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Day 11 Assignments
Reply to post your assignment.
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9 Replies
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Linda’s Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is it’s good for a first draft but as I continue the SU coursework, it’s going to keep getting more focused and better.
Title: TBD
Genre: Drama, War story
Written by: Linda Anderson
Logline: In 2004, a young military chaplain, on his first tour of duty in Iraq, persuades his war-hardened commander to let him and two others stay behind when their bombed-out base is evacuated, even though he’s risking all their lives to fulfill a sacred promise to 20 fallen soldiers.
Concept: What if a chaplain in a dangerous war zone has to fulfill his commitment to fallen soldiers and their loved ones but he’s going through a dark night of soul?
Main Conflict: Serving in the military during the Iraq (Bush’s) War conflicts with a chaplain following in his father’s footsteps as pastor of a large southern congregation.
Act 1:
OPENING
Scene 1:
EXT. CAMP WOLF IRAQ—DAY
A demolished, evacuated FOB (Forward Operating Base). A few torn tents remain standing. Makeshift signs outside them say “Mortuary,” “Chaplains Tent,” “Command,” “Chapel,” and “Internet Cafe. The only thing left of the chapel is a crucifix flipped on its side amidst the rubble.
SUPERSCRIPT: 2004, Camp Wolf, Iraq
INCITING INCIDENT
Scene 2:
INT. MORTUARY TENT–DAY
A lineup of 20 standing rifles capped by soldiers’ helmets, with a small pile of effects and soldiers’ boots in front of each. The last one has only a rifle and boots.
Rev. TANJI WILKES looks at the display of all that remains of 20 fallen soldiers who were killed in a surprise insurgent attack on the small base. He makes a promise that he’ll find their families and loved ones and tell them what happened here.
Scene 3:
INT. COMMAND TENT–DAY
While MAJOR SLOAN clears out debris, Tanji and his Chaplain’s Assistant, MARIO CHAVEZ, try to persuade him to let them stay behind and keep Tanji’s sacred promise to the fallen soldiers. Major Sloan, a war-hardened atheist, is a hard sell. They must stay to protect Tanji and the remains. Insurgents could attack again if they think someone is still there. IEDs and explosives could be hidden in the rubble. Still, he wants the families to have closure.
Scene 4:
INT. INTERNET CAFÉ–DAY
Devout and devoted Mario tells Major Sloan he’s not enthusiastic about the plan but Tanji is an unarmed chaplain and relies on him to do his job. Going through remains spooks him out. Hasn’t heard anything from his best buddy, Trey, in the chaos of fast evacuation to a nearby base. Major Sloan reveals he doesn’t think chaplains are worth his spit. Tanji is too inexperienced to pull off this plan. Could get all of them killed.
Scene 5:
INT. MORTUARY TENT–DAY
The base’s Iraqi interpreter, ADIBA, arrives from the nearby village to see if there are any survivors after the bombing. Tanji is holding a soldier’s Quran. Asks Adiba to do a prayer for the Muslim soldier.
Major Sloan tells Adiba it’s not safe to return to her village. Too much anger that she helped Americans. Promises to apply for her to emigrate to America after serving as base translator. Tanji gets Major Sloan to let Adiba help with sifting through the soldiers’ effects.
After Major Sloan exists, Adiba reveals her greatest hope is to be an American girl.
Scene 6:
INT. MORTUARY TENT–DAY
Tanji and Adiba catalog and take notes on the soldiers’ effects. Adiba tells Tanji she fears her brother Baqir is being recruited by insurgent Sunnis. Tanji spouts scripture and some doctrine from divinity school. He confesses to not being like his father, REV. WILKES, who is great at giving personal comfort. Adiba reassures him he’ll get better at it with more experience.
Scene 7:
INT. INTERNET CAFÉ–DAY
Mario researches and finds chaplains on bases where fallen soldiers families live. Keeps trying to find out if anyone at other bases in Iraq or the states have seen Trey. No one has.
