STORYTELLERS

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Well, we are about to find out...


Everyday we are inundated with images from television, magazines, newspapers, life experiences to name a few sources. Behind each of these images is a story, a story that we, the viewer, must discover for ourselves. When unraveling the story, we take clues from the image...


Is the image accompanied by any written text? An article or caption?
Is the image in a newspaper or magazine? The Chicago Tribune or People Magazine?

In most of the image types discussed thus far, the story usually accompanies the image and cuts down on the amount of work for the viewer. But what about images that are not placed in context by a newspaper or magazine? What about images that are hanging on the walls of an art gallery? What are the stories behind these images?

Today, we will explore images on the internet. Some of the images may have part of story accompanying them. Most probably will not.


Use the Web to find a photographic image.
Write a creative narrative that tells the story of the image.
Read the story aloud to the class and the class will try and guess which image is the object of your story!


First, select an image to be the object of your creative narrative.
Use the links provided in the Resource frame. There are many links to various photographic collections. Once you have chosen the image, save the image to a diskette.

To begin your story, think about the image and its context.
As you look at the image consider the following questions and write down your responses. Begin thinking about...

THE CHARACTERS
What is the relationship between the objects/figures? Between the objects/figures and the photographer?
Who took the picture? And why? A father, a sibling, a friend, etc.?

THE SETTING
What is happening in the image? In the foreground, middleground, background?
Where was the image taken?

THE PLOT/PROBLEM
What happened just before the image was taken? Just after?
What is happening in the image?

THE CONCLUSION
If there is a problem, how is it resolved?
What is going ot happen in the future? To the characters/objects?

Now, it is time to compose your creative narrative.
First, consider your answers to the above questions. Use your responses to develop a story that uses the image as its inspiration. BE CREATIVE! You are creating a work of fiction. Consider the following styles of creative narrative: science fiction, fairy tales, folk tales, romance, biography, drama, etc.


When writing your essay, you should consult the PARADIGM ONLINE WRITING ASSISTANT. The section on Writing Informal Essays offers good advice on writing stories!