
and parent-child relationships.
Example: An excerpt from “Faerie Queen” by Edmund Spenser
A Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine, ___
Y cladd in mightie armes and silver shielde, ___
Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine, ___
The cruell markes of many a bloudy fielde; ___
Yet armes till that time did he never wield: ___
His angry steede did chide his foming bitt, ___
As much disdaining to the curbe to yield: ___
Full jolly knight he seemd, and faire did sitt, ___
As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fit. ___

Practice!
To familiarize yourself on how to determine the rhyme scheme, try to identify the rhyming
scheme or pattern of the given examples of each type of poetry.

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Subtypes of Narrative Poetry:
1. Ballad
This is a type of narrative poetry that narrates a story. It is intended to be sung, and
was handed down by word of mouth before the sixteenth century. Each stanza of the ballad
has four lines, which is a series of tetrameter (4 metrical feet) and a trimeter (3 metrical
feet).
Example: An excerpt from “A Ballad of Boding” by Christiana Rossetti
I looked out of my window in the sweet new morning, _____
And there I saw three barges of manifold adorning _____ RHYME
Went sailing toward the East: _____ SCHEME?
The first had sails like fire, _____ ________________
The next like glittering wire, _____
But sackcloth were the sails of the least; _____
And all the crews made music, and two has spread a feast. _____
2. Epic
This is a lengthy kind of narrative poem which centers on a historical or legendary
hero’s victorious feat. There are also supernatural creatures that the hero encounters during
the quest. Epics are expressed through a language of elevated style.
Example: And excerpt from Iliad by Homer
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless
ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and
many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs
and vultures, for so was the will of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the
son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another. And
which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was the son of Zeus and Leto;
for he was angry with the king
and sent a pestilence upon the host to plague the people, because the son of
Atreus had dishonored Chryses his priest.
B. Lyric Poetry
This kind of poem expresses the strong emotions and thoughts of the persona in the
poem. A lyric poem may be in the form of an ode or a sonnet. It does not retell events, but it
is presented as if the persona of the poem speaks directly to the readers. He or she interprets
his or her personal emotions, views, and mind frame.
Example: An excerpt from “Sonnet 18” by William Shakespeare
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? _____ RHYME SCHEME?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate: _____ _____________________
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, _____
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. _____
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, _____
And often in his gold complexion dimmed; _____
And every fair from fair sometime declines, _____
By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed. _____
Subtypes of Lyric Poetry:
1. Ode
This is a lyric poem of medium or long length, focused on a significant subject. Its
language has an elevated style, and it had an intricate pattern of stanza.
Example: An excerpt from “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
And, happy melodies, unwearied,
For ever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
For ever warm and still to be enjoy’d,
For ever panting, and for ever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d,
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.

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It has five metrical feet which is unaccented/ unstressed and accented/ stressed.
2. Sonnet
This is a type of lyric poem that has fourteen lines, and is expressed in iambic
pentameter in English. It was first created in Italy and spread across England during the
Renaissance period. It used to be a poem centering on love, and the lover’s pain, misery,
and desire. However, the sonnet was used for different purposes during the seventeenth
century and in the years that followed. It was used to illustrate experiences relevant to
religion, war, and art.
The sonnet has two forms:
a. The Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, which is after the name of an Italian Renaissance
poet Petrarch, has eight lines (octave) and six lines (sestet). The first part of Petrarchan
sonnet presents the argument, while the second part shows the conclusion.
b. The Elizabethan or Shakespearean sonnets are composed of three quatrains and a
couplet used as a conclusion.
Examples: Meter and foot?
Dante Aleghieri’s Petrarchan sonnet: Iambic Pentameter
1 2 3 4 5
Ye la dies, wal king past me pi teous-eyed, _____
Who is the lady that lies prostrate here? _____
Can this be even she my heart holds dear? _____
Nay, if it be so, speak, and nothing hide. _____ RHYME SCHEME?
Octave _____________________
Her very aspect seems itself beside, _____
And all her features of such altered cheer _____
That to my thinking they do not appear _____
Hers who makes others seem beatified. _____
‘If thou forget to know our lady thus, _____
Whom grief o'ercomes, we wonder in no wise, _____
Sestet For also the same thing befalleth us, _____
Yet if thou watch the movement of her eyes, _____
Of her thou shalt be straightaway conscious. _____
O weep no more; thou art all wan with sighs. _____
An example of Shakespearean sonnet:
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
RHYME SCHEME?
quatrain Admit impediments. Love is not love
_____________________
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
quatrain That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
quatrain Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
couplet If this be error and upon me prov'd,
I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.
3. Elegy
This is a form of lyric poetry which focuses on mourning for the dead. It starts by
remembering the departed, followed by the lamentation which presents the reason of death,
and concluded by a resolution that there is life after death. It uses a rhetorical device known
as apostrophe.
Example:
An excerpt from “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray
Nor you, ye Proud, impute to these the fault
If Memory o’er their tomb no trophies raise,
Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault
The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.

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TRANSFER!
C. Descriptive Poetry
This is a type of poetry which describes the environment that the persona is in. It makes
use of intricate descriptions which are illustrated through descriptive words, imagery, and
symbolism.
Example:
An excerpt from the “Perfect Woman” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
She was a phantom of delight
When first she gleam’d upon my sight;
A lovely apparition, sent
To be a moment’s ornament;
Her eyes as stars of twilight fair;
Like twilight’s, too, her dusky hair;
But all things else about her drawn;
A dancing shape, an image gay,
To haunt, to startle, and waylay.
4. Other types of Poetry:
a. Haiku
This type of poem originated in Japan. It has three unrhymed lines (tercet) and
the lines have a pattern of 5-7-5 syllables. Among the three primary types of poetry,
Haiku possesses the qualities of a lyric poem.
Examples:
An old silent pond… Toward those short trees
A frog jumps into the pond, We saw a hawk descending
splash! silence again. On a day in spring.
-By Basho -By Shiki

b. Limerick
This is a kind of well-structured narrative poem, comprised of a cinquain (five
lines) and has a rhythmic pattern of A-A-B-B-A. It has an anapestic kind of beat, and
has a humorous tone.
Example:
There was once a young lady named Bright A
Whose speed was much faster than light A
She set out one day B
In a relative way B
And returned on the previous night A
-Anonymous
REFLECTION: Reflect on the provided quotation below:

“He who draws noble delights from sentiments of poetry is a true poet, though he
has never written a line in all his life.” — George Sand, from The Devil's Pool.

ACTIVITY 5:
Instruction: Study the poem “Love’s Secret” by William Blake. Examine the poem by looking
into the elements. Fill out the chart that follows to guide you in analyzing the given poem.

NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 5 on page 41.

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PERFORMANCE TASK 1:
Goal To compose a poem with of five stanzas.
Role Poet
Audience Avid poem readers
Situation As a poet, you are familiar with the different types of poetry and each poem’s
characteristics. It is time to create your lines and experiment with your poem’s
structure. Think of a topic in which you are very much interested. Then, choose
a type of poetry that is suited to your preferred topic. Indicate your chosen type
of poetry, and cap your verse with an appropriate yet catchy title.
NOTE:
Provide a structure analysis of your poem by filling out the table provided in
your work sheet.
Product Poem
NOTE: Please use worksheet no. 5.2 on page 42.

MODULE 6: ELEMENTS OF FICTION


Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, I am able to:
a. appraise the use of sensory images story-making specifically imagining an appropriate setting;
b. apply the lessons in the writing prompts to create a plausible character f story;
c. reflect on the true meaning of “character” in real life;
d. provide solutions to conflicts being encountered in everyday life;
e. visualize the settings in the given examples;
f. practice constructing sentences using sensory images; and
g. structure my own plot to develop my short story.

