Morality Play
This (very short) article defines the morality play. After reading this, write a story or a poem or a play that fits into this genre. This is an assignment that asks you to use your creativity. Have fun with it. I think in order to commit to all of the difficult reading and thinking you are currently doing, your brain needs to be stretched a bit. This assignment will help!
Fate dug her feet into the loose dirt beneath our swings and muttered “Change is coming.”
ReplyDeleteHuman shrugged, scraping his own feet across the ground. “I don’t fear change.”
“Everybody fears Change,” said Fate, “it is as natural as fearing Death.”
“But Change is not Death,” Human argued.
Fate’s mouth twisted into a sad smile, “Change is Death to those who are still dancing with Life.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means that Change will bring new things into your life and drive away the old.” Fate stood up and brushed her sweaty palms against her jeans. “I’ll leave you to it.”
Human watched her stroll away and then allowed his gaze to slide across the park. He paused at familiar faces – Comfort, Joy, Knowledge, and Patience – but skimmed over those he recognized but did not know – Anxiety, Insecurity, Wisdom, and Bravery. Those that did not catch his attention had never concerned him, would never concern him, and yet he felt his eyes being drawn to them like a magnet. They sat amongst Change. Change was watching him.
Comfort approached with the soft breeze and the sound of the children who had yet to meet Trouble. She wrapped her warm hands around his and began to hum gently. Tranquility slipped on to the next swing silently and sat with them.
Human closed his eyes and pushed away all thoughts of Change and his companions. He focused on those he knew, but he felt Change’s presence approaching. Anxiety pushed Tranquility away and Comfort fled at the sight of Terror. And there sat Human surrounded by Change and company.
“Fate knew what she was talking about,” Change said casually.
Human nodded his eyes now wide open. He could no longer remember the familiar; his conscious was overwhelmed by Change. Anxiety cleared her throat nervously.
“You have no business here, Change,” Human stuttered as Insecurity inched towards him.
“I think we both know why I am here.”
“Look at the signs, Human,” Insecurity hissed. “Comfort is gone, Tranquility is gone. You even lost dear old Camaraderie. They have all deserted you, and that means it is Change’s turn.”
“Don’t be afraid.” Bravery was behind him, his strong hands pressing against his back and pushing his swing. “I come with Change and so do Experience, Wisdom, Thrill...you don’t know us yet but we will become as familiar to you as your dearest Comfort. And Comfort will return once you are used to us. Don’t be afraid.”
Human tried to keep his eyes on the sulking figure of Terror that slouched in the shadows of the nearby elm tree, but as his swing soared higher into the sky he found it harder to focus on Terror. He dug his heals into the ground and looked around him. This time he still saw some of his old friends – Comfort and Knowledge – but he also saw Understanding, Success, Resilience, and, of course, Bravery in their midst. Beyond them Human could see Change retreating with gloomy Terror and tense Anxiety, but Human knew they would be back. For now, at least, he did not think he minded the idea of their return because they had equipped him with the companions needed to cope with their intensity. And yet, Human knew that there was always a part of him that would shiver at the sight of Change and company even if they meant no harm.
Fate sat on the swing beside him once more with her hands lightly wrapped around the metal chains that secured her seat. “I told you Change was coming, and it wasn’t so bad was it?”
“After all this time do you still need me to tell you that you were right again?”
Fate simply smiled.
Ann,
DeleteI knew as soon as I read the prompt for this week that it would be right up your alley! And of course, I was right. I love the premise behind your story. as humans, we all see change as something extremely scary at first. We try to shy around it, avoiding it at all costs. Yet, as your story pointed out, we end up being forced into change and with it comes newer experiences and values that were characterized by your story. The dialogue was really interesting and characterized each value in the perfect way. I must say, we are all coming up on a huge time of change with college inching ever closer. I am hitting the point where anxiety has ivertaken excitement along with some of the more stressful emotions that come with change. Like in your story though, I know that in the end it will turn out for the better. Really great blog Ann!
Ann,
DeleteSomething tells me that you really liked this blog. Haha! Did it not remind you of the 30 day writing challenge?! I thought of it instantly and I miss it so much. Anyway, I really liked your story. Obviously you are a very creative person. Aside from the creative aspect of your story, I was blown away by how well you fit this into the genre of "morality." To be honest, this was something that I really struggled with. (Remember how I could never write anything happy in creative writing? Yeah.) I was amazing reading your blog and seeing how well everything flowed together and followed the guidelines located on the attached link while still remaining to be as creative and entertaining as ever. I really enjoyed this, and I hope that you enjoyed writing this. Great job, Ann.