Tanji struggles to write letters to forward to the chaplains so they can deliver the news to families. Adiba helps him put more of his heart into them. She asks Tanji to let her read the last letter he wrote to Rev. Wilkes. It reveals how Tanji knows he’s disappointed his father by not taking over their South Carolina congregation and ministry. Tanji says he needs his own ministry and mission, not his father’s and thinks being a military chaplain would do it for him.
He tells Adiba that instead of fulfillment, he’s seeing humans at their worst. Neither Tanji’s formal training nor the touchy-feely ways his father deals with his congregation work for him. He knows mortuary soldiers who break down with nightmares and PTSD from doing this job. Tanji tells Adiba about Rev. Wilkes’s belief that anyone who hasn’t accepted Jesus as their personal savior will go to hell. He rejects that view and has promised to be chaplain to all.
Mario overhears Tanji and Adiba. Prays to Jesus to help Tanji become a true believer again. Watching them confiding in each other, he looks worried.
Scene 8:
INT. CHAPLAIN’S TENT—DAY
Tanji finds a Jewish prayer for the dead in a pile of books that remain after the attack.
Scene 9:
INT. MORTUARY TENT—NIGHT
Tanji stands in front of a soldier’s helmet and effects, which contain a miniature Torah. He reads the Jewish Prayer for the Dead. Bows his head in prayer.
TURNING POINT:
Scene 10:
INT. MORTUARY TENT–NIGHT
A flare lights up a section of the base. Major Sloan shouts over loudspeaker for everyone to take cover. Adiba sees what looks like a man in the shadows. She hears BAQIR’S VOICE yelling to ask her if the American infidels are holding her captive. Before Major Sloan shoots at the shadow of Baqir, Adiba and Tanji plead with him not to kill her brother. Major Sloan shoots at the fleeing shadow. He says that now the insurgents know the base isn’t deserted.
Act 2:
Scene 11:
INT. INTERNET CAFE—DAY
Rev. Wilks gets through on a phone call to Tanji. He asks how many souls Tanji saved for Jesus over there in Bush’s war. Tells him Felicity, Tanji’s ex-fiancé, has told him that she still loves Tanji. They both want him to come home. Adiba enters and hears Tanji talking about Felicity. Tanji tells Adiba why things didn’t work out with Felicity.
Scene 12:
INT. INTERNET CAFÉ—NIGHT
Tanji’s chaplain battalion commander, Father Jim, calls from another base to find out how Tanji is doing. He’s heard about the attack on Camp Wolf. Tanji reveals his plunge into a dark night of soul. He’s losing his faith in a God he can trust to protect him.
Scene 13:
INT. COMMAND TENT–DAY
Adiba asks if Major Sloan has gotten her approved to go to America. Tells him she’s in love with Tanji and wants to marry him. She’s anxious God will condemn her for loving an infidel and Baqir—the only family she has left–will disown her. Major Sloan is furious with Tanji for leading her on when he knows the risks.
NEW PLAN:
Scene 14:
INT. COMMAND TENT–DAY
Against regulations, Major Sloan recruits Mario, to report back to him. He’s determined to get rid of Tanji.
PLAN IN ACTION:
Scene 15
EXT. CHAPEL TENT—NIGHT
Major Sloan commands Mario to help him pull out the toppled crucifix from the chapel, rants at God, and burns what’s left of it. He tells Mario that he used to believe but has seen too much and doesn’t trust in love anymore.
Scene 16:
INT. INTERNET CAFÉ—DAY
Adiba asks Mario to pry open a vending machine. She pulls out health bars, chips, and nuts while he watches. She asks him for a couple Military Rations packets. He gets them for her from a pile on the floor. When he asks what she’s doing, she says it’s a surprise for Tanji. He warns her against falling in love with Tanji if she wants Major Sloan to help her get to America.
Scene 17:
INT. CHAPLAIN’S TENT—DAY
Tanji writes to tell Felicity he can’t renew his relationship with her or join in her dreams of being a minister in an uptown church. He doesn’t know his future yet, but that’s not it.