Two of the most common forms of fiction are the short story and the novel. As described in the
previous unit, the short story is a condensed narrative usually set in one particular time and place. It
focuses on the character, and his or her interests or feelings under a certain situation. The novel is
longer due to its complex plot which is presented through multiple chapters. A novel includes a main
plot and subplots. A novel has more characters than a short story. Hence, you will be learning the
elements of both forms of fiction.

EXPLORE!
IMAGINING AN APPROPRIATE SETTING
Can you imagine a story without a setting? Would you be able to understand the characters or
events of the story? Study a painting by a famous Filipino artist Fernando Amorsolo. Figure out when
and where the scene took place. Can you tell the people’s way of living, even their economic status,
through the setting?
The setting of the story refers to where the events take place. Does the story happen in a certain
city, in another country, in the wilderness, under the sea? Does the hero go on adventures in faraway
lands or in another dimension? The setting also refers to the time period in which the events took
place. If the story happened in the sixteenth century, the setting must show houses and infrastructures
that existed during Spanish times. If the story is science fiction, the setting might be in the future or
on a different planet. Remember that the setting has a great effect on the characters in terms of their
behavior, attitude, lifestyle, and values.
An eighteenth-century character does not think or behave in the same way as a character from
modern times. Thus, setting is a fiction element which must be clearly established by the writer.
SETTING
This is an element of fiction that tells when and where the events occurred. In some
stories, the setting presents “local color” which is indicative of the scenery, language,
practices, and beliefs of people in a certain place. It is a device used to help readers in creating
a mental picture of the setting. Sometimes the setting also affects the behavior of the characters
as well as the turn of events.

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Example of fiction set in local color:
 The Wedding Dance by Amador Daguio
 How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife by Manuel Arguilla
Rudyard Kipling’s book, The Man Who Would be King, shows how a detailed description is
vital in setting the scene. Details or information regarding the things that we might perceive with our
senses is an essential element in creative writing. These details will give the reader a lively scene. It
is important for the reader to be able to create a mental picture of where and when the events occur.
In order to achieve this, we must use sensory impressions which appeal to our five senses such as
sight, taste, smell, hearing, and touch. Using details with sensory impressions will create a setting that
is more realistic to the readers.
Study the following examples and try to visualize the setting using the given descriptions:
Example 1:
It was a pitchy-black night, as stifling as a June night can be, and the loo, the red-hot wind
from the westward, was booming among the tinder-dry trees and pretending that the rain was on its
heels. Now and again a spot of almost boiling water would fall on the dust with the flop of a frog, but
all our weary world knew that was only pretence. It was a shade cooler in the press-room than the
office, so I sat there, while the type ticked and clicked, and the night-jars hooted at the windows, and
the all but naked competitors wiped the sweat from their foreheads and called for water. The thing
that was keeping us back, whatever it was, would not come off, though the loo dropped and the last
type of was set, and the whole round earth stood still in the choking heat, with its finger on its lip, to
wait the event. I drowsed, and wondered whether the telegraph was a blessing, and whether this dying
man, or struggling people, might be aware of the inconvenience the delay was causing. There was no
special reason beyond the health and worry to make tension, but, as the clock-hands crept up to and
three times to see that all was in order, before I said the sord that would send them off, I could have
shrieked aloud.
-Rudyard Kipling, The Man Who Would be King
Questions:
 Based on this example, were you able to visualize the scene?
 How did the writer convey the setting?
 Do the lines or details appeal to your senses?
 Which of the five senses were used to create the setting?
Study the second example and find lines that appeal to your senses.
Example 2:
The streets within the walls of the city are scenes of life and bustle, while in the suburbs stand
the residences of those who can afford to live in peace and quiet, undisturbed by the clamour of the
Les and Changs [i.e., the people, Le and Chang are the two commonest names in China.] of the town.
There, in a situation which the Son of Heaven might envy, stands the official residence of Colonel
Wen. Outwardly it has all the appearance of a grandee’s palace, and within the massive boundary-
walls which surround it, the courtyards, halls, grounds, summer-houses, and pavilions are not to be
exceeded in grandeur and beauty. The office which had fallen to the lot of Colonel Wen was one of
the most sought after in the province, and commonly only fell to officers distinction. Though not
without fame in the field, Colonel Wen’s main claim to honour lay in the high degrees he had taken
in the examinations. His literary acquirements gained him friends among the civil officers of the
district, and the position he occupied was altogether one of exceptional dignity.
-R.K Douglas, A Chinese Girl Graduate
Questions:
 Where and when do you think the events took place?
 What kind of atmosphere is being illustrated through the description?
 Do these lines help you visualize the setting?
 Are the lines reflective of the five senses?
One’s goal is to allow the reader to feel like the events are really happening. As a beginning
writer, it might be difficult at first to establish the setting. One way to do this is to make an outline by
listing down your five senses and making a sample description for each sense. Using as the first
example below is a sample outline of the senses.

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Take note that the example for sense of taste is taken from a different text.
1. Sight:
The yellow paint was peeling off the walls in strips and bubbles, exposing the greyish wall
beneath. Write your own sentence here.

2. Smell/ olfactory:
I felt another faint stir of air, this time from the second door, and there was the strong smell
of mice.
Write your own sentence here.
3. Hearing:
The battered, deep brown wood floors creaked as I stepped farther in.
Write your own sentence here.

4. Touch:
I stepped into the room and coughed at the musty, mildew smell that felt like it was already
clogging my throat.
Write your own sentence here.
5. Taste/ gustatory:
I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox…Forgive me they were delicious so sweet
and so cold. (William Carlos Williams, “This is Just to Say”)
Write your own sentence here.

ACTIVITY 6.1:
Instruction: After studying the given examples and making an outline, it is time to create your
story’s specific setting. You may choose a place you have visited or a place you plan to visit.
Using the guidelines below, describe your preferred setting with emphasis on the five senses:
1. Free association: Write down all the things or images that are relevant to your setting.
List down as many as you can.
2. Classify each detail or image according to the five senses. Add details that you think will
make your setting more effective.
3. Think of the mood you intend to present through your setting. Is there a feeling of
satisfaction, melancholy, happiness, or solitude: Determine details which will highlight
the mood or those that will modify the mood.
4. Drafting: Using the outline, put the details together and write a paragraph to describe
the setting.
NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 6.1 on page 44.__________

FIRM-UP!
CREATING A PLAUSIBLE CHARACTER
Writers aim to present interesting characters. Many readers believe that a story is only worth
reading if the characters in it are interesting and “alive”. What makes a character interesting? An
interesting character can be the main character or a secondary character (the protagonist’s best friend,
an elder, a love interest, etc.). What is certain is that an interesting character must have specific goals
and must be dynamic. Being dynamic means he or she develops as a character as the story progresses.
Such kind of character has depth that many readers tend to like and consider “fleshed out”. Most of
the time, the writer makes sure the that the most interesting characters in the story are the protagonist
and the antagonist. Some writers try to create characters that possess unique attributes or traits. The
plot depends on how the character’s act or make decisions in relation to the conflict, and the
character’s actions if decisions are influenced by his or her background, personality, and character
traits.
CHARACTERS
These are the people in the story. It can be classified as flat or round. A round character
changes over the course of the story. For example, a selfish character might become kind and

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generous, or a timid character might become brave. A flat character, on the other hand, has
same traits ate the end of the story as at the start.

