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WORKSHEET NO. 4, QUARTER 3

I. LEARNIING SKILLS

MELC: Analyze factual/nonfictional elements (Plot, Characters, Characterization, Point of View,

Angle, Setting and Atmosphere, Symbols and Symbolisms, Irony, Figures of speech,
Dialogue, Scene, Other Elements and Devices) in the texts.

Specific Objectives: 1. Analyze and interpret factual/nonfictional aspects in the texts.

2. Evaluate the relationship of creative and nonfictional elements of the texts.

II. INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT

One Story, Two Perspectives

(Tilar Mazzeo, Writing Creative Nonfiction)

Here is an example of how two versions of a single nonfiction story can be simultaneously true to the facts
and yet completely different.
“The room was silent. As she walked to the oak podium, the carpet muffled the sound of her footsteps.
Beyond the windows, there was only blue, and she remembered her own days as an undergraduate, days when
she sat, pen in hand, far at the back of a room, filled with excitement.
Now, she cleared her mind of the other things occupying her mind, things she couldn’t tell anyone in this
room about, things that shaped her own unwritten story. The problem that obsessed her receded to the end of a
long and distant tunnel, and what she needed to do now was the only thing that came into focus. “Welcome to
Writing Creative Nonfiction,” she said. “I’m Tilar Mazzeo, and together we’ll be exploring what it means to write a
great story.””
Here is that same scene again, only this time, we consider the experience with a tone of tension and
worry, as Professor Mazzeo lets us know what problem so obsesses her.
The studio was oddly silent. She could see only the legs of the cameramen, hunched over the cameras,
with their empty glass camera eyes staring back at her like space aliens. As she walked across the stage to the oak
podium, the carpet muffled the sound of her footsteps, and the spotlight blinded her for a moment. Beyond the
false windows, there was only a blue panel, meant to suggest the sky, and she remembered her own days as an
undergraduate. Her shoes hurt, and she wished she had chosen another pair this morning. But of course, she
couldn’t say that. She put that to the back of her mind. “Welcome to Writing Creative Nonfiction,” she said. “I’m
Tilar Mazzeo, and together we’ll be exploring what it means to write a great story.””
By shifting what facts you know, you see the character in a different context, and by changing that
context, the way the story develops in the reader’s mind changes. Notice, however, that in both cases, every piece
of information was a fact.
Fiction, by definition, is a written work that is based on the writer’s imagination. Fiction does not have to
be true. Nonfiction, therefore, is the opposite. It is writing that is true to facts and history.
 On any given day, you might encounter many types of nonfiction: You might read the news in the
morning; read a popular autobiography on your lunch break; and review e-mails, memos, and meeting minutes
throughout your day at work.
These are very different kinds of writing, but all of them are what we used to call, in a general way, good
journalism—a “who, what, why, where, when, and how,” fact-based approach to writing.
Traditionally, university creative writing departments have been the place to learn fiction and poetry
writing. Today, many schools are offering programs in creative nonfiction as well. It is the fastest growing part of
the creative writing world—and the fastest growing part of the market for books too.
Creative nonfiction gets a bit tricky because the “creative” part means the writer is using the techniques of
fictional storytelling. Unless the writer has warned you, the reader, that he or she is indulging in some creativity,
you have the right to assume everything in the story is true—and the right to get angry if it is not.
Nonfiction writers have a sort of contract with readers: We are not allowed to make anything up. We must
be rigorous reporters of lived experience. Our impulses must be documentary.
Despite this, the opportunities for creativity in nonfiction writing are immense. When writing is done at the
highest level of craftsmanship—when the way of telling the story is just as important as the story itself—we often
call that literature.
All the strategies for telling a great story are the same, whether you are writing a novel or a work of
nonfiction: You must set a vivid scene that lets your reader see every detail. The difference is that details are
historically accurate.

Writing creative nonfiction entails abiding by one’s commitment to the truth. In

the book “Writing Creative Nonfiction,” Mazzeo refers to this as the nonfiction contract.
Nonfiction Contract refers to the implied agreement between a reader and a writer that
the author of creative nonfiction does not invent any facts in his or her storytelling.
Mazzeo suggests that if one cannot help but alter the truth, the work should instead be
labeled as fiction. That way, the writer would not break away from the “nonfiction
contract” and readers will not question the changes made to the facts.

KEEPING YOU IN PRACTICE

How long have you been in quarantine since the coronavirus disease pandemic was declared? What are your
thoughts about being quarantined and the COVID19 itself? Here is one creative nonfiction work about it.