Scene 18:
INT. CHAPLAIN’S TENT—NIGHT
Adiba brings a pot of stew, a couple of flashlights, and paper plates and arranges them on a folding table. This is her version of a romantic dinner. While they eat it, they tentatively talk about what could be in their future.
Scene 19:
INT. CHAPLAIN’S TENT—NIGHT
A mysterious light flashes from outside the tent. It seems otherworldly to Tanji and Adiba. It’s accompanied by a beautiful sound. Adiba concludes that God has smiled on them and their hopes for a future together.
MIDPOINT TURNING POINT:
Scene 20:
EXT. CHAPEL—NIGHT
The shadow of Baqir looms on a sand hill above Camp Wolf. He’s wearing a bomb vest. Baqir detonates the vest. Mario jumps on Tanji and shields him with his body, keeping him from being hurt, but Mario is bleeding. Adiba is struck by shrapnel. Tanji crawls out from under Mario and makes to Adiba. She’s too badly injured to tell him she loves him and dies in his arms.
Major Sloan finds them and pulls Tanji away from Adiba. He blames Tanji for her death and Mario’s injury.
Act 3:
Scene 21:
INT. CHAPLAIN’S TENT—NIGHT
Tanji is devastated at Adiba’s death. His prayers reveal his anger at a God who would allow such carnage.
Scene 22:
INT. CHAPLAIN’S TENT–DAY
Mario, only slightly wounded and recovering, runs in to tell Tanji he has a phone call from the states. Tanji asks why Mario saved his life. Mario says it was his duty. Tanji thanks him but wonders if it would have been best for everyone if he’d died with Adiba. Mario realizes Tanji actually did love her.
RETHINK EVERYTHING:
Scene 23:
INT. INTERNET CAFÉ—DAY
Felicity calls Tanji to tell him Rev. Wilkes has had a heart attack and wants him to come home and take over the congregation.
Tanji calls Father Jim. Tells him about Adina’s loss. The pain of fulfilling his task for the fallen soldiers has broken him. Tells Father Jim about the spiritual experience the night of Adina’s death. Father Jim wonders if it could have God warning them of danger. Tanji rejects that interpretation. Why didn’t God save them? Admits he can’t handle being a military chaplain.
NEW PLAN:
Scene 24:
INT. COMMAND TENT–DAY
Tanji tells Major Sloan he’s finished all but the last soldier’s notifications. There is only the rifle and shoes for the one left, and he can’t figure out this soldier’s identity. He requests an emergency family leave. Major Sloan tells him to make it permanent. He’s not cut out for a war zone. He’ll help make that happen.
INT. COMMAND TENT—DAY
Scene 25:
Major Sloan grills Mario about what he’s found that could make a case for dismissing Tanji from duty. Mario is conflicted about the betrayal. All he has is Tanji’s relationship with Adiba which is against regulations. Major Sloan says he’ll take it.
INT. INTERNET CAFÉ–DAY
Scene 26:
Mario is searching on the computer and anxious that he hasn’t heard from Trey. Tanji helps Mario in the search. Mario explains why Trey meant so much to him—a guy who has dozens of lovesick girls writing to him and makes Camp Wolf soldiers in the Internet Café laugh at his escapades. Trey showed Mario respect even when others ridiculed him for his fervent devotion to his God, duty, and country.
TURNING POINT:
Scene 27:
INT. CHAPLAIN’S TENT–NIGHT
Tanji writes to Rev. Wilkes to tell him he’s coming home. He’s a failure in Iraq.
Act 4:
Scene 28:
EXT. CHAPEL–DAY
Mario finds Trey’s helmet at the bottom of a heap of rubble. He’s overcome with grief and rage.
FINAL PLAN:
Scene 29:
EXT. CHAPEL–DAY
Mario arms himself to commit suicide and maybe blow them all up. Major Sloan orders Tanji to let him take care of Mario. He may have to shoot him. Tanji argues that he’s the only one Tanji trusts, because chaplains don’t carry weapons. He disobeys command and goes to minister to Mario.
PLACEHOLDER:
Important and wise things Adiba and his father have told him in the past that now give him guidance on how to help Mario.