Anna (Anna Karenina) Jeremy Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Ebenezer Scrooge
Odysseus (Odyssey) Examples of round character: (A Christmas Carol)

Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet) Jane (Pride and Prejudice)

Emily
Grendel (Beowulf) Examples of flat character: (A Rose for Emily)

The main character in a story is the protagonist. This is a character around whom the plot
revolves, and may also be the main point of view character in the story. The antagonist is the character
who causes problems or conflict for the protagonist. In some stories, this character could be called the
villain. Other characters may be supporting characters or minor characters.
The character is highly significant in the story because it reveals the human condition. It must
be plausible in the sense that the character feels real. Creating a believable character is difficult since
a person is complicated and has a lot of weaknesses and contradictions. Exploring the human mind is
an even more complex task, thus attempting to create a character as real as a true person might be
impossible.
How do you create a plausible character? There are certain points and techniques which a writer
must consider in creating a character that has depth. The writing prompts in the activity section will
guide you in “fleshing out” your character. These prompts will enable you to know your character—
his or her strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, attitude, and feelings.

ACTIVITY 6.2:
INSTRUCTION: Do the writing prompts provided on Worksheet no. 6.2 to create your character.

NOTE:
Use worksheet no. 6.2 on page 45.

CONFLICT
DEEPEN!
We face problems on a daily basis as we profess objectives that are different from the people
we come in contact with. Agreeing on what to eat for dinner or what movie to watch after; where to
go on vacation; who brings out the trash; or what model of phone to buy, are examples of many simple
conflicts we face each day. Choosing who to vote for; between advocating or opposing death penalty;
between renewable energy or combustible fuel; and many other big conflicts are at the center of the
most important issues facing not only our country but the whole world as well. Conflicts are an
essential part of our lives as human beings. The world of creative writing is not far off.
A story without conflict or problem is lifeless. Few would be interested in a story where the
characters show ideal traits, has no worries or anxieties, faces no challenges, and has a perfect life.
Every good story must have a conflict and choosing the right conflict is necessary in order to begin
the story with significant impact on the reader.

CONFLICT
It is an essential element of fiction because it helps bring out the best in the character as well
as reveal the themes. Tension springs from the clash between characters or opposing forces. Presenting
a clear conflict at the beginning will definitely make the readers want to know the succeeding events.

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Study the images below and try to identify the kind of conflict encountered by the
characters to be written on the spaces below each picture:

There are many different types of conflict and a writer may choose to portray one or more of
these.
1. Man against himself
The character is experiencing inner struggle or is in conflict with himself. He or she
must make difficult decisions or is torn between two forces. Oftentimes, the character having
an inner conflict is destroyed by his or her own doing. Characters who surpass this type of
conflict is a very strong character.
2. Man against man
This is a type of conflict which shows two characters pitted against each other. This may
be a fight between the protagonist and the antagonist in the story. The characters involved in the
conflict are extremely opposite in terms of behavior, personality traits, beliefs, and principles.
3. Man against society
The character is against a group of people or society itself. This happens when the
character has done something which has greatly offended the society he or she is part of.
Conflict is also shown when the character cannot adjust to the ways of people around him or her.
4. Man against culture
The character realizes that the customs and traditions he or she must get accustomed to
are unacceptable. He or she fails to observe the culture in a certain place because the character
finds the practices peculiar to his or her own ways.
A typical example of man against culture is teenage pregnancy, same-sex marriage, and
divorce to name a few. These topics are usually against our culture.
5. Man against nature
The character may have to deal with natural disasters such as storms or earthquakes. Or
they may find themselves in a harsh environment such as the middle of the ocean or desert.
This conflict is an external struggle positioning the hero against an animal or a force of
nature, such as earthquake or landslides.
6. Man against supernatural beings
The hero or protagonist must face extraordinary creatures such as gods or monsters
before he can achieve his goal.
There are some readers who expect a happy ending for their characters, while some like an
unconventional ending where the readers are left with questions in mind.
An effective writer is able to show character through conflict. It is these complications that
enable the characters to reveal their “true colors”. We admire someone who can face trials or
challenges. Thus, it is necessary that the type of conflict you choose will reveal character.
Great fiction is achieved based on the quality and quantity of conflict in the story. As a writer,
think of other circumstances or situations that will make the conflict worse.
Here are some suggestions on how you can increase tension in the story:
 Choose the appropriate setting
The events in your story must take place at the right time and at the right place.
This often means putting the character struggles in the most inconvenient place.
 Involve other characters in the conflict
It is common to have two opposing forces in your story, but involving other
characters will certainly raise the stakes. Some of the characters will choose one side or
the other. There is increased tension when other characters take active part in the clash.

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 Increase the complexity of events and trials the character will face
Tension escalates when the events become more complicated for the character,
and when he or she encounters more obstacles. This leaves the reader wanting to know
how the character will respond to the challenges.
 Create a conflict that readers can identify with
Even if your characters are from a different culture or time period or even a
fictional world, there should be something in the conflicts they force that relate to the
lives of the readers. This helps the reader identify with your character and empathize
with their struggles.
ACTIVITY 6.3:
Instruction: Think of yourself as the character. Try to think or some conflicts that this
characters might experience, something that might stand in the way of him or her being happy
or achieving goals. List down the events that will clearly illustrate your preferred conflict.
Complete the graphic organizer which will guide you in creating events based on a specific
conflict.
NOTE: Use worksheet no. 6.3. on page 46.
REFLECTION: Reflect on the provided quotation below:

Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.
-Ronald Reagan

TRANSFER!
PLOT
Character creation and conflict selection may be a challenging work already, but there is
another element of fiction that you might find even more difficult to do—developing a plot. In the
previous lesson, plot is defined as the chronological sequence of events. It sounds simple and easy to
do, but a writer must consider the following questions to produce an effective plot:
1. How does the story begin?
2. What structure will the plot have?
3. How can you make the plot compelling for the reader?
4. What will be the pace of your story?
5. How is the plot connected to your characters?
By answering these questions, we get an idea of how the plot will develop. Since it is a series
of events, each event should follow logically from what has already happened. It is also linked to your
character since he or she makes decisions, that lead to succeeding events. The plot comes from the
character choices, and their life situations.
Plot presents a series of connected events. One event is related to another event; each event
happens one after the other. Before structuring the plot, the writer must decide whether the story is
character-driven or plot-driven. If it is a plot-driven story, the emphasis is on the events and not on
the characters. The character is often “flat” or one that does not develop, because the ideal kind of
character is the kind who would not need significant changes. He or she is not given as much
importance, compared to what happens in the story. Plot-driven stories are full of thrilling events and
high stakes. The result matters more than anything ese in the story. Sci-fi, adventure, and thriller
stories are often plot-driven.
A character-driven story places more emphasis on character development, and how the
character changes as the story progresses. The events of the plot are not as important as the thoughts
and feelings of the characters.
How do you work on plot structure? Through Freytag’s pyramid, a writer will be guided in
structuring a plot. Climax

Rising action Falling Action

Exposition Denouement
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Here are the guidelines:
1. Exposition
The first part of your story must present inciting events which are incidents that change
the life of characters. Inciting incidents also deviate from their conventional flow and are the
beginning point of the story. These incidents cause a disruption in the character’s life.
2. Rising Action
Complicating factors are introduced to the conflict. The complication increases and the
tension becomes very clear to the readers.
3. Climax
This is the turning points of the story. In some stories, the hero and the villain meet face
to face for a fight. In other stories, the protagonist is caught in an unconquerable or difficult
situation. The previous events and choices of characters have led to an unavoidable outcome.
4. Falling Action
After reaching the highest point of the story, the tension will gradually decrease. This
part will provide clues as to the ultimate resolution of the story.
5. Denouement
This is the concluding part of the story, it shows what happens to the protagonist and the other
characters involved in the conflict. It presents whether the goals of the hero were achieved or not. It
gives the resolution of the story; it may be favorable, unfavorable, or ambiguous.
ACTIVITY 6. 4
Instruction: It is time to structure your own plot. First, determine the kind of plot that you plan to
develop. Is the story plot-driven or character-driven? Complete the events map on page 47 to guide
you in developing your plot.

