THE HUNGER GAMES CREATIVE WRITING TASK

AREA OF STUDY 1: READING AND CREATING TEXTS Key knowledge - Students must demonstrate: •  An understanding of the text including characters, setting and events, and ideas, issues and themes. •  An understanding of the way in which authors:

•  Create meaning, including ideas, issues and themes, and build the world of the text, including characters, settings and events

•  An understanding of the features of a range of literary and other written, spoken and multimodal texts, including structures, conventions, language and how they convey an author’s voice and style.

Key skills – Students must demonstrate an ability to: •  Plan creative responses to texts (written, spoken and multimodal), for example consider an alternative

perspective or explore a gap or moment in the text, taking account of the purpose, context and audience in determining the selected content and approach

•  To do so, they should plan creative responses to texts by: •  Analysing the text, considering opportunities to explore meaning •  Selecting key moments, characters, themes, worthy of exploration •  Taking account of the purpose, context, audience in determining the selected content and approach •  Develop and sustain voice and style in creative responses •  Transform and adapt language and literary devices to generate a creative response, with consideration of

the original text. •  Draft, review, edit and refine creative and analytical responses to texts, making choices about features of

texts and using feedback gained from individual reflection, discussion, and peer and teacher comments •  Explain and justify decisions made in the writing process

INSTRUCTIONS Choose one or more of the following passages from the Suzanne Collin’s novel, ‘The Hunger Games’ to read with students.

1.  Before reading the passage, show students the corresponding clip

2.  Then, read the passage with students

3.  Once you have read the passage, ask students to discuss their initial reaction to the passage. What feelings/thoughts does the passage evoke? What do students think/see/wonder?

4.  After you have completed your initial reading, teach students about the common literary elements and the language techniques used authors. (See following slides)

5.  Then, re-read the passage and analyse the way in which Suzanne Collins has used language and literary techniques to create meaning.

6.  Help students plan, develop and draft their own piece of creative writing, inspired by ‘The Hunger Games’ and Suzanne Collins’ writing style.

SEE?

THINK? WONDER?

Passage: “I scraped off the black stuff…” p.38-39 I scraped off the black stuff and sliced the bread. We ate an entire loaf, slice by slice. It was good hearty

bread, filled with raisins and nuts.

I put my clothes to dry at the fire, crawled into bed, and fell into a dreamless sleep. It didn’t occur to me until the next morning that the boy might have burned the bread on purpose. Might have dropped the loaves into the flames, knowing it meant being punished, and then delivered them to me. But I dismissed this. It must have been an accident. Why would he have done it? He didn’t even know me. Still, just showing me the bread was an enormous kindness that would have surely resulted in a beating if discovered. I couldn’t explain his actions.

We ate slices of bread for breakfast and headed to school. It was as if spring had come overnight. Warm sweet air. Fluffy clouds. At school, I passed the boy in the hall; his cheek had swelled up and his eye had blackened. He was with his friends and didn’t acknowledge me in any way. But as I collected Prim and started for home that afternoon, I found him staring at me from across the school yard. Our eyes met for only a second, then he turned his head away. I dropped my gaze, embarrassed, and that’s when I saw it. The first dandelion of the year. A bell went off in my head. I thought of the hours spend in the woods with my father and I knew how we were going to survive.

To this day, I can never shake the connection between this boy, Peeta Mellark, and the bread that gave me hope, and the dandelion that reminded me that I was not doomed. And more than once, I have turned in the school hallway and caught his eyes trained on me, only to quickly flit away. I feel like I owe him something, and I hate owing people. Maybe if I had thanked him at some point, I’d be feeling less conflicted now. I thought about it a couple of times, but the opportunity never seemed to present itself. And now it never will. Because we’re going to be thrown

Passage: “The twenty-four tributes…” p.22-23 The   twenty-­‐four   tributes   will   be   imprisoned   in   a   vast   outdoor   arena   that   could   hold  

anything  from  a  burning  desert  to  a  frozen  wasteland.  Over  a  period  of  several  weeks,  the  competitors  must  >ight  to  the  death.  The  last  tribute  standing  wins.    