It was the day of the decision. Impatient ran to the mail box after school full of anxiety and retrieved the letters. Filled with excitement from the envelope being in her hands, she skipped back into the house. Walking up into the kitchen, Teacher was leaning up against the counter waiting for her. Almost bouncing with the joy of anticipation, Impatient set the other letters down and held hers in between her small, warm fingers.
ReplyDelete“I can’t do it, I’m too nervous. Will you do it for me?” she questioned her mother handing her the rectangular envelope. Reaching for it and then grasping it firmly in her hands, Teacher began to run her finger along the underside of the letter releasing the sticky surface. Unfolding the letter seemed to take forever ad Impatient began to shake with eagerness. Teacher commenced in the process of reading the letter as large smile on her face began to shrink. She looked at impatient and let out a sigh.
“It’s not the end of the world. You still have to hear from Greywood,” she stated with a hopeful tone in her voice. Impatient knew what that meant. She didn’t get in. Her top pick for a university, her dream school, didn’t accept her. She had waited six and a half months to hear back. All that time, all the work, and all of her dreams; wasted. She only grew more impatient when Teacher started to talk about Greywood and everything it had to offer. She wanted to repeal her condolence letter. Unhappy and feeling as if she could cry, Impatient sprinted up to her room and upon closing the door, collapsed onto her bed and began to sob.
Weeks went by and even after sending in her request for a reevaluation of her application, no news had appeared. In this case, no news was not good news. Impatient was growing more and more uneasy with every passing day. Teacher tried to calm her down when she could, but her attempts were typically not successful.
One day, about a month after she received the denial letter, a large envelope came in the mail. Teacher stopped Impatient after school before she could go up to her room.
“There’s a letter here for you. I think it would be worth your while to take the time to read it.” Filled with excitement of believing it was the recall on her acceptance to her dream school, Impatient tore open the letter without even reading who it was from. It read;
We are pleased to have the ability to congratulate you on your acceptance to Greywood University.” She sighed and looked up at Teacher.
“It’s just from Greywood.”
“Keep reading, Impatient.” She did just that.
“We would first like to apologize for taking so long to get back to you. In that time frame, however, our school and programs have decided to invest in you. This means that we are offering you a full scholarship to our school. When you graduate, you will have no student debt and no loans to pay back to the bank. We hope to hear from you soon!”
“Wait, is this for real? I earned a full ride?” Impatient looked at Teacher who was wearing a huge smile.
“Congratulations! It looks like all that time was necessary. I told you before many, many times that good things come to those who wait.”
Jessica,
DeleteOh my gosh this is so relatable in more ways than one! I love the whole concept of Impatient and how she was so caught up in the one idea planted in her head, which was her top pick college. Once you have your mind set on one thing it is so difficult to be patient until it occurs and to accept other ideas. Your final line really made the moral of the story. I for one struggle with being patient, mostly with people. It can be so frustrating, but it is extremely beneficial to building character. And remember, Character Counts :).
Overall, this a creative story that I really enjoyed reading! Great job, Jessica!
I call this, "Please Don't Judge Me."
ReplyDeleteJust kidding, I didn't give it a name. Mainly because I don't know what it is. I am ashamed to say that I struggled with this. Is it a poem? Is it a story? I don't know.
But really, please don't judge me for this. I can explain it if necessary.
Insecurity stands alone.
She is secrete and concealed,
dark and disastrous.
The blank mirror stares,
nothing looks back at her.
The bright white headband wont cover her twilight hair and the bright blue shirt wont make her skin look any less dull and the shimmery shadow can’t create an illusion of light in Insecurities eyes.
“I want to be happy”
Insecurity disassembled herself.
She tore body and mind down.
piece by piece.
She scraped off her clothes and stripped out of her skin.
Her room scattered apart until Insecurity was all that remained.
The blank mirror stares,
Inadequacy.
“I just want to be happy”
Insecurity is exposed,
She studies and scrutinizes,
scans and examines.
She's looking for flaws,
they're are all she can find.
Insecurity picked and prodded until she made up her mind.
She picked and she peeled and plucked her bones away.
The mirror stared blankly back at her,
Until there was nothing left to see.
“Why aren’t I happy”
Insecurity screeches.
She cant find herself anymore
hunting and seeking.
Isn’t this what she wanted?
She hid from herself to escape insecurity but you cant hide form yourself so she desperately ran and she ran until she lost herself instead.
Back to her room,
She looked for scraps of herself.
nothing.
Insecurity won.
Insecurity always wins.