INCORPORATING A PLOT DEVICE

Experienced writers may incorporate a plot in structuring their story. This is a technique used
to deviate from the conventional plot structure, where there is a beginning, a middle, and an ending.
It has varied effects on the reader, and it enables them to predict the outcome. The plot device may be
in the form of a character, a material, or an idea intended to advance the plot.
The writer must avoid coming up with an arbitrary or confusing plot device. The expert writers
use a well-thought out device which is derived naturally form the characters, setting, or events.
The following are plot devices which the writer may use in structuring the plot:
1. En Medias res
It is a technique where the story begins in the middle. Since there is no exposition, the
characters, setting, and conflict are presented through another device known as flashback.
2. Red herring
It is a device used to divert the attention of the readers from the twist in the plot. It is
done to keep the tension in the course of events.
3. Plot twist
It is an unexpected turn of events or revelation about the previous events.
4. Reverse chronology
It is a literary technique where the story is told in reverse—the ending is presented at
the beginning and the succeeding events lead to the exposition part.
The characters in a story have visions either of the past or the future. Some writers use vision
in order to provide an explanation to the plot twist or to clarify the character’s motives.
The following are the most common devices illustrating vision:
1. Foreshadowing gives premonition and clues to the future. It is also referred to as “flash-
forward”.
2. Prolepsis is also a kind of flash-forward, but it shows incidents that will happen in the future.
3. Flashback is a device used to present previous events. These events are reflective of the
character’s memories, and are often used to give clear explanations to current events, origins,
and background.
4. Dream sequence is a technique where, through the character’s dreams, the author can show
events that happened in a different period of time.
There are also plot devices for the ending of the story such as the following:
1. Twist ending gives the reader an unexpected ending which often leaves readers disappointed
or dissatisfied.

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2. Happy ending shows an ending favorable to the hero; the hero ends up with his love interest
or returns home victorious.
3. Poetic justice is also a happy ending with emphasis on the good being rewarded and the bad
being punished.
4. Cliffhanger is a sudden ending or is open-ended and without a resolution. It shows the
characters trapped in a new circumstance. It is often used in thriller stories.
5. Deus ex machine was introduced by the ancient Greeks and was extensively used in their
theatre. The problem is resolved through a “god” or a character not previously involved in the
story. This character suddenly appears and solves the problem, thus creating a preferred
ending.

POINT OF VIEW
It tells through whose eyes we are seeing the story. It also reveals the attitude of the writer toward
the characters.
It has the following situations:
A. First person point of view:
The narrator tells the story using the pronoun “I”. He or she may be a protagonist, a
witness to the events or a minor character.
In this mode, the narrator usually the protagonist or central character in the story.
But even if this character is not the protagonist, he is directly involved in the events of the
story and is telling the tale “first hand”. This first person narration is easy to identify
because the narrator will be telling the story from “I’s” perspective. Readers should watch
for the narrator’s use of first-person pronouns like “I, me, my, our, us, we, myself, and
ourselves”, as these will usually indicate that the passage is narrated from the first- person
perspective. Remember, with this skill, readers are trying to identify the perspective of the
narrator; therefore, one must ignore the dialogue of the characters (indicated by “quotation
marks”) and solely focus on narration, otherwise one is not analyzing the narrator’s point
of view.
Example:
“I could not unlove him now, merely because I found that he had ceased to notice me.”
-Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bruntë
B. Third person point of view: The narrator tells the story using the pronouns “he”, “she”,
or “they”. It may be a limited third person, where the narrator is not involved in the story
or is an outsider. He or she relates the events, but is not one of the characters.
In this mode of narration, the narrator tells the story of another person or group of
people. The narrator may be far removed or not involved in the story, or he may be a
supporting character supplying narration for a hero. Frequent use of “he, she, them, they,
him, her, his, and their” by the narrator may indicate that the passage is narrated from the
third-person perspective. There are three distinct modes of third-person narration:
objective, limited, and omniscient. Which mode the narrator is using is determined by a
single variable- how much the narrator accesses the thoughts, feelings, and internal
workings of the characters and shares them with the reader through narration. Characters,
feelings, and motivations can be inferred and understood through their behavior and
dialogue in each of the three modes of third-person narration; however, readers should be
concerned with finding instances where the narrator explicitly reveals a character’s
thoughts or feelings.
a. Third-Person Objective Narration
In this mode of narration, the narrator tells a third-person’s story (he, she, him,
her), but the narrator only describes character’s behavior and dialogue. The narrator
does not reveal any character’s thought or feelings. Again, readers will be able to
understand character’s thoughts and motivations based on character’s actions and
dialogue, which are narrated; however, the narrator will not explicitly reveal
character’s thoughts and/ or motivations in narration.
b. Third-Person Limited
When a narrator uses third-person limited perspective, the narrator’s
perspective is limited to the internal workings of one character. In other words, the
narrator reveals the thoughts and feelings of one character though explicit narration.
A with objective narration, readers may be able to infer character’s thoughts and

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feelings based on the behaviors and dialogue of those characters, which are narrated,
but the narrator also directly reveals the central character’s internal perspective.
c. Third-person Omniscient
In this mode of narration, the narrator grants readers the most access to
characters’ thoughts and feelings. The narration will reveal more than one
character’s internal workings. The base word “omni” means “all”, and “scient”
means “knowing”, so omniscient roughly translates to “all knowing”.
Example:
When Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of
Mr. Bingley before, expressed to her sister how very much she admired him.
“He is just what a young man ought to be”, said she, “sensible, good humored, lively;
and I never saw such happy manners! —so much ease, with such a perfect good breeding!”
-from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
C. Second-Person Point of View:
In this mode of narration, “you” are the agent, such as in this example: you walked
down the stairs. As it is generally awkward for the story to be narrated from “your”
perspective, this mode of narration is not used very often in narratives and stories. There
are some exceptions, however, second-hand perspective is the primary mode of narration
for choose and similarly styled writings. More frequently, directions and instructions are
usually narrated from second-person perspective. In most cases, directions will be written
in short imperative sentences, where the implied subject is “you”
ACTIVITY 6.5:
Instruction: Read the following passages and determined the narrative perspective. Write
your answers on the blank provided after each passage.
NOTE: Use worksheet no. 6.5 on page 48.

PERFORMANCE TASK 2
Goal To write an original short story using the techniques and literary devices.
Role Author
Audience Avid short story reader
Situation As an author, you are familiar with the different genre, techniques and literary devices of fiction.
It is time for you to create your original short story by using the setting, characters, plot, and etc.
that you created during the previous writing prompts. Remember that your avid readers are
waiting for your output.
Product Short Story NOTE: Use worksheet no. 6.6 on page 50.

