An update from our forty-ninth Writing Workshop A summary of the workshop held on Saturday October 9, plus some of the output published below For this writing workshop, William presented one of his revised workshop topics on thoughtful word choice. More specifically, William described the concepts of Consonance, repeating a consonant anywhere in a word, Alliteration, repeating the first consonant sound only, and Assonance, repeating the vowel sounds. After going over the classic tongue-twister example of “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,” the class moved on to some more abstract examples, including the use of repetitive motifs in music, like in Beethoven or a piece by Philip Glass. The challenge: Write a new piece full of alliteration, consonance, and assonance OR revise one of your old pieces to add more similar sounds. The Participants: Liam, Elbert, Len D, Aditi, Samantha, Kate, Kina, Faiz, Sierra, Tilly, Grace, Iago, Nami, Jonathan The Train by Jonathan Li, 12 The entire place was bustling for a view. The walking cane came into view. The strong tree now supporting the stout old man. Short but steady he walked, clacking with the energy of a pirate’s peg leg. Poor as he was, a proper walking stick needed a good pick. Smoothed after years of use, it was all he needed in life. Little old man with a walking stick, brandished like a whip. Hurrying to the train, the stick made from tree waved and waved to reach the train going westward. Soon he saw the doors start closing. Surely he would turn and give up. I heard the wild noise, the shouts implying he would be squished like a pancake pie. He saw it too, felt the wind on his three white hairs, and moved with remarkable speed. And like that, we left the platform, impacts behind, hopes ahead, and memories forever stored. Off into the sunset. Aditi Nair, 13Midlothian, VA The Silent Stream by Aditi Nair, 13 A sliver of light contoured the salient soul of the silent stream– accentuating a surplus of red posies pirouetting with the wind, while shedding light on coarse cliffs masking the dotted trees on the horizon. Colors alter the way we comprehend nature. Colors alter the way we comprehend our lives. Even the scariest of places changes our perception. Even the quietest of places has a story waiting to be told. Buoyant boulders sing with the crashing waters, and lively leaves enliven the tranquil trees, while staying close to the silent stream.
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
The Giver, Reviewed by Vivaan, 12
Intelligence, integrity, courage and wisdom. These are the four qualities a Receiver of Memory must have, and one more, which can only be named, but not described: the capacity to see beyond. “Sameness,” a process that terminates all war, hunger, and pain, is ubiquitous throughout “The Community,” seemingly utopian at first sight. This spellbinding book contains a thrilling plot about a dystopian society. December approaches, and along with it, The Ceremony of the Twelves. The air crackles with tension as the annual ceremony approaches, and finally, is upon them. One by one the twelve year olds are called upon the stage to receive their jobs, which the elders have already determined – yes, that’s right, the children get no selection at all. And yet, there are surprises in store for a twelve-year-old called Jonas. He is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory, a crucial job, and will be trained by the current one, known as The Giver. During his training, Jonas realises that his entire community has been oblivious to how diabolical “sameness” actually is! They had lived their whole lives like the frog in the well, but now, after being in full possession of facts, the realisation dawns upon him that there is a whole different world out there – a complete antithesis to what his mind was pre-conditioned to believe. As he acquires more and more memories, they begin to act as a catalyst for him to really critique his world. He begins to contemplate why “sameness” has been implemented, and he soon finds himself in a conundrum, weighing the pros and cons of both worlds, which causes him to undertake a massive adventure, and transform his life forever… With no sensations of things such as change, colour, & vibrance, the monotony of the characters’ world was especially highlighted. It is vital to be able to feel pain and love, happiness and sorrow, anger and joy. Nature gives us these sensations for a reason, and this book underscores that. We consider ourselves to be the greatest species because we have the ability to reason in a far more advanced way than other species. “Sameness,” though it suppresses all war and pain, also inhibits thinking, which itself is not a tenable possibility for the human race. To deprive a human of these very traits that not only allow a human to survive, but thrive, is itself diabolical. The Giver by Lois Lowry. Houghton Mifflin, 1993. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Weekly Creativity #173: Write a Story about Your Favorite Sport from the Perspective of a Piece of Equipment
Write a short story about your favorite sport from the perspective of a piece of the equipment (e.g., if you like soccer, take the ball or the net’s point of view; if you like kayaking, put yourself in the position of the canoe or the paddle or the life vest).