Taking  the  kids  from  our  districts,  forcing  them  to  kill  one  another  while  we  watch  –  this  is  the  Capitol’s  way  of  reminding  us  how  totally  we  are  at  their  mercy.  How  little  chance  we  would  stand  of  surviving  another  rebellion.  Whatever  words  they  use,   the  real  message   is  clear.  “Look  how  we  take  your  children  and  sacri>ice  them  and  there’s  nothing  you  can  do.  IF  you  life  a  >inger,  we  will  destroy  every  last  one  of  you.  Just  as  we  did  in  District  Thirteen.”  To  make   it   humiliating   as   well   as   torturous,   the   Capitol   requires   us   to   treat   the   Hunger  Games  as  a  festivity,  a  sporting  even  pitting  every  district  against  the  others.  The  last  tribute  alive   receives   a   life   of   ease   back   home,   and   their   district   will   be   showered   with   prizes,  largely  consisting  of   food.  All  year,   the  Capitol  will  show  the  winning  district  gifts  of  grain  and  oil  and  even  delicacies  like  sugar  while  the  rest  of  us  battle  starvation.    “It  is  both  a  time  for  repentance  and  a  time  for  thanks,”  intones  the  mayor.  Then  he  reads  the  list  of  past  District  12  victors.  In  seventy-­‐four  years,  we  have  had  exactly  two.  Only  one   is  still  alive.  Haymitch  Abernathy,  a  paunchy,  middle-­‐aged  man,  who  at   this  moment  appears  hollering  something  unintelligible,  staggers  on  to  the  stage,  and  falls   into  the   third   chair.   He’s   drunk.   Very.   The   crowd   response   with   its   token   applause,   but   he’s  confused  and  tries  to  give  Ef>ie  Trinket  a  bug  hung,  which  she  barely  manages  to  fend  off.

…Other possible passages… "   P.51-53 “The tribute train is fancier than even the room in the Justice Building…” – “…I

can almost imagine the mockingjay flying through the trees”

"   P.96-97 “We eat the cake…” – “I stare down the empty corridor as if the decision lies there.”

"   P.153-155 “And then they’re calling Katniss Everdeen…” – “I address the balcony.”

"   P.164-165 “That boy just gave you something you could never achieve on your own.” – “Suddenly I’m worried I didn’t act properly.”

"   P.171-173 “Are they in costumes?” – “…engineered to ensure the victor was not a lunatic.”

"   P245-247 “Rue’s eyes widen” – “Hearing this makes me feel like District 12 is some sort of safe haven”

"   P.286-287 “It’s the capitol I hate…” – “The ones that mean she’s safe”

"   P.400-402 “First one mockingjay trills the tune back…” – “but there are plenty to take its place”

"   P.441-443 “Once we’re in the arena…” – “The one thing I never do is let go of Peeta’s hand.”

COMMON LITERARY ELEMENTS Plot: It is the logical sequence of events that develops a story.

" Setting: It refers to the time and place in which a story takes place.

" Protagonist: It is the main character of story, novel or a play e.g. Katniss in ‘The Hunger Games’

" Antagonist: It is the character in conflict with the Protagonist e.g. President Snow in ‘The Hunger Games’

Narrator: A person who tells the story.

" Narrative method: The manner in which a narrative is presented comprising plot and setting.

" Dialogue: Where characters of a narrative speak to one another.

" Conflict. It is an issue in a narrative around which the whole story revolves.

Mood: A general atmosphere of a narrative.

" Theme: It is central idea or concept of a story.

For the passage you are reading, ANALYSE the following LITERARY ELEMENTS (that is, if they

are relevant to your passage) LITERARY ELEMENT DESCRIPTION EFFECT?

Setting

Protagonist

Antagonist

Narrative method

Dialogue

Conflict

Theme

KEY RULE of CREATIVE WRITING:

SHOW, don’t tell!!!

BUT HOW????

Through language and literary techniques such as: imagery, metaphors, similes,

personification, etc…

BUT MIIIIISSSSS….. WHAT ON EARTH ARE THEY???

FIND OUT IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES!!! :D

GOING FURTHER: ANALYSING LANGUAGE AND LITERARY TECHNIQUES

Students are to define the following language and literary techniques. They are then to try to find an example from the passage, or with their teacher’s help, develop an example of their own. They are then to describe the effect of each of the language and literary techniques listed in the table below:

•  Metaphor

•  Personification

LANGUAGE/LITERARY TECHNIQUE

EXAMPLE EFFECT?

