Exercise A read and discuss the assigned story. (“What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie.)Your instructor will post a .pdf or link below.
Suggested discussion questions:
- Write a one-sentence summary of this story (the bare-bones plot synopsis).
- What are some of the story’s themes? Do certain words, passages of dialogue or description, or situations seem to represent the theme most clearly? Are there recurring images, concepts, or structures (or contrasting ones) in the story? What might those represent?
- What are the indications that the protagonist has changed in this story?
- Which type of ending (from the list of effective or ineffective endings in this module) does the author use? Is the ending resonant and satisfying? Why or why not? If not, rewrite the ending for us!
- What do you think will happen to the characters after the end of the story?
These questions are just suggested points of entry––there are infinite ways you can demonstrate that you’ve read the texts, so don’t feel tied down to just those. Also, your instructor may post additional or alternative questions, so be sure to check the Discussion topics.
xercise B: Alternate Endings
Which type of ending (from the list of effective or ineffective endings in this module) does your own short story currently use? Which type of ending could be more effective? Summarize three alternate endings for your story (one paragraph each), according to these instructions:
- Ending #1 should use dialogue as the final line.
- Ending #2 should use an image as the final line.
- Ending #3 should use a parallel ending (i.e., “kissing the beginning”).
Part 2: Peer response
You are responsible for responding to at least one of your peers’ writing exercises. Respond to a peer’s posts by following the instructions below. (Please respond to work in the order it is posted, i.e., respond to the earliest posted exercise that has yet to receive a response.)
Exercise A peer response: Describe something different that your peer’s protagonist might do physically to represent their transformation.
Exercise B peer response: Write a fourth alternate ending for a peer’s story. It should be a clear-cut outcome involving action, and it should indicate the protagonist’s change in attitude or perspective. Note: It can be subtle.
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