Hello Corona
(by Millind, March 24, 2020)

No, I will not call you novel or any such thing. You are a monster that has claimed thousands of lives and
infected hundreds of thousands of people across the world and there is no sign of your taming down yet. But you
must be the happiest creature in the world these days. After all, you have brought the entire mankind who
considered themselves the most superior to all other beings, to their knees.
Proud for our superior intellect, ingenuity and technological development over past so many centuries,
nearly the entire world except emergency service providers has been locked at home now. We constructed large
and beautiful bridges, built monumental towers, statues and sacred places for worship which people visited for
centuries. All those places are deserted now.
We made airplanes and travelled in each corner of the world. We developed astronomical science, built
rockets and travelled in space; we even set our footprint on the moon. But now we are afraid of even stepping
outside our homes and you deserve the entire (dis)credit for this.
Who are you in reality, Corona… are you a message from the nature that we’ve been ignoring for several
decades or maybe, centuries? Are you a blow to us from the nature against whom we tried to prove ourselves
superior?
 We were told time and again that we are part of the entire universal ecosystem and whatever
development we make; it should be harmonious with this ecosystem so that life on the planet remains unaffected.
We did not listen to this advice and you are probably the result of our misdeeds.
Each phase of life, however pleasant or difficult, must pass and a new dawn must arrive. I sincerely hope
that after causing so much harm to the mankind, you will go away by doing some good to us and make a few
positive changes in our lives.
Though you have built walls between us and our loved ones by isolating us, I hope that you will destroy
walls of castes, religions, and languages eventually as people will now realize that worth of a human life is much
more than these manmade things.

Capitalists are the ones who contribute immensely to our economic growth and provide millions of jobs.
But they, at times, become so much profit hungry that they flout environmental norms and foster corruption to
satisfy their profit motive. I hope that they will now realize that humanity is above everything and set their
priorities accordingly.
I hope that countries in the world will come closer in solidarity in the present situation and feuding nations
will look for peaceful solutions to disputes between them rather than speaking the language of revenge and
destruction.
I hope that people in our country will become more hygiene conscious – not just on a personal level, but
also in public places such that they maintain cleanliness everywhere.
I also hope that our people will grow up with this experience and set their priorities to buy products with
good quality rather than just buying cheap products, though this is not directly related to being infected by you. I
expect them to value worth of manual labor and treat manual workers respectfully, ensuring their safety. This is
crucial because when we interact with these workers, we are sure that we are dealing with hygienic people.
Over the years, as medical science developed, our life span increased, and we started taking things for
granted. Our approach to life became very rigid and unilateral. We didn’t care if life had something to talk to us…
it did have a lot to tell us which is appearing now in your form and shape. It has been our belief for many
centuries that we are fully evolved beings. You proved us wrong a hard way and made realize that we are still
evolving, and the process of evolution is never complete for which, I thank you.
We humans are innovative and intelligent. I’m sure, a vaccine on your infection will be shortly developed
and your fear will be wiped out. But as you go, I only hope that you will teach us some good lessons of life that
will prevent your younger siblings from entering our lives in years to come.

III. ACTIVITIES

Task 1: Directions: Briefly answer the following questions in the space provided.

1. What is the text about?

2. From what point of view is the text written? Would it make a difference if the text were written from a
different perspective? Why or why not?
3. What are the factual/nonfictional aspects present in the passage?
4. What are the creative aspects of the text? What makes you say so?
Task 2
Directions: Recall conversations you have had with another person – your sibling, parent, or classmate. In your
notebook, write down the conversation and try to come up with a short creative nonfiction work about it. Do not
attempt to make the work perfect as you can still go over it and revise later in the succeeding writing activities as
you go through this module.
Task 3
Directions: Choose a painting done by a family member, friend or classmate. Write a historical background of the
painting and personal experiences that you have with regards to it.

IV. ASSESSMENT

Directions: Looking at photographs is another way to start a creative writing task. Go over the photos in your
phone’s gallery or your family’s photo album. Look for a photo which you think can spur you to a creative
nonfiction work. In your notebook, answer the following questions which can help you to write.

1. Who is (are) in the picture? How are they related to one another?
2. When and where were the photos taken? What is the general ambience of the place?
3. How do you think the people in the photos feel?
4. Is there tension when the photo was taken? Why?
5. What were they wearing? What do their clothes reveal about their personalities?

Reference:

De Guzman, Joyce T., Creative Non-fiction, Quarter 2 – Module 4: Truth and Creativity in
Creative Nonfiction

Prepared by:

JAYDEE GREFALDEO-GATON
Teacher II, Sugod Senior High School

Quality Assured by:

ANNE E. MANCIA,
Assistant Principal II, Sorsogon NHS

CLEOFE D. ARIOLA
EPS, Sorsogon City