CLIMAX:
Scene 30:
EXT. CHAPEL–DAY
Tanji keeps Mario from blowing up Tanji and himself. Mario agrees to get psych help. Mario hands his weapons over to Tanji.
Tanji stops Major Sloan from shooting at Mario by telling him he’s now unarmed. Mario is crying as Tanji brings him to Major Sloan, who feels guilt over having conflicted him. Mario thanks him for saving his life.
RESOLUTION:
Scene 31:
INT. COMMAND TENT—DAY
Tanji has proven to Major Sloan and himself that he’s a courageous military chaplain. While Tanji is home on emergency leave, Major Sloan recommends him for a service medal for saving Mario.
EXT. CHAPEL—DAY
Scene 32:
At the ceremony where Major Sloan awards Tanji a medal, Adiba appears in the mist and declares her love for Tanji.
INT. INTERNET CAFÉ—DAY
Scene 33:
Tanji speaks on the phone to his father. He tells him he’s finishing his tour of duty and has found his purpose. Rev. Wilkes understands what being his own man and serving God in his own way means to his son.
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First thing to solve: Why does Major Sloan hate Tanji so much? Where does this become known?
Second thing to solve: What does Major Sloan do while the others work on the task? Does he eventually start helping? Why?
Third thing: How does Tanji communicate with the families? How many? (Idea: uses Skype phone to contact base chaplains where families live.)
Fourth thing: When does this start and finish? When do they find out there were no weapons of mass destruction? How to build in the events of the war?
Fifth: need more about how sifting through effects of fallen soldiers makes each character come to terms with life and death, what’s important to them, and a test of their faith
Sixth: more about the soldiers and lives they lived; how it relates to Tanji and his daddy issues; Tanji’s letter home
Seventh: anything about history of military chaplains? When? How?
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Laura Hyler’s Living Metaphors Day 11 Assignment
What I learned from doing this exercise is that I actually found this to be a little harder to do. Under the five ways that should work, I don’t feel that my script is blatantly showing these things, but maybe it is more clear than I realize? As far as the metaphors are concerned, I had to think a little more deeply about it, but I really liked the ideas it sparked.
Five that Should Work, but Doesn’t Challenges:
1) Naomi is not that assertive. She gives in to others wishes often, basically because she wants to avoid confrontation.
Why it doesn’t work: By the nature of giving in to other’s wishes, she risks not being happy and losing the love of her life-Kofi. It also costs her a promotion.
2) Naomi’s fear of commitment prevents her from re-experiencing past hurts.
Why it doesn’t work: Naomi gets hurt from people who are unable to commit. She doesn’t make Kofi feel as secure as he would like-a potential way of losing him.
3) Afraid to challenge people’s unsolicited opinions, in an effort to be liked.
Why it doesn’t work: the people who aren’t going to like her, are not going to like her, regardless of what she does or doesn’t do. As soon as she makes choices that she is happy with, those same people are going to be a problem-like her sister, Charlene.
4) Naomi omits important information from Kofi about her sister’s wedding, because she is unsure of how to handle it.
Why it doesn’t work: Instead of avoiding conflict, Naomi finds herself right in the middle of conflict with the most important person in her life.
5) Avoidant behavior- because Naomi avoids uncomfortable situations, she ends up in bad predicaments.
Because Naomi is not comfortable talking to Jeanine about her relationship, she misses out on valuable advice.
Five Living Metaphors:
1) Lack of Assertiveness: Living Metaphor: Seeing Tommy’s name in the company newsletter, as getting the job she was qualified for.
2) Fear of Commitment: Living Metaphor: the wedding invitation, her friend’s engagement
3) Not challenging unsolicited opinions: Living Metaphor: Her ex-boyfriend, Greg
4) Acts of omission to avoid conflict: Living Metaphor: The empty guest room when Kofi leaves
5) Avoidant behavior: Living Metaphor: She is alone when everyone else is with their special someone
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Sherri D. Coffee – Living Metaphors
What I learned doing this assignment was to evaluate each challenge and brainstorm why they fail and metaphors to demonstrate.