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WORKSHEET NO. 1
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 1
Instruction: After knowing the nature of creative writing, its forms and principles, as well as the
steps in creative writing, write a three-paragraph essay on any of the following broad topics:
a. cyber-bullying
b. sibling rivalry
c. face-to-face learning despite the pandemic
d. best learning mode amidst the COVID-19 crisis
e. Pros and cons of modular learning

Traits 10 8 6 4
Focus & Details Details There is one topic. The topic and main
Details There is one clear, well There is one clear, well Main ideas are ideas are not clear.
focused topic. Main focused topic. Main somewhat clear.
ideas are clear and are ideas are clear but are
well supported by not well supported by
detailed and accurate detailed information.
information.
Organization The introduction is The introduction states The introduction There is no clear
inviting, states the main the main topic, and states the main introduction,
topic, and provides an provides an overview of topic. A conclusion is structure or
overview of the paper. the paper. A conclusion included. conclusion.
Information is relevant is included.
and presented in a
logical order. The
conclusion is strong.
Voice The author’s purpose of The author’s purpose of The author’s purpose The author’s purpose
writing is very clear, and writing is somewhat of writing is of writing is unclear.
there is strong evidence clear, and there is some somewhat clear, and
of attention to evidence of attention to there is evidence of
audience. The author’s audience. The author’s attention to
extensive knowledge knowledge and/or audience. The
and/or experience with experience with the author’s knowledge
the topic is/are evident. topic is/are evident. and/or experience
with the topic is/are
limited.
Word Choice The author uses vivid The author uses vivid The author uses The writer uses a
words and phrases. The words and phrases. The words that limited vocabulary.
choice and placement choice and placement communicate clearly, Jargon or clichés may
of words seems of words is inaccurate but the writing lacks be present and
accurate, natural, and at times and/or seems variety. detract from the
not forced. overdone. meaning.
Sentence All sentences are well Most sentences are Most sentences are Sentences sound
Structure, constructed and have well constructed and well constructed, but awkward, are
Grammar, varied structure and have varied structure they have a similar distractingly
Mechanics, & length. The author and length. The author structure and/or repetitive, or are
Spelling makes no errors in makes a few errors in length. The author difficult to
grammar, mechanics, grammar, mechanics, makes several errors understand. The
and/or spelling. and/or spelling, but in grammar, author makes
they do not interfere mechanics, and/or numerous errors in
with understanding. spelling that grammar, mechanics,
interfere with and/or spelling that
understanding. interfere with
understanding.
NOTE:
Please attach this rubric.

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Please cut here.

______________________________________________________

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WORKSHEET NO. 2.1
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 2.1

Instruction: Cut out any interesting words and/or phrases from used magazines, newspapers,
brochures, and etc. that tell or describe how you are feeling right now to be collated in 2 paragraphs
with 7-10 sentences in each paragraph. Use the five sensory images. Paste it on this worksheet.
Don’t forget to consider the following criteria:

CONTENT: 10 POINTS MECHANICS: 10 ORGANIZATION: 5 TOTAL: 25 POINTS

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WORKSHEET NO. 2.2
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 2.2
Instruction: Using your personal sensory experience, write a short paragraph with at least 10-15
sentences describing your breakfast if you were living in the year 2046. Please consider the
following criteria:
CONTENT: 10 POINTS MECHANICS: 10 ORGANIZATION: 5 TOTAL: 25 POINTS

WORKSHEET NO. 2.3


Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 2.3
Instruction: Answer the following questions in paragraph form. Apply sensory images.
3. How would you describe bagoong, balut, or sinigang to a foreigner?

4. How would you describe sunset to a blind man?

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WORKSHEET NO. 3
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 3
Instruction: Construct one sentence in each of the figures of speech discussed. Use the spaces
provided.
NOTE:
Don’t copy the examples provided in your module. Make your own sentence.
Capitalization and punctuation rules must be observed.
1. Alliteration

2. Anaphora

3. Assonance

4. Hyperbole

5. Irony

6. Metaphor

7. Simile

8. Metonymy

9. Onomatopoeia

10. Paradox

11. Personification

12. Pun

13. Synecdoche

14. Understatement

15. Antithesis

16. Euphemism

17. Oxymoron

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WORKSHEET NO. 4.1
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 4.1

Instruction: Write a compliment to yourself by using diction to fill in the different parts of speech
including nouns, adjectives, etc.

Face it, ___________________________, you are about the greatest person since
(your name)

_______________________. Your best friend says, you are the__________________________-est


(favorite event/time) (adjective)

person in the world. Sure, you once___________________________________, but you also


(embarrassing thing you did)

__________________________________. So ____________________, today is the day you’re going


(honorable thing you did) (favorite endearment)

to stop beating up on yourself for being ________________________________ and start loving


(negative adjective)

yourself for being __________________________, _________________________, and


(positive adjective) (positive adjective)

________________________. And if ________________________ aren’t right, just _____________


(positive adjective) (noun) (verb)

your hands and _____________ to ____________. _______________ remember that nothing is


(verb) (noun) (adverb)

___________________.
(adjective)

Let your ______________________ and __________________ experiences _____________


(adjective) (adjective) (verb)

who you really are! Let the flame of being ________________ be sustained in you forever!
(adjective)

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WORKSHEET 4.2
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 4.2

Instruction: In the provided situations, construct at least two exchange of conversations of the
characters mentioned using proper diction. Take note to use at least one figure of speech in each
situation.
Example:
Situation A: A man is introducing himself to a kid he met for the first time.
Man: Hello, young man. It is a true pleasure to make your acquaintance. How are you
feeling today? Simile
Young man: Hello sir. It is nice meeting you as well. I feel like I’m in paradise, thank
you.
Situation 1: A student asking his teacher for a consideration for not submitting his activity on time.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Situation 2: A Grade 12 student asking how his friends have been doing for the past 3 months of
pandemic.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Situation 3: Parents are asking their child on what course he wants to pursue in college.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Situation 4: Group of friends planning for an itinerary after the lockdown
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Situation 5: Member of the LGBTQ family, specifically gays are talking about their unforgettable
experiences.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

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WORKSHEET NO. 5.1
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 5.1
Instruction: Study the poem “Love’s Secret” by William Blake. Examine the poem by looking into
the elements. Fill out the chart that follows to guide you in analyzing the given poem.
Love’s Secret

By William Blake

Never seek to tell thy love,

Love that never told can be;

For the gentled wind doth move

Silently, invisibly.

I told my love,

I told my love,

I told her all my heart,

Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears.

Ah! She did depart!

Soon after she was gone from me,

A traveler came by,

Silently, invisibly:

He took her with a sigh.

POEM TITLE:
1. Stanza
2. Form
3. Rhyme Scheme

4. Foot

5. Meter

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CREATIVE WRITING 12
Content Standard:
The learners have an understanding of poetry as a genre and how to analyze its elements
and techniques.
Performance Standard:
The learners shall be able to produce a short, well-crafted poem.

PERFORMANCE TASK 1:
Goal To compose a poem with of five stanzas.
Role Poet
Audienc Avid poem readers
e
Situatio As a poet, you are familiar with the different types of poetry and each poem’s
n characteristics. It is time to create your lines and experiment with your poem’s structure.
Think of a topic in which you are very much interested. Then, choose a type of poetry
that is suited to your preferred topic. Indicate your chosen type of poetry, and cap your
verse with an appropriate yet catchy title.

NOTE:
Provide a structure analysis of your poem by filling out the table provided in your work
sheet.

Product Poem
Standar CATEGORY Excellent - 10 Good - 8 Satisfactory - 6 Needs Improvement -
d 4

TITLE The poem has a title that The poem has a title The poem has a title The poem has no title
clearly relates to the poem that relates to the poem
and adds interest to the
theme or message of the
poem

NEATNESS The final draft of the The final draft of the The final draft of the The final draft is not
poem is readable, clean, poem is readable, neat poem is readable and neat or attractive. It
neat and attractive. It is and attractive. It may some of the pages are looks like the student
free of erasures and have one or two attractive. It looks just wanted to get it
crossed-out words. It erasures, but they are like parts of it might done and didn’t care
looks like the author took not distracting. It looks have been done in a what it looked like.
great pride in it. like the author took hurry.
some pride in it.

STYLE The poem is written with The poem is written The poem is written The poem lacks style
a great sense of style. The with a defined with somewhat with style. and the thoughts did
poem has been well style. Thoughts are Thoughts are clear to not come out clearly on
thought out and makes clear to read and a degree. paper.
sense to the reader. understandable.

