Recounting A Story
What does it mean to "recount" a story?
Tell what happened in the exact order
What is the central message of a story?
The lesson or moral that the author wants the reader to learn.
Is "friendship" a theme or central message?
It is a theme.
What usually happens in the beginning of a story?
The characters and settings are introduced.
How might two different stories have the same central message but different characters?
Different characters can learn the same lesson in different ways.
When recounting a story, what elements should be included?
Characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, central message.
How is central message different than theme?
A theme is a short, normally one to two word phrase, like "trust". A central message is a full lesson about the theme, like "trust makes a friendship stronger"
Turn the theme "honesty" insto a full central message.
"Honesty is important, even when it is difficult." (or YOUR OWN)
What do we normally see in the middle of a story?
The problem begings to develop.
Can a story have more than one lesson? Explain why or why not?
Yes, some stories teach more than one lesson depending on the events and characters.
When recounting, why is it important to include the problem and solution?
To include what the story is mostly about OR help reveal the central message.
In The Empty Pot, what lesson does Ping learn?
Ping learns that honesty is more important than winning.
Why is "being kind is important" stronger than just saying "kindness"
"Being kind is important" shows a clearr lesson while "kindness" is just a theme.
What do we see in the end of a story?
The problem is solved and we can begin to infer the central message.
Can setting influence the central message?
Yes because the setting can create some sort of challenge or situation to help teach the lesson.
If you only tell the beginning of a story, have you fully recounted a story? Why or why not?
No, because you have to include each section of the story, beginning, middle, and end.
In Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, what lesson do we learn?
Kindness is more important than beauty.
Which is a better central message: "Dogs" or "being responsible for pets shows love and care." Why?
The one about being responsible because it teaches an entire lesson, not just a theme.
How can the problem and solution help you find the central message?
The way the problem is solved often helps teach the lesson of the story.
How can character traits connect to the central message?
Character traits can help influence characters choices which can help reveal the lesson.
What is the difference between retelling and recounting?
Retelling is not including everything in order, recounting does go in exact order using the sequence of events.
How can a character help the reader determine the central message?
Fix this theme by making it a central message: School is good.
Answer example: Working hard in school can help you achieve your goals.
How does the sequence of events help readers understand the central message?
Why do authors include lessons/morals in stories?
Authors include lessons/messages/morals to teach readers a life lesson.