Challenge: Kathryn is arrogant and very confident that all she needs to do is find academic resources to support the legislation.
Why doesn’t it work? When she meets another lobbyist, she reveals that the facts may not matter. What matters are the constituents. And sometimes, they don’t matter, the donors matter most.
Challenge: Naive political knowledge.
Why doesn’t it work? The stakes are high in the lobby world. Competitive and lots of action behind the scenes to get legislation passed. Kathryn is unaware and uneducated in how politicians work.
Challenge: Coalition members cannot agree on talking points. Kathryn presents data and more data to support efforts.
Why doesn’t it work? Coalition members also have members with competing interests. the academic support is only one thread of information on the issue.
Challenge: Lobbying intentions.
Why doesn’t it work? Kathryn works for a prestigious firm with several clients. The advocates are skeptical until she provides a PR firm to help them. Then they are even more skeptical.
Challenge: Innocence.
Why doesn’t it work? Owner of firm talks about “watering the grass” of several politicians on the committee. She finds receipts of contributions and assumes they will support her legislation. Competing interests compel them to not support the legislation.
Challenge: Innocence. Metaphor for political donation is “watering the grass.” Fails because you can never have enough water. Someone else always waters more.
Challenge: Intentions. Firm represents some clients that support legislation that the advocates do not support.
Challenge: Arrogance. Kathryn is questioned by savvy advocate on her sources. Her source was a news article written by her firm.
Challenge: Deception. Kathryn meets lobbyist who has no morals or ethics. Metaphor for who you do not want to be.
Challenge: Credibility. Kathryn meets lobbyist who has boundaries and ethics.
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Lisandro’s Living metaphor
With each, tell us the Old Way and the Challenge, and how you think it might play out in your story.
What I learned doing this assignment is really understanding what it takes to find all of these great ideas, how they all play together, how its all layers, and how going through this process of rewriting, and thinking really brings out the best for the project, and that’s important because I know it elevated the wrting, the story, and the experience for the audience,
– 5 Should Work, But Doesn’t challenge (IN ORDER OF PROGRESSION )
1.
old way: Passive, shy, overcome with fear… cowardly..
Challenge: He is challenged when US soldiers force them off their land .
how it plays out: This situation does not play out very well for the family, and especially Silas, everything is suddenly without warning, forcefully pushed out of his birthland.
2.
old way : ; gives into anger… lacks understanding for his father, others, and the situation they are in… inconsiderate,
challenge: trapped in a mix bag of emotions,
how it plays out: because of his moodiness, he misses the chance to drink water and eat food because someone close to them steals their supplies.
3.
old ways: he whines and begs, bargains… to no end…to his parents, its situation he can t control and just can cry his way back home…
challenge: forced to seek help else where , other than his parents, he is going to have to overcome his fears, shyness, …
how it plays out: Plays out that because everyone is low on supplies everyone is turning him down when he asks for help… no one wants to give what little they have and the boy doesn’t understand how the people he grew up with and knew as neighbors are turning their backs…
4.
old way: has a habit of quitting when things get tough,
challenge: survive the night from dehydration,
how it plays out: Silas is able to collect condensation, and is able to drink water that way, but its barely just enough..
5
old way: Silas would rely on his parents for any kind of help and comfort
challenge; he has to do for himself now, he has to do as his mother instructs, for their survival, he has to collect certain plants.
how it plays out; the plants he collect are too dried up.
– 5 Living Metaphor challenges – IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
1.
old way: the thought of going back a second time to the forest area to dig deeper for the watery root bulb, he would of quit. before having to put more effort.
challenge: has to dig deeper than before to reach the root bulb filled with water…
how it plays out: he reaches the bulb with his bare hands, is really succesful, and the metaphjore of digging deep with his hands, is a metaphor for digging deep with himself.
2
old ways: would of chosen to go back after his parents…
challenge: fork in the road, (thats the metaphor) has a choice to make between two paths, the forest, — that seems scary… or back to his parents out of fear, will most likely die form dehydration.
how it plays out: Silas for the first time chooses to not go down the path of fear.