VOCABULARY The poem is filled with The poem includes The poem includes The poem lacks
descriptive vocabulary many descriptive some descriptive description and does
that appeals to the reader. elements and is words and phrases. not allow the reader to
appealing. visualize the poem.
hbcsd.org

Please use the worksheet below.


Good Luck!

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WORKSHEET NO. 5.2
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Performance Task: 1
POEM TITLE:
1. Stanza
2. Form
3. Rhyme Scheme
4. Foot
5. Meter

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WORKSHEET NO. 6.1
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 6.1
Instruction: After studying the given examples and making an outline, it is time to create your story’s
specific setting. You may choose a place you have visited or a place you plan to visit. Using the
guidelines below, describe your preferred setting with emphasis on the five senses:
1. Free association: Write down all the things or images that are relevant to your setting. List
down as many as you can.
2. Classify each detail or image according to the five senses. Add details that you think will
make your setting more effective.
3. Think of the mood you intend to present through your setting. Is there a feeling of
satisfaction, melancholy, happiness, or solitude: Determine details which will highlight the
mood or those that will modify the mood.
4. Drafting: Using the outline, put the details together and write a paragraph to describe the
setting.
.
SETTING

SIGHT

SMELL

HEARING

TOUCH

SMELL

Write your paragraph here:

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WORKSHEET NO. 6.2
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 6.2
Part I. A. Family Background
1. What is the character’s ancestral lineage or descent?
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What kind of culture was he or she brought up in?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. How does his/her culture influence his/ her attitude?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Is your character against the practices and beliefs of his/ her family?
________________________________________________________________________________
B. Goals and Motivations
1. What drives your character—love, wealth, fame, fidelity, or fairness?
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What does your character yearn for? What is the innermost desire of your character?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Are there any obstacles or trials that prevent your character from achieving his or her
goals?
________________________________________________________________________________
What or who does your character fear? What event in your character’s life contributed to that fear?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. What are the limitations and negative qualities of your character?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. How is the character affected by his or her limitations and fears?
________________________________________________________________________________
A. Appearance
1. What does your character look like? Describe his or her physical attributes.
________________________________________________________________________________
2. How does the character fell about his or her appearance? Is the character satisfied with
his/ her appearance or not?
________________________________________________________________________________
B. Personality
1. Is your character emotionally stable or not? What are the character’s innermost feelings?
________________________________________________________________________________
2. Is your character expressive of his/ her feelings? Is your character secretive?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. How do other people view your character? Is your character affected by others’
perceptions of him/ her?
________________________________________________________________________________
Part II.
A. Using the above-listed writing prompts, create your character. Focus on the inner and outer
qualities of your character. Use the graphic organizer provided as your guide.
PHYSICAL TRAITS ATTITUDE

FEELINGS PERSONALITY TRAITS


Character

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WORKSHEET NO. 6.3
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 5.1
Instruction: Think of yourself as the character. Try to think or some conflicts that this characters
might experience, something that might stand in the way of him or her being happy or achieving
goals. List down the events that will clearly illustrate your preferred conflict. Complete the graphic
organizer which will guide you in creating events based on a specific conflict.
CONFLICT

EVENT 1 EVENT 2

EVENT 3 EVENT 4

SOLUTION

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WORKSHEET NO. 6.4
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 6.4
Instruction: It is time to structure your own plot. First, determine the kind of plot that you plan to
develop. Is the story plot-driven or character-driven? Complete the events map below to guide you
in developing your plot. 3

2 3

4
1
PLOT
1. Exposition Incidents:

2. Rising Action Incidents:

3. Climax Incidents:

4. Falling Action Incidents:

5. Denouement Incidents:

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WORKSHEET 6.5
Name:_____________________________________ Date Submitted:_____________
Subject: CREATIVE WRITING Leaning Activity: 6.5
Instruction: Read the following passages and determined the narrative perspective. Write your
answers on the blank provided after each passage.

1. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

Leslie sat in front of Paul. She had two long, brown pigtails that reached all the way down her
waist. Paul saw those pigtails, and a terrible urge came over him. He wanted to pull a pigtail. He
wanted to wrap his fist around it, feel the hair between his fingers, and just yank. He thought it would
be fun to tie the pigtails together, or better yet, tie them to her hair. But most of all, he just wanted to
pull one.

Narrative Perspective: ______________________________________________________

2. Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes

And we scrounged. Next to survival, scrounge was probably the most important word in our
new vocabulary. We found a store that was throwing out water-damaged mattresses. Getting them
home was a problem, since we had to make two trips, leaving Brad and Katie, armed with sticks to
guard over the remained. I truly expected them to be challenged by some gang boss, but they said that
the only person who came by was a scrawny little rat of a girl living alone. We let her have one of the
mattresses.

Narrative Perspective: ______________________________________________________

3. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

At dawn, Mae Tuck set out on her horse for the wood at the edge of the village of Treegap. She
was going there, as she did once every ten years, to meet her two sons, Miles and Jesse, and she was
feeling at ease. At noon time, Winnie Foster, whose family owned the Treegap wood, lost her patience
at last and decided to think about running away.

Narrative Perspective: ______________________________________________________

4. Curious George and the Pizza by Margret Ray

At the pizza place, Tony the baker was getting the pizzas ready for baking. He flattened out a
ball of dough into a large pancake and tossed it in the air. He spread tomato sauce on it, sprinkled it
with cheese, and shoved it in the oven. Then the telephone rang. “A fellow from the factory want a
large pizza delivered in a hurry,” Tony’s wife called. “Ok, I’ll get my coat,” said Tony.

Narrative Perspective: ______________________________________________________

5. The Baffled Parent’s Guide to Great Basketball Drills by Jim Garland

Before each practice begins, make sure you check the court and remove any debris from the
playing surface. When your players arrive, check that they have the proper footwear and that they’ve
removed jewelry, which could injure the player or another player. Always carry a list of emergency
phone numbers for your players, and know where the nearest phone is located. You should also have
a first-aid kit, and you might want to take a first-aid course.

Narrative Perspective: ______________________________________________________

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Diocese of Baguio – Schools
SAINT LOUIS SCHOOL OF SABLAN, INC.
Poblacion, Sablan, Benguet
Life Transforming and Christ’s Disciple-Forming Catholic Educational Community

CREATIVE WRITING 12
Content Standard:
The learners have an understanding of fiction as a genre and how to analyze its elements
and techniques.
Performance Standard:
The learners shall be able to produce at least one striking scene for a short story.
PERFORMANCE TASK 2:
Goal To write an original short story using the techniques and literary devices.
Role Author
Audience Avid short story reader
Situation As an author, you are familiar with the different genre, techniques and literary devices of fiction.
It is time for you to create your original short story by using the setting, characters, plot, and etc.
that you created during the previous writing prompts. Remember that your avid readers are
waiting for your output.
Product Short Story
Standard
Category Exceptional-10 Good- 8 Fair-6 Poor- 4
Setting Many vivid, descriptive Some vivid, descriptive The reader can figure out The reader has trouble
words are used to tell when words are used to tell the when and where the figuring out when and
and where the story took audience when and story took place, but the where the story took
place. where the story took author didn't supply much place.
place. detail.
Character The main characters are The main characters are The main characters are It is hard to tell who
named and clearly named and described. named. The reader knows the main characters
described. Most readers Most readers would have very little about the are.
could describe the some idea of what the characters.
characters accurately. characters looked like.
Conflict It is very easy for the It is fairly easy for the It is fairly easy for the It is not clear what
reader to understand the reader to understand the reader to understand the problem the main
problem the main problem the main problem the main characters are facing.
characters are facing and characters are facing and characters are facing but
why it is a problem. why it is a problem. it is not clear why it is a
problem.
Solution The solution to the The solution to the The solution to the No solution is
character's problem is character's problem is character's problem is a attempted
easy to understand, and is easy to understand, and is little hard to understand. or it is impossible to
logical. There is no somewhat logical. understand.
loose ends.
Organization The story is very well- The story is pretty well- The story is a little hard Ideas and scenes seem
organized. One idea or organized. One idea or to follow. The transitions to
scene follows another in a scene may seem out of are sometimes not clear. Be randomly arranged.
logical sequence with clear place. Clear transitions are
transitions. used.
Creativity The story contains many The story contains few The story contains few There is little evidence
creative details and/or creative details and/or creative details and/or of creativity in the
descriptions that contribute descriptions that descriptions that story.
to the reader's enjoyment. contribute to the reader's contribute to the reader's The author does not
The author has really used enjoyment. The author enjoyment. The author seem to have used
his/her imagination. has used has tried to much
his/her imagination. his/her imagination. imagination.
Mechanics The story contains no The story contains few The story contains many The story contains so
errors in grammar, minor errors in grammar, and/or serious errors in many errors in
usage, or mechanics. usage, or mechanics. grammar, usage, or grammar, usage, or
mechanics; may interfere mechanics that block
with reading. reading.