So she looked in the mirror
but nothing looked back at her.
Her makeup was gone and her clothes were gone, even her twilight hair and dull skin and lightless eyes were gone.
Insecurity looked in the mirror until all that she saw was
Dark and disastrous,
nothing.
Insecurity screamed
“You’ll never be happy.”
Insecurity towers over,
as she tumbles and falls.
empty and hollow.
She broke down on the floor,
With the rest of her flaws.
Where she covered and picked,
scattered and stripped.
She found all her discarded hopes,
and previous dreams.
Then Insecurity fell down while she built up her smile.
Destroying Insecurities masterpeice by building herself together.
She looked in the mirror and saw the whole world with all the bright blues and violets and yellows
She saw so much beauty that the mirror didn't matter.
She called out to herself,
and screams at Insecurity.
“You can’t make me happy.”
The more I read this the more I want to re write it.
DeleteFelicia,
DeleteThere is nothing to explain - this was so good! It reminded me of the good old days in last year's creative writing class. Okay, so what "moral" I essentially got from this story is that we have to make our own happiness and that there is no happiness in fixating on our own flaws. But, aside from the moral, I think the best part about this was the emotions it evoked in me. We all have a tendency to focus on all the things that are wrong when we shouldn't be letting those things distract us from the good. The progression of the "I want to be happy" to "I just want to be happy" to "Why aren't I happy?" to "You'll never be happy" to "You can't make me happy" solidified the progression of your poem...or story...I don't know which you want it to be but I thought it was a free verse poem.
My favorite lines were "Where she covered and picked/scattered and stripped." Those were all of the things that Insecurity, the sort of antagonist, drove her to do, and once she was able to look at those things individually and reassemble them she was able to see "the whole world." This made me feel as if Insecurity was just a sort of stepping stone for the main character being able to discover the beauty in herself and the world; as if Insecurity was almost a necessary thing so that she would strip herself down and realize what she was actually made of.
There were a lot of things in here that I wondered about and I hope we get to talk these over in class, but I'll pose the questions anyway just in case. Her not being able to see herself in the mirror reminded me of how vampires supposedly don't show up in the mirror so I wondered if that was symbolizing that she was dead inside at that point, if you know what I mean? I was also intrigued by the separation of Insecurity and the main character because, at the beginning, they appear to be one but by the end they stood apart. Was that meant to show how Insecurity had taken her over? I thought your poem was very relatable, which was an important factor for a morality play. It led me to reflect on my own life and the power of Insecurity that I see within and around me. You chose a great topic for your poem and, as always, I love how creative you got with it. Great job!
"Planks"
ReplyDeleteLife was easy,
Thoughtless,
For her. She felt in her heart that she would
Someday break free from the small world that was swallowing her.
But, of course, it wasn't that easy.
She followed people she didn't know,
Stalked by the people who knew her too well,
And forgot about those she should've been loving.
She was a careless teenager
At one point in her life. Just wanting to party and live life.
Little did she know all that "fun" was a loosening screw in a plank
Holding her small world up.
All the other planks,
She had kicked out from underneath during one to many highs from
Thinking too much. She had to be careful to keep her world the same, in order,
Normal.
Each plank was a quality about herself or a remembrance of who she used to be
(She's not sure which one) that she wanted to keep
But threw away because of the sloppy drunk she allowed herself to become.
She did this to herself. She motivated herself to do wrong and right,
Yet there were salty drops of water when she was trying to be strong when that last plank
Fell on its own.
It feels so good to right poems again. (:
Kaitlin,
DeleteI must truly say that I missed hearing/reading your poetry. Especially since we weren't allowed to write poetry to much during Independent Writing. This reminds me of our class last year and everything was a poem with you, and each time made a better impression on the class. There's in no way to possibly grade creativity or criticize it for it is how we as individuals take the prompt and work it into art like a canvas or sculpture. For this piece in particular it was truly amazing in my personal opinion. I loved how her addiction to alcohol made her become less characterized as she "kicked" away one plank at a time. In the end I can't tell if she decided to kill herself or she just gave up the fight to resist alcohol. Either way, well done. I look forward to the next piece, and the end of the AP Exam. 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Kaitlin,
DeleteThis poem was absolutely flawless! I knew you loved to write to poetry, but I never had the chance to read any of it. But boy, I am completely impressed! I really liked the idea of the planks holding her up and how she quickly kicked them out from under her as she ventured down the wrong path. It is so easy to sway from what is right, but i guess you never see the outcome until it is too late, at least for those getting into alcohol or drugs. I also really liked your lines about her throwing away the pieces of herself or what she remembered being at one point because she was so caught up in the drinking. I sometimes think a hurdle like alcohol can be a good thing if you end up realizing how poorly your life choices have been. As you said, she motivated herself to do wrong and right. I think it depends on whether you choose more right and less wrong. Overall, this was such a creative poem! Awesome work!