3
old ways: giving in to anger, giving in to his emotions other than his wisdom.
challenge: seeking revenge in his heart for what happened, the soldiers forcing them out of their home,
how it plays out: he sees his own mother helping the soldier.. and that image… breaks… his heart, that has been made of stone become of what happened… but his mother’s continued kindness, even towrds their enemies melts his heart.
4
old ways the tribe would fight each other over what happened, but instead
challenges: the ferry has to been shared, the Cherokees and the soldiers, now injured,
how it plays out: the Cherokee people had the oportunity for payback but instead chose a higher road, and as tough as it is for their elders and leaders to accdept what is happening, they understand a great change is on the horizon and they cant do anything to stop it…its time to adapt and survive. the ferry with both sides in peace not fighting is the metaphor
5.
old ways : choses fear…
challenge… he is up in a tree with an angry wild boar down below.. he has to climb down and fight it in order to get back to the ferry in time to catch up with his family.
how it plays out. the metaphor, physical facing your fear and wrestling with it, fighting, and in this case, kills it and will later take it to his family to enjoy ..
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Edward Brown living metaphors
I learned that I did this previous lesson as they are most dramatic
However, having skipped previous lessons, I did it now. Have alot of can’t find tools or phone in clutter, have scene wherre George propositions woman in church, she tell him she’s STDed and he should get lab tests of propective initmates, he asks Tanya to get one, she askes him to get a physical, med check up shows he’s in bad shape as has been neglectful in old ways, so he goes on diet and walking maybe weights certaily chair yoga
there are things like this all thru with Tanya rightfully claiming to be a world class woman and George must have new ways
Also, Anna tells George that he must have everyday or planned times to build boat, proof after 20 years still buildidng it.
Spirit brings in Aristole to repeat excellence is not an event but result of diligent habits
so I learned going thru script, many opportunities
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Assignment 11
Sherwen Moore -I learned that this method really gets to the core of how we can think as a writer and what you can do if you want something profound to happen.
Old Way: Gullible Rookie ‘in the hood’. Metaphor Challenge: Tom is telling Mark how he patrols in the black neighborhood and how to handles black people. He tells Mark about Tyrone and sees his friends walking down the street. He stops them and ask “Yo bro, have you seen my man Tyrone? One of his friends replies, “Yeah, he said he was going to the store to get you a ham sandwich.” They all started laughing as Tom gave a goofy smirk. Mark didn’t laugh because he knew they were referring to Tom as a pig.
Old Way: Charles wants to make Al feel comfortable coming over to his home. Metaphor Challenge: Charles guarantees Al will enjoy his mother’s cooking because it will be the fourth of July. Charles says, “I guarantee Mr. Allen, you come to my house for dinner, I bet $5 you’ll get dinner and a show”.
Old Way: Police strategizes an intervention to a hostage situation Metaphor Challenge: The block is full of police. They have the house surrounded. Mark radios in that he is being held hostage but he is alright. It is the 4th of July and the police feel they have to solve this hostage problem before it gets dark. The supervising officer on site says, ‘We got to get Mark out of there before this turns into a ‘blow up’ celebration.”
Old Way: Supervising officer tries to talk down the hostage taker. Metaphor Challenge: The supervising officer now has a direct dial to the phone in the house where the hostage situation is in progress. He now talks to the person holding the hostage. The supervisor ask, “…sir what would you like for me to call you?” Al quickly replied, “…I’m so glad you asked. …call me Mr. Wonderful”.
Old Way: In a hostage situation be tough but be cautious and give yourself a chance to win. Metaphor Challenge: Supervising negotiator suggested to Mr. Wonderful to surrender and give up now so this is easy for everyone. No one gets hurt and everyone gets to celebrate tonight. The negotiator says, “Mr. Wonderful, why don’t you consider giving yourself up. We got everybody here…let’s think about everybody in the neighborhood. They want peace, they want to celebrate tonight, they want to enjoy the fireworks, and they don’t want this. …come on, let’s do this okay? Al quickly responds, “No, sir, as a matter of fact, I’d suggest you get a snickers bar because we’re gonna be here for a while.”
