Texts to Choose From:
“Inventory” (2013) Carmen Maria Machado “Orientation” (2011) Daniel Orozco
“Paper Menagerie” (2011) Ken Liu “Cat Person” (2017) Kristin Roupenian
Prompt: This assignment has two parts.
Part 1: Creative Component – Choose one of the following options:
Option 1: Pick a story from this unit and write a poem inspired by it. Your poem might attempt to be a condensed version of the short story, reflect on one of its themes, or capture your perspective of a particular character. Length: At least 9 lines
Option 2: Pick a story from this unit and add or alter a scene. You may choose to add a new scene from a character’s past or a new interaction between characters that might change the way we think about them or understand the story. You might want to take an existing scene and write it from a different character’s perspective. Or perhaps write an alternate ending. Length: One page
Part 2: Writer’s Statement
Write a 2-page Writer’s Statement in which you explain your creative component. What was your inspiration for your poem or scene? Be sure to use quotations from the original short story to help support your answer. It may also be helpful to cite your own work.
If your poem is a condensed version of the short story, what did you choose to highlight and/or leave out? Why? How does your poem capture the story’s essence?
If your poem centers on a particular character or theme, which passages from the original story inspired it? What might it highlight about the character or theme? How does its meaning or message connect back to the original story?
If you’ve added or altered a scene, how does your addition or alteration change the story? Compare and contrast your version with the original. Do your additions or alterations highlight an existing theme or introduce a new one? Do they change the way we view a particular character or event? Why did you choose to make these additions or alterations?
