University of the District of Columbia

Department of Mass Media, Visual & Performing Arts

Communicative Arts Seminar

Telling Stories Essay Assignment Due Feb 9th

At core what we do as creative media professionals is tell stories. From the shortest news segment to a
feature-length film, we follow traditional dramaturgy and plot. Not only is it more entertaining – this
arrangement of events, character types and plot devices is the way our brains perceive the random events
of the world around up to make a unified whole: A Story.
This impulse to tell stories is as old as human language. Oral epics, folk-lore, fairy tales, nursery
rhymes, fables, drinking songs, religious rituals – all tell stories that connect with their audiences while
providing both surface content, dramatic structure and deeper social themes