Old Way: Educating poor youth is not easy: Should Work, But Doesn’t’ Challenge: It is his first day of class. Al had an ice breaker for his students to begin his lesson. The ice breaker was about listening to a message, passing it on and at the end; determining if the message is the same or close to it. The initial message was, ‘I saw a couple of ducks in a pond’. By the time the message got to the last student, the message was, ‘He didn’t see a couple of drunks, but yo mama did.’ The students laugh but Al knew he had to be even more creative.
Old Way: Gullible rookie: harass the teens in the street. : Should Work, But Doesn’t’ Challenge: 3 black teens are walking down the street. Tom tells Mark to stop the teens, search them and if anyone has drugs, arrest them. Mark finds a bag of marijuana on one of the teens. He puts it back in the teen’s pocket and says, “They’re clean… you guys be careful out here.” Tom swore they were gang members who always have drugs on them. Mark said, “Maybe…but not today”.
Old Way: Disrespect people you protect. Should Work, But Doesn’t’ Challenge: Tom and Mark are supposed to meet Tyrone at 3:30 for the drop off of money to be delivered at an undisclosed site. Tyrone is angry at Tom because he treats him bad around his friends. Tyrone has had enough. He purposely delays the pickup and arrives at 4pm. Not only that, after he gets the money from Tom, he decides to keep it for himself.
Old Way: Educating poor youth and making minimal progress. Should Work, But Doesn’t’ Challenge: Al tells his students, ‘When you are out in the world, question everything…don’t hold back if you really want to know something.” There is silence for about ten seconds, a student asked, ”Mr. Allen, why do white people hate us so much?” Two seconds later, the bell rang, and just as quickly as it was said, the students were off to another class and Al was left to ponder.
Old Way: Arrogance + Injustice = racism in law enforcement. Should Work, But Doesn’t’ Challenge: Tom tells a lie on Mark and blames him for everything. Truth of the matter, Tom really shot Charles; Mark fired his gun but missed. Tom thinks this is the perfect situation to get rid of Mark and blame it on the hostage taker. If they rush the apartment, kill the hostage taker with their guns and kill Mark with his gun they could say the hostage taker kill Mark and they killed him. The plan was set. They rushed the apartment and discovered only Mark was in the apartment handcuffed to the radiator. They had to change their plans. To complicate matters, they later find Tyrone 2 doors down in the basement dwelling entrance of the back door and no one else.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Sherwen Moore.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Sherwen Moore.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by
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Brenda’s Living Metaphors
What I learned doing this assignment is I had more living metaphors in my story than I realized, and it is a great technique to show the old ways being challenged.
Should work, But Doesn’t Challenges
1. The Child Throws a fit, this is their old way to get what they want. But instead of getting what they want, the fit causes the child’s condition to worsen instead.
2. The Child resists the mother’s efforts to participate in the Treasure Hunt. This is their old way to get the mother to change her mind. But when the child finds out the staff at the hospital helped the mother create the treasure hunt, the Child reconsiders her decision.
3. The Child requests that her uncle join the treasure hunt. The Child often used the Uncle to take her side when she wanted the mother to change her mind about something. The Uncle doesn’t take the Child’s side so she is forced to keep going with the treasure hunt.
4. The Child’s old way is to ignore her body and pay attention to her health. During the Treasure Hunt, the Child feels weak and tired but doesn’t tell her mother or the staff. The Child is forced to acknowledge finally that there might be something more wrong with her.
5. The Child’s old way is to say or do mean things to her mother to express her hidden anger to her mother. When the mother doesn’t get upset at the mean things she does or says, the child is forced to confront her mother directly about any anger she is having.
Living Metaphor Challenges
1. The Child’s old way is to feel broken and her broken doll is living metaphor of how she feels. The mother fixes the broken doll to challenge the child’s old way.
