INTRODUCTIONCraft elements refer to the building blocks of fiction/poetry. They include things like plot, character, point of view, imagery, rhyme, rhythm, meter, etc. Craft elements are the tools th

INTRODUCTION

Craft elements refer to the building blocks of fiction/poetry. They include things like plot, character, point of view, imagery, rhyme, rhythm, meter, etc. Craft elements are the tools that writers use to build works of fiction/poetry, just as other types of artists use paint, clay, wood, metal, concrete, and even digital media to build creations for the sake of art, communication, or business. Creators use the tools of their craft to guide their audiences to focus on what's most important in their creations. So, as readers of fiction/poetry, it's worthwhile to ask how authors construct their creative work, and why they make their craft-related choices. And as creators ourselves, it's crucial to consider how we can/should use the craft tools we have to construct our fiction/poetry.

In a previous modules, we learned about plot, character, setting, rhyme, rhythm, and meter. Now let's look at how writers use point of view.

WHAT TO DO

FIRST, read the following:

Point of View Links to an external site.(handout)
Shirley Jackson, The LotteryLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
Links to an external site.Lorrie Moore, The Kid's Guide to Divorce Links to an external site.

SECOND, post your responses on the following items below:

What point of view (POV) are these two stories told from?
Why do you think the authors chose these POVs? (Consider: Why are these POVs effective/appropriate for these stories? How might the stories change if the authors had chosen different POVs?)

THIRD, post at least ONE thoughtful response to a classmates' original post.

FOURTH, Think long and hard about your Point of View options in your own work--how might you use POV? What are the advantages/disadvantages to each option? Which option best suits your fiction/poetry? Apply your learning to your own work!

Note from Michelle: on the surface, the first question might seem tricky, but take a look at the pronouns used most often. That should help! And by the way, resist the urge to just Google ithe answer. Read the stories yourself and figure it out on your own so you can grow your brain. And as before, I'm locking this so you can't see your classmates' posts until you've posted your own first. That'll help you to resist self-doubt, too. :-)

DUE DATES, GRADING

Your original post is due no later than 1/13, 11:00 PM.

Your response to a classmate's original post is due no later than 1/14, 11:00 PM.

These posts are worth a total of 10 points of your discussion participation grade. Grading criteria are described in the Discussion Participation Guide (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..