Narrative voice: •  First person narrative

Narrative voice: •  Third person narrative

Figurative Language:

•  Imagery

•  Sensory imagery

•  Animal imagery

•  Simile

LANGUAGE/LITERARY TECHNIQUE

EXAMPLE EFFECT?

Alliteration

Assonance

Cacaphony

Irony

Contrasts/juxtaposition

Some “new” literary terms : Literary Device Definition Example Imagery (animal) An authors use of vivid and

descriptive language. It adds depth.

‘…Rue smaller than a baby animal curled up in a nest of netting.’ (p285) ‘This teaming up with the Career Wolf pack to hunt down the rest of us’….(p196)

Metaphor It gives a comparison between two people, things, animals or places.

‘Snow is a white blanket.’

Simile It also gives a comparison showing similarities between two different things. Uses like or as.

He is as cunning as a fox.

Personification Gives human qualities to an object. Adds interest.

My alarm clock yells at me in the morning.

Sensory Imagery

Sensory Imagery: Is when the writer connects to the readers senses.

Sight Hearing Touch/Feel Smell Taste

Picture Flash Bright Sharp Clear See Light Dark Large Blue

Scream Shout Listen Tone Whisper Ring Utter Nasal Squeal Quiet

Feel Warm Grasp Sharp Cold Rugged Joyful Fuzzy Hard Peaceful

Pungent Sweet Dank Fragrant Rich Aroma Stinky Musky Rotten Odor Essence

Sweet Sour Salty Bitter Fresh Juicy Bland Burnt Zesty Tangy

Examples of sensory imagery:

What sense does each of these appeal to? "   The familiar tang of his grandmother’s cranberry sauce

reminded him of his youth.

"   The sunset was red and gold the most beautiful they’d ever seen.

"   The tree bark was rough against her skin.

"   His breath reeked of garlic.

"   The concert was so electrifying she would never forget it.

ANALYSING SUZANNE COLLIN’S USE OF LANGUAGE AND LITERARY TECHNIQUES

THE POWER OF CONTRASTING!!!

The Careers and

“Their heavy, branch breaking bodies” (p.301)

Rue “I look back to Rue for help, but she’s melted back into the trees” (p.225).

“There’s a rustling in a nearby tree… I realize she’s leaping from tree to tree. It’s

all I can do not to laugh out loud. Is this what she showed the Gameemakers? I imagine her flying around the training equipment, never touching the floor” (p229)

VS.

Katniss Everdeen

Characterisation: •  Katniss •  Rue •  Peeta •  Cato •  President

Snow •  Seneca

TASK Re-read the passages again, analysing the literary elements and the language techniques used by Suzanne Collins to create meaning

"   Setting

"   Protagonist/antagonist

"   Narrative voice

" Characterisation (including dialogue)

"   Symbols and motifs

"   Imagery

"   Metaphors and similes

"   Contrasts/juxtaposition, etc

Passage: “I scraped off the black stuff…” p.38-39 I scraped off the black stuff and sliced the bread. We ate an entire loaf, slice by slice. It was good hearty

bread, filled with raisins and nuts.

I put my clothes to dry at the fire, crawled into bed, and fell into a dreamless sleep. It didn’t occur to me until the next morning that the boy might have burned the bread on purpose. Might have dropped the loaves into the flames, knowing it meant being punished, and then delivered them to me. But I dismissed this. It must have been an accident. Why would he have done it? He didn’t even know me. Still, just showing me the bread was an enormous kindness that would have surely resulted in a beating if discovered. I couldn’t explain his actions.

We ate slices of bread for breakfast and headed to school. It was as if spring had come overnight. Warm sweet air. Fluffy clouds. At school, I passed the boy in the hall; his cheek had swelled up and his eye had blackened. He was with his friends and didn’t acknowledge me in any way. But as I collected Prim and started for home that afternoon, I found him staring at me from across the school yard. Our eyes met for only a second, then he turned his head away. I dropped my gaze, embarrassed, and that’s when I saw it. The first dandelion of the year. A bell went off in my head. I thought of the hours spend in the woods with my father and I knew how we were going to survive.