2. The Child’s old way is to leave the hospital signifying that she is better health-wise. The mother uses the living metaphor of treasure hunt in the hospital to challenge the child’s ways of thinking about her health.
3. The Child’s old way is to think her mother doesn’t love her. The treasure hunt becomes a living metaphor because the treasure hunt shows the child how much the mother loves her and knows everything about her since it was designed to take into account all of the child’s favorite things.
4. The Child’s old way is to keep to herself which reinforces all the bad things she feels. Her friendship with the other children in the hospital become a living metaphor for the child to challenge everything she thinks because her conversations with the other children force her to compare her situation to theirs.
5. The Child’s nurse is a living metaphor to represent the old ways of coping with death. When the child rejects the ways of the nurse, it will represent the child giving up the old ways of thinking.
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Leanne’s Living Metaphors
What I learned doing this assignment is the different challenges can do double duty.
SHOULD WORK, BUT DOESN’T
Bess tries to keep herself and her family safe by relying on the old ways (men stay home and protect you) but when that doesn’t work, she takes on the responsibility of keeping herself safe by learning how to shoot. She is challenging the old ways in this situation, but she is still basing the safety of those she loves on something other than trust in God, which is the real challenge to her old ways of thinking.
LIVING METPHOR
When the Native Americans come to discuss a peace treaty, Squanto becomes a Living Metaphor by challenging the colonists beliefs of Native Americans being heathen savages. He shows them he is peaceful and willing to negotiate with them, and he has a deep faith in the same God they believe in. The metaphor goes even deeper for Bess, because she sees someone who has experienced the same (actually, even greater) losses she has experienced, and he has found a way to reconcile his faith with his grief.
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Linda Anderson’s Living Metaphors
What I learned doing this assignment is to add some elements to my current outline that reflect old/new profound changes to each of the main characters and make the metaphors stand out more clearly.
5 Should Work, But Doesn’t Challenges
1. Old Way: Tanji prays when he’s feeling distressed. Challenge: Prayer doesn’t change his feelings or the situations. New Way: Tanji witnesses a powerful divine intervention he hadn’t prayed for but which saved lives.
2. Old Way: Mario prays for God to smite the unbelievers. Challenge: Mario’s way of telling God what to do in his prayers fails him when God doesn’t comply. New Way: When Mario attempts suicide, Tanji’s love for him, not only his prayers, draws him back from the brink.
3. Old Way: Adiba smugly believes she’s succeeded when she uses their love bond and rational arguments to plead with her brother, Baqir, not to join the insurgents. Challenge: Baqir is too far into desire for power over love. New Way: Adiba has to take action to stop Baqir from killing himself when he stalks her at Camp Wolf and wants revenge on the infidels.
4. Old Way: Ray unleashes anger on the wrong people when not getting his way. Challenge: Bullying is Ray’s go-to tactic but it’s not working. New Way: Ray goes underhanded and recruits Mario and reports Tanji to his chaplain supervisor for fraternizing with Adiba.
5. Old Way: Tanji turns to his father, Rev. Wilkes, for comfort and advice. Challenge: Rev. Wilkes is only interested in Tanji saving souls and returning home. New Way: Tanji goes against his father’s beliefs and does a memorial service that is inclusive of prayers and practices for fallen soldiers of beliefs other than his father’s Christianity that says they’ll go to hell if they didn’t accept Jesus as their personal savior.
5 Living Metaphor Challenges
1. Tanji fires Mario’s M16 rifle with anger at God that he can’t/won’t acknowledge.
2. Mario looks at toppled crucifix over the camp chapel that’s been destroyed by insurgent bombing and vows to smite the unbelievers.
3. Letters and effects of the fallen soldiers tell touching stories of their lives and loves.
4. Skype call to Mario from wife of Camp Wolf soldier friend at home with PTSD presages Mario’s own terrors and pain.
5. Iraqi child with rock in his hand looks like a cell phone-detonator and symbolizes danger and confusion of the Iraq war, where it’s impossible to tell who is or isn’t the enemy.
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