L.O. to build a sense of threat and tension in a narrative

 

SC1) I imply (hint at) danger by using the senses.

SC2) I describe danger more literally and directly.

SC3) I withhold some information to allow the reader to work things out.

SC4) I communicate threat and tension through actions of characters.
SC5) I communicate threat and tension through dialogue.

SC6) I develop a character through their reactions to threat and tension.

 

You can find the text for The Lion and the Unicorn here.

 

Your Task

 

1) Please carefully read through the first section of The Lion and the Unicorn (up to page 7, covered in the first three reading comprehension tasks).

2) Consider how a sense of threat and tension has been developed. Use my video lesson to help with this.

3) Rewrite the narrative in your own style, seeking to achieve a similar effect.

 

You must keep the characters' names the same and you must not change the symbols on Lenny's medal/badge/coin (the lion and the unicorn). The same information needs to be revealed and Lenny will need to be taken to a train station following the bombing of a neighbour's house, but the details, the description and the dialogues is something you can control in your narrative.

 

How do I lay out my work?

 

These paragraphs might help you with structure:

 

1) Introduce the sirens that tell of the bombing. This is preceded by 'London's Burning' a nursery rhyme.

2/3) Lenny and his mother huddle together. Lenny has a lion and unicorn badge. Lenny's father is at war.

4/5) The symbolism of the lion and unicorn is mentioned.

6) Dad's letters to Lenny are mentioned.

7/8/9) The bombing sounds are close one night. A neighbour's house is destroyed. Mum decides its time for Lenny to go.

10) Lenny is taken to a train station for evacuation.

11/12) Lenny tries to be brave, but finds it hard. Mum tries to comfort him.

 

Tricky:

Follow the story line of the book closely. Retell it in your own words where possible. Add in some description. For example, show what the damaged buildings look like in more detail. Desribe what it feels like to be hiding from the bombs.

 

Trickier:

Develop the sense of threat a bit more. For example, spend more time in your narrative describing how Lenny and his mother react overnight to the bombing. We only get a brief glimpse of this in the original writing. What discussions might they have? Where in the house might they be? Will they sleep? There may be other parts of your narrative in which to develop the threat further.

 

Trickiest:

Make sure you cover the aspects of the writing involved in 'Trickier'. Develop more of a theme in your writing. There is already at least one theme emerging - that of the lion and unicorn medal and its symbolism, the difficulty of being brave when you are scared. You can take this theme further to emphasise the threat. Alternatively, you could develop another theme - for example, comparing what things are like 'now' (in the story to how they were before), or wondering why on earth someone would want to harm people by dropping bombs on them. These themes would also add to the sense of threat.