Problems to Explore in Problems to Explore in FictionFiction

Most published novels and short Most published novels and short stories are stories are aboutabout two things: two things:

A particular person or group of A particular person or group of people,people,

And the particular problems that one And the particular problems that one or more of them are facing.or more of them are facing.

Have you noticed this?Have you noticed this?

The OutsidersThe Outsiders by S.E. Hinton by S.E. Hinton

Ponyboy Curtis is the main character.

What are the problems Hinton gives Ponyboy to confront?

The Outsiders 1

The Outsiders 2

Ponyboy confronts stereotyping, kid-on-kid violence based on social class, the death of his parents, the death of his best friend, terrible tensions with Darry, the brother who’s acting as his surrogate father.

Darrel Curtis

I’m not talking plot or theme; I’m talking

difficulty: what will a particular character do, faced with a particular

challenge?

““Davy Crockett”Davy Crockett”In one of the final scenes of the Disney version of

“Davy Crocket”, men supporting the Alamo discover that they are low on food, water, and gun powder, and are about to face the Mexican Army of about

5,000+ men.

How do you think Davy Crockett responded to this problem?

Davy Crockett and the other men stay to defend the Alamo knowing that this will probably be his last

battle.

Think about the book you are reading. What are some of the problems the authors were exploring.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor: A dark family secret needs to be exposed and dealth with.

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen: An insecure girl has a mother with a strong identity and national celebrity.

Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden: Kids see if they have what it takes to confront an enemy invasion.

Running Loose by Chris Crutcher: A star football player is asked by his coach to do something the boy knows is wrong.

What about the books you’ve What about the books you’ve read?read?

•Take out your Reader’s and Writer’s Handbook.

•Turn to the next clean page in the writing section of your handbook.

•Title your page: Problems in Published Fiction: What if?

•Take out your Finish/Abandon logs and discuss the problems the characters have faced in the books you’ve read recently.

What If?What If?“What about a chocolate factory that makes fantastic and marvelous things– with a crazy man running it?” –Ronald Dahl

This What if jotting was the seed from which Dahl grew Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Death in FictionDeath in Fiction

Avoid using death as a short story problem.

•Death is so huge, as a subject, that it requires pages and pages of the main characters’ thoughts and feelings, reacting to such an overwhelming loss and trying to somehow come to terms with it.

•You won’t have the physical space in a short story to do death justice or make it convincing.

•So my suggestion is this: don’t go there.

Potential Problems in FictionPotential Problems in FictionI want you to create a list of potential problems in fiction that intrigue you.

•What problems inspire your imagination?

•What what ifs? inspire the writer in you?

ExamplesExamples

What If…What If… Grandfather can’t do all the things he used to do– Grandfather can’t do all the things he used to do–

girl deals with it.girl deals with it. Best friends– boy, girl– teased about their Best friends– boy, girl– teased about their

friendship & almost decide to stop friendship.friendship & almost decide to stop friendship. Cousins move next door-- conflict with cousins and Cousins move next door-- conflict with cousins and

main character.main character. Only girl on track team, teased, but girl keeps Only girl on track team, teased, but girl keeps

trying to wintrying to win Siblings growing apart– different interests.Siblings growing apart– different interests. Getting obsessed with a game– not doing Getting obsessed with a game– not doing

homework.homework. Friend has cancer– character struggles with Friend has cancer– character struggles with

friend’s sickness– can’t do things he used to do.friend’s sickness– can’t do things he used to do.