Please use the worksheet below.


Good Luck!

Page | 49
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Diocese of Baguio – Schools
SAINT LOUIS SCHOOL OF SABLAN, INC.
Poblacion, Sablan, Benguet
Life Transforming and Christ’s Disciple-Forming Catholic Educational Community

CREATIVE WRITING 12 MIDTERM EXAMINATION


Name:____________________________________________Date Submitted:__________________
I. ESSAY
Instruction: Answer the following questions in one paragraph with at least 7-10 sentences. Use the
spaces provided.
1. How can you use a short story to stop/ prevent the spread of COVID-19?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. How is creative writing similar to painting?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
II. IDENTIFICATION: Read the following lines taken from different literary selections. Identify
whether it is visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, organic, or kinesthetic presented in the selected lines.
Write your answer on the blank provided before each number.
____________________1. The shadows crisscrossed the rug while my cat stretched languidly in one
of the patches of the sun.
____________________2. “…Which has its sounds, familiar, like the roar. of trees and crack of
branches, common things, but nothing so like beating on a box”. (An Old Man Winter’s Night by
Robert Frost)
____________________3. Tumbling through the ocean water after being overtaken by the monstrous
wave, Mark unintentionally tool a gulp of the briny, bitter mass, causing him to cough and gag.
____________________4. The bed linens might just as well be ice and the clothes snow. (The Witch
of Coos by Robert frost)
____________________5. Gio’s socks, still soaked with sweat from Tuesday’s P.E class, filled the
classroom with an aroma akin to that of salty, week-old, rotting fish.
____________________6. Forgive me for they were delicious so sweet and so cold. (This is Just to
Say by William Carlos Williams)
____________________7. The clay oozed between Jeremy’s fingers as he let out a squeal of pure
glee.
____________________8. He gives his harness bells a shake to ask if there’s a mistake. The only
other sound’s the sweep of easy wind and downy flake. (Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost)
____________________9. A host, golden daffodils; beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and
dancing in the breeze. (I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wadsworth)
____________________10. There were strange, rare odors abroad—a tangle of the sea smell and of
weeds and damp, new-plowed earth, mingled with the heavy perfume of a field of white blossoms
somewhere near. (The Awakening by Kate Chopin)
____________________11. The yellow paint was peeling off the walls in strips and bubbles, exposing
the greyish wall beneath.
____________________12. I felt another faint stir of air, this time from the second door, and there
was a strong smell of mice.
____________________13. The battered, deep brown wood floors creaked as I stepped farther in.

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____________________14. I stepped into the room and coughed at the musty, mildew smell that
felt like it was already clogging my throat.
____________________15. I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox…Forgive me they were
delicious so sweet and so cold. (This is Just to Say by William Carlos Williams)
III. MULTIPLE CHOICE: Most of the following items are quotes from famous people. Identify
what figure of speech is used. Choose the letter of your answer and write it on the blank provided
before each number.

A. Metaphor B. Metonymy C. D. Simile E. F. Paradox


Personification Antithesis

1. “Education is your passport to the future, and tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for
it today.” —Malcolm X, civil rights activist
2. “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
–Martin Luther King Jr.
3. “The computer had become like the most miraculous sort of technological Swiss Army
knife: each time you thought you knew what it could do, it turned out that it could do
more, faster, and more accurately.”—Anna Quindlen, author
4. “Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hose and she laughs with a harvest.”
–Douglas Jerrold, playwright and humorist
5. “Modern English is the Wal-Mart of languages: convenient, huge, hard to avoid,
superficially friendly, and devouring all rivals in its eagerness to expand.”
–Mark Abley, journalist
6. “A good example is the best sermon.”—Ben Franklin, Founding Father, author, inventor
7. English is unrivaled as the most widely-spoken language in the world. It is the sole or
joint language of more nations and territories than any other tongue.
8. “Slang is ‘a language that rolls up its sleeves, spits on its hands, and goes to work.”
–Carl Sandburg, poet
9. “I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
I awoke and saw that life was service.
I acted, and behold, service was joy.”
--Rabindranath Tagore, philosopher, author, Nobel laureate (1861-1941)
10. “Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for it to kill your enemy”-Nelson
Mandela

III. POEM ANALYSIS: Study the poem “Love’s Secret” by William Blake. Examine the poem by looking into
the elements. Fill out the chart that follows to guide you in analyzing the given poem.

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)


-Elizabeth Barrett Browning - 1806-1861

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.


I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

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POEM TITLE:
1. Stanza
2. Form
3. Rhyme Scheme

4. Foot

5. Meter

IV. LITERARY ANALYSIS: Read the attached story “Tajima” by Mary Russell Mitford and complete the
story map.

STORY MAP
Character/s: Type:

Setting: Point of View:

Plot Development
Exposition Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action Denouement