Kaitlin,
DeleteAhh! It's as good as that resolution piece from independent writing. I LOVED IT. It was a little out there and untraditional. My favorite part was "She followed people she didn't know,
Stalked by the people who knew her too well,
And forgot about those she should've been loving." It just tells of life if you think about it. It's not a happy little piece that someone says 'awe' when they read it. It's deep and tells of a real life struggle that could happen. I wish you would have named the girl but other than that it was incredible and one of my favorites from this week's blog. I can't wait to read more of the things you write after the AP test. Great work!
This blog is making me homesick for creative writing class last year. I love it. Right after the test is over, we will come back to this! So far, these are just awesome!
ReplyDelete*Disclaimer: I'm not a very creative person, but I tried. This is the best I could do. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteLazy slumped out of bed, no wanting to go to school after a long night with her best friend, Procrastination. The two have been inseparable since freshman year of high school. Now they are seniors and preparing themselves for their futures, but Procrastination started rubbing off on Lazy. She had yet to fill out her applications, and she never participated in extracurricular activities to put on a resume. She started to see how her characteristics may impact her chance of doing something in life that is bigger than herself.
Certain to change her ways, Lazy decided to make friends with Patience, Determination, and Integrity. These girls have put forth effort that goes beyond what is expected in high school. Lazy knew that they were the only ones who could help her reverse what her friendship with Procrastination did.
Patience helped Lazy learn to wait for better things to happen, but not to sit around while doing so. She reminded Lazy that the difference between the two is that Patience is determined in life, which she got from her twin sister, Determination. Lazy realized that sometimes you have to wait for good things, but that she should not give up. Determination taught Lazy how to get things done. She showed her how to approach her goals with confidence and, well, determination. Because of her, Lazy was able to get her college applications in before the deadline.
Procrastination watched Lazy as she quickly turned into a new person. Procrastination tried to help Lazy as well, but Lazy knew that her best friend was really the most destructive person in her life. Integrity noticed the troubled friendship between the two, and she persuaded Lazy to trust her instincts. She helped Lazy become a trustable being with a huge spark of loyalty. Lazy knew she could not just abandon her best friend, so she decided that she would change her, too.
Procrastination did not take to the ideas as well as Lazy did, but she was willing to try. Despite her efforts, though, Lazy could not persuade her friend to continue the use of the ideas on her own. She kept putting it off until there was no time left. Lazy was much disappointed her Procrastination's progress. Lazy enlisted Determination's help, but it was no use. Procrastination was stuck in her old ways, and she continually pushed back the date that she would start fresh.
Patience eventually confronted Lazy about Procrastination. She reminded her that sometimes people find themselves in limbo when trying to change. Lazy wanted to change for herself, whereas Procrastination decided to change for Lazy. Determination added that unless you are dedicated to yourself first, you will never achieve the goal set.
Natalie,
DeleteYour disclaimer was not needed at all, trust me! You are a very creative person, yet maybe not in the way that is commonly seen. I really love the characters you chose for your story. Laziness and procrastination, things we know well. At least I know I do. I especially liked the setting of your story, how it was relatable to ours because I think that allows us as readers to really be able to connect with the different characters. The storyline was cool because it was more of a triumphant story where Lazy is able to overcome what she was obviously meant for and was able to better herself. Yet, she experiences that difficulty that everyone experiences when they become personally better. How often are we able to drag someone else along on the same journey? Not too often. You portrayed this struggle well and I really enjoyed your story! Great work!
Natalie!
DeleteThat was good! I agree with Hannah. That disclaimer is not needed, and you know what? That disclaimer is creative itself. I feel like your story is something a mother would tell her child. Your story had more than one moral. Sometimes you have to let people you love go for yourself and them. It really is a hard thing to do. I almost feel like that very last line isn't needed. This way it allows the reader to create their own moral, if you know what I mean. Kind of like someone reading this story and their conscience telling them what they know is right but don't want to believe. That the only bad thing I can say about it. It really is a good story. Don't be ashamed of it! Embrace it! Great job!
Oh my gosh, Natalie!