To this day, I can never shake the connection between this boy, Peeta Mellark, and the bread that gave me hope, and the dandelion that reminded me that I was not doomed. And more than once, I have turned in the school hallway and caught his eyes trained on me, only to quickly flit away. I feel like I owe him something, and I hate owing people. Maybe if I had thanked him at some point, I’d be feeling less conflicted now. I thought about it a couple of times, but the opportunity never seemed to present itself. And now it never will. Because we’re going to be thrown

Passage: “The twenty-four tributes…” p.22-23 The   twenty-­‐four   tributes   will   be   imprisoned   in   a   vast   outdoor   arena   that   could   hold  

anything  from  a  burning  desert  to  a  frozen  wasteland.  Over  a  period  of  several  weeks,  the  competitors  must  >ight  to  the  death.  The  last  tribute  standing  wins.    

Taking  the  kids  from  our  districts,  forcing  them  to  kill  one  another  while  we  watch  –  this  is  the  Capitol’s  way  of  reminding  us  how  totally  we  are  at  their  mercy.  How  little  chance  we  would  stand  of  surviving  another  rebellion.  Whatever  words  they  use,   the  real  message   is  clear.  “Look  how  we  take  your  children  and  sacri>ice  them  and  there’s  nothing  you  can  do.  IF  you  life  a  >inger,  we  will  destroy  every  last  one  of  you.  Just  as  we  did  in  District  Thirteen.”  To  make   it   humiliating   as   well   as   torturous,   the   Capitol   requires   us   to   treat   the   Hunger  Games  as  a  festivity,  a  sporting  even  pitting  every  district  against  the  others.  The  last  tribute  alive   receives   a   life   of   ease   back   home,   and   their   district   will   be   showered   with   prizes,  largely  consisting  of   food.  All  year,   the  Capitol  will  show  the  winning  district  gifts  of  grain  and  oil  and  even  delicacies  like  sugar  while  the  rest  of  us  battle  starvation.    “It  is  both  a  time  for  repentance  and  a  time  for  thanks,”  intones  the  mayor.  Then  he  reads  the  list  of  past  District  12  victors.  In  seventy-­‐four  years,  we  have  had  exactly  two.  Only  one   is  still  alive.  Haymitch  Abernathy,  a  paunchy,  middle-­‐aged  man,  who  at   this  moment  appears  hollering  something  unintelligible,  staggers  on  to  the  stage,  and  falls   into  the   third   chair.   He’s   drunk.   Very.   The   crowd   response   with   its   token   applause,   but   he’s  confused  and  tries  to  give  Ef>ie  Trinket  a  bug  hung,  which  she  barely  manages  to  fend  off.

…Other possible passages… "   P. 24-31 – ‘The Reaping’

"   P.51-53 “The tribute train is fancier than even the room in the Justice Building…” – “…I can almost imagine the mockingjay flying through the trees”

"   P.96-97 “We eat the cake…” – “I stare down the empty corridor as if the decision lies there.”

"   P.153-155 “And then they’re calling Katniss Everdeen…” – “I address the balcony.”

"   P.164-165 “That boy just gave you something you could never achieve on your own.” – “Suddenly I’m worried I didn’t act properly.”

"   P.171-173 “Are they in costumes?” – “…engineered to ensure the victor was not a lunatic.”

"   P245-247 “Rue’s eyes widen” – “Hearing this makes me feel like District 12 is some sort of safe haven”

"   P.286-287 “It’s the capitol I hate…” – “The ones that mean she’s safe”

"   P.400-402 “First one mockingjay trills the tune back…” – “but there are plenty to take its place”

"   P.441-443 “Once we’re in the arena…” – “The one thing I never do is let go of Peeta’s hand.”

Creative Writing Task: "   Your task is to complete a creative writing task drawing from

the text The Hunger Games

"   You will need to plan this task before the holidays

"   Remember to try and include literary devices into your writing. Discuss this with your teachers.

"   It should then be “drafted” over the holidays.

"   Good copies will be written when you return to class next term. Your teachers will conference with you about your writing.

"   This is part of your assessment and prepares you for your studies next year, so make sure it is completed as expected.

Writing Topics: Some suggestions…

"   Write a letter from Prim to Katniss as she watches her sister participating in the Games from District 12.

"   A monologue from Katniss at the end of the Games before she reaches District 12.

"   Write an anonymous letter to President Snow from a member of the districts highlighting the growing discontent.

"   Free choice….discuss with your teachers.