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Tajima
By Miss Mitford
Once upon a time, a certain ronin, Tajima Shume by name, an able and well-read man, being on his travels
to see the world, went up to Kiyoto by the Tokaido. [The road of the Eastern Sea, the famous highroad leading
from Kiyoto to Yedo. The name is also used to indicate the provinces through which it runs.] One day, in the
neighbourhood of Nagoya, in the province of Owari, he fell in with a wandering priest, with whom he entered
into conversation. Finding that they were bound for the same place, they agreed to travel together, beguiling their
weary way by pleasant talk on divers matters; and so by degrees, as they became more intimate, they began to
speak without restraint about their private affairs; and the priest, trusting thoroughly in the honour of his
companion, told him the object of his journey.
“For some time past,” said he, “I have nourished a wish that has engrossed all my thoughts; for I am bent
on setting up a molten image in honour of Buddha; with this object I have wandered through various provinces
collecting alms, and (who knows by what weary toil) we have succeeded in amassing two hundred ounces of
silver enough, I trust, to erect a handsome bronze figure.”
What says the proverb? “He who bears a jewel in his bosom bears poison.” Hardly had the ronin heard
these words of the priest than an evil heart arose within him, and he thought to himself, “Man’s life, from the
womb to the grave, is made up of good and of ill luck. Here am I, nearly forty years old, a wanderer, without a
calling, or even a hope of advancement in the world. To be sure, it seems a shame; yet if I could steal the money
this priest is boasting about, I could live at ease for the rest of my days;” and so he began casting about how best
he might compass his purpose. But the priest, far from guessing the drift of his comrade’s thoughts, journeyed
cheerfully on till they reached the town of Kuana. Here there is an arm of the sea, which is crossed in ferry-boats,
that start as soon as some twenty or thirty passengers are gathered together; and in one of these boats the two
travellers embarked. About half-way across, the priest was taken with a sudden necessity to go to the side of the
boat; and the ronin, following him, tripped him up while no one was looking, and flung him into the sea. When
the boatmen and passengers heard the splash, and saw the priest struggling in the water, they were afraid, and
made every effort to save him; but the wind was fair, and the boat running swiftly under the bellying sails; so they
were soon a few hundred yards off from the drowning man, who sank before the boat could be turned to rescue
him.
When he saw this, the ronin feigned the utmost grief and dismay, and said to his fellow-passengers, “This
priest, whom we have just lost, was my cousin; he was going to Kiyoto, to visit the shrine of his patron; and as I
happened to have business there as well, we settled to travel together. Now, alas! by this misfortune, my cousin
is dead, and I am left alone.”
He spoke so feelingly, and wept so freely, that the passengers believed his story, and pitied and tried to
comfort him. Then the ronin said to the boatmen:
“We ought, by rights, to report this matter to the authorities; but as I am pressed for time, and the business
might bring trouble on yourselves as well, perhaps we had better hush it up for the present; I will at once go on
to Kiyoto and tell my cousin’s patron, besides writing home about it. What think you, gentlemen?” added he,
turning to the other travellers.
They, of course, were only too glad to avoid any hindrance to their onward journey, and all with one voice
agreed to what the ronin had proposed; and so the matter was settled. When, at length, they reached the shore,
they left the boat, and every man went his way; but the ronin, overjoyed in his heart, took the wandering priest’s
luggage, and, putting it with his own, pursued his journey to Kiyoto.
On reaching the capital, the ronin changed his name from Shume to Tokubei, and, giving up his position as
a samurai, turned merchant, and traded with the dead man’s money. Fortune favouring his speculations, he began
to amass great wealth, and lived at his ease, denying himself nothing; and in course of time he married a wife,
who bore him a child.
Thus the days and months wore on, till one fine summer’s night, some three years after the priest’s death,
Tokubei stepped out on the veranda of his house to enjoy the cool air and the beauty of the moonlight. Feeling
dull and lonely, he began musing over all kinds of things, when on a sudden the deed of murder and theft, done
so long ago, vividly recurred to his memory, and he thought to himself, “Here am I, grown rich and fat on the
money I wantonly stole. Since then, all has gone well with me; yet, had I not been poor, I had never turned assassin
nor thief. Woe betide me! what a pity it was!” and as he was revolving the matter in his mind, a feeling of remorse
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came over him, in spite of all he could do. While his conscience thus smote him, he suddenly, to his utter
amazement, beheld the faint outline of a man standing near a fir-tree in the garden; on looking more attentively,
he perceived that the man’s whole body was thin and worn, and the eyes sunken and dim; and in that poor ghost
that was before him he recognised the very priest whom he had thrown into the sea at Kuana. Chilled with horror,
he looked again, and saw that the priest was smiling in scorn. He would have fled into the house, but the ghost
stretched forth its withered arm, and, clutching the back of his neck, scowled at him with a vindictive glare and a
hideous ghastliness of mien so unspeakably awful that any ordinary man would have swooned with fear. But
Tokubei, tradesman though he was, had once been a soldier, and was not easily matched for daring; so he shook
off the ghost, and, leaping into the room for his dirk, laid about him boldly enough; but, strike as he would, the
spirit, fading into the air, eluded his blows, and suddenly reappeared only to vanish again; and from that time
forth Tokubei knew no rest, and was haunted night and day.
At length, undone by such ceaseless vexation, Tokubei fell ill, and kept muttering, “Oh, misery! misery!
the wandering priest is coming to torture me!” Hearing his moans and the disturbance he made, the people in the
house fancied he was mad, and called in a physician, who prescribed for him. But neither pill nor potion could
cure Tokubei, whose strange frenzy soon became the talk of the whole neighbourhood.
Now it chanced that the story reached the ears of a certain wandering priest who lodged in the next street.
When he heard the particulars, this priest gravely shook his head as though he knew all about it, and sent a friend
to Tokubei’s house to say that a wandering priest, dwelling hard by, had heard of his illness, and, were it never
so grievous, would undertake to heal it by means of his prayers; and Tokubei’s wife, driven half wild by her
husband’s sickness, lost not a moment in sending for the priest and taking him into the sick man’s room.
But no sooner did Tokubei see the priest than he yelled out, “Help! help! Here is the wandering priest come
to torment me again. Forgive! forgive!” and hiding his head under the coverlet, he lay quivering all over. Then
the priest turned all present out of the room, put his mouth to the affrighted man’s ear, and whispered:
“Three years ago, at the Kuana ferry, you flung me into the water; and well you remember it.”
But Tokubei was speechless, and could only quake with fear.
“Happily,” continued the priest, “I had learned to swim and to dive as a boy; so I reached the shore, and,
after wandering through many provinces, succeeded in setting up a bronze figure to Buddha, thus fulfilling the
wish of my heart. On my journey homeward, I took a lodging in the next street, and there heard of your marvellous
ailment. Thinking I could divine its cause, I came to see you, and am glad to find I was not mistaken. You have
done a hateful deed; but am I not a priest, and have I not forsaken the things of this world, and would it not ill
become me to bear malice? Repent, therefore, and abandon your evil ways. To see you do so I should esteem the
height of happiness. Be of good cheer, now, and look me in the face, and you will see that I am really a living
man, and no vengeful goblin come to torment you.”
Seeing he had no ghost to deal with, and overwhelmed by the priest’s kindness, Tokubei burst into tears,
and answered, “Indeed, indeed, I don’t know what to say. In a fit of madness I was tempted to kill and rob you.
Fortune befriended me ever after; but the richer I grew, the more keenly I felt how wicked I had been, and the
more I foresaw that my victim’s vengeance would some day overtake me. Haunted by this thought, I lost my
nerve, till one night I beheld your spirit, and from that time fell ill. But how you managed to escape, and are still
alive, is more than I can understand.”
“A guilty man,” said the priest, with a smile, “shudders at the rustling of the wind or the chattering of a
stork’s beak; a murderer’s conscience preys upon his mind till he sees what is not. Poverty drives a man to crimes
which he repents of in his wealth. How true is the doctrine of Moshi [Mencius], that the heart of man, pure by
nature, is corrupted by circumstances!”
Thus he held forth; and Tokubei, who had long since repented of his crime, implored forgiveness, and gave
him a large sum of money, saying, “Half of this is the amount I stole from you three years since; the other half I
entreat you to accept as interest, or as a gift.”
The priest at first refused the money; but Tokubei insisted on his accepting it, and did all he could to detain
him, but in vain; for the priest went on his way, and bestowed the money on the poor and needy. As for Tokubei
himself, he soon shook off his disorder, and thenceforward lived at peace with all men, revered both at home and
abroad, and ever intent on good and charitable deeds.

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Espique, F. P. (2020). Writing effective teaching module [Video]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izKAVWKZu6k

Pritchard, O. (2017, June 23). Reading in English: A guide for learners [Image]. The Bogotá Post.

https://thebogotapost.com/reading-in-english-a-guide-for-learners/22100/

Essays Council. (2018, April 28). What is Creative Writing? [Image]. https://essayscouncil.net/creative-writing/

Gray-Grant, D. (2019, July 2). 20 ways to unleash creative writing energy [Image].

https://www.prdaily.com/20-ways-to-unleash-creative-writing-energy/

Tallayo, M.B. (2016). Creative Writing. Bulacan: St. Andrew Publishing House.

Ancheta, L. (2017). Creative Writing. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.

DIWA Learning Systems, Inc. (2017). Creative Writing. Makati City, Philippines: Author.

Literary Devices (n.d). Imagery examples and definitions. Retrieved July 13, 2020 from https://

www.literarydevices.com

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