DeleteI'm not going to lie, I rolled my eyes and laughed when I read your disclaimer. You are way to smart and creative to be that hard on yourself! You're crazy. In a good way, haha! This was such a good story. I can relate to it, I think it's safe to say that we all have had our late nights with Procrastination. I personally think your story is very relevant to a lot of our current situations as we all (I think) are preparing to go off to college soon while still trying to juggle all of our school work. It is too easy to get far too friendly with Procrastination, but we all know that Determination is the better "friend." I loved this. Good job, Natalie! I hope you had fun with this blog!
Destiny
ReplyDeleteDestiny had twirled and skipped and leapt
Through every life she had found on earth
Making some laugh with happiness while others wept
Creating tales for children sitting round the hearth
She brought along Sadness, Strife, and Death
Happiness, Long-life, also Success
Humanity feared and dreaded her words of Death
Destiny decreed a plague, releasing Madness
Humanity, they had revolted
Destiny and her army advanced
So they closed the windows and the doors were bolted
Fear became a devilish dog, his reach enhanced
Humanity they fought and stumbled
Against her unchangeable decree
They saw the end, the fortress's walls had crumbled
Destiny, she whispered loud, "You can't run from me."
I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did. Feels so good to be creative again!
Hannah,
DeleteI will not lie I had to take a double take once I saw your name. I don't mean this to be an insult at all, but I'm so use to seeing an analytical side to our blogs from you that I had to stop and read this. Okay so the one thing I wish you would've done is not use "Death" to rhyme to "Death" in your second stanza. Yes, it made it work but, I feel that you could've used something else in place of death. The only reason I say this is because it made it loose some of the impact in my eyes. Other than that I loved the concept of "Destiny" being an army conquering settlements/territories much like a dictator. Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like there are two morals to the focus of your piece. One being not to back down from our destiny/fear, and the other being to enjoy life while we can.
The reason I see this as an encouraging piece as well as a piece of warning is because amongst the chaos, death, and destruction you pose the concepts of " Happiness, Long-life, also Success" (6). This to me brings a sense of encouragement to the piece. Kind of like when you're just needing that sense of hope when everything seems so grim. The reason for the idea of to enjoy life while we can is because of your final line, "Destiny, she whispered loud, "You can't run from me." " (16). The idea that "Destiny" is seeking us for our annihilation is just like the idea of the Fates in greek mythology. Forgive me for this but, in my literary specialist research I found the tale of Ancient Greeks "The Fabled Fates". Three scrawny old diodes that controlled the mortal races destiny and fate by weaving tapestries that told the lives of the individuals. In saying this tiny bit from my research it seems to me that you're encouraging people to run/defy these goddesses. I of course can be completely wrong, but nevertheless this piece is quite good. Well done, Hannah.
Hannah,
DeleteI really liked your poem. I kinda know everyone else's style of writing except for yours and Natalie's. I love poetry so freaking much, and I feel like I can relate to your poem in some way. But then again, I'm sure there are ways I can relate to every poem. Your theme is obviously based on destiny. You changed it up a bit and made a person chasing after destiny rather than allowing destiny to take its course. That's really creative. I have never, personally, read something like that.
I also have this personal belief that poems are based on things the author has gone through. Although poems aren't technically about the author, I think they are influenced greatly by experience. What I'm getting to is what is your influence on this piece? Also, I loved that you capitalized "sadness," "strife," "death," "success," and "madness." It really empathizes what you want the reader to pay attention too. Great job! I can't wait until May to read more of your work!
Man and the Moon
ReplyDeleteDeath came too soon
for the man on the moon.
He looked down on Earth
and lost all his mirth,
for it was covered in gloom.
Disease had gone viral,
and the world began to spiral.
But this was nothing new,
there was nothing he could do,
for humanity's survival.
And when he was dead,
they all looked up with dread.
For the moon was dying too,
and there was nothing they could do,
but quietly go to bed.
But they awoke in chaos,
for the sun too was lost.
It did not rise as it ought
and they were quite distraught,
when the world turned to frost.
Death had come to soon,
to the sun and the moon.
And to all of Earth too,
there was nothing left to do,
but to write this moral rune.
Devyn,
DeleteI really wanted to get into this because I love poetry and loved the title, but I feel like the rhyme scheme was a little too much. I'm all for rhyming, but I think how you did it took away from the deep meaning. My favorite part was "For the moon was dying too,
and there was nothing they could do,
but quietly go to bed." The idea of the frost taking over because the moon died and then the sun was gone too. They disappeared together and coming to that ending was nice in my opinion. The poem was creative I just wish you maybe would have had a little more to it. When I did get into it, it ended. I was disappointed. All together though, it was a good poem. Good work this week! I'm looking forward to reading more of your stuff similar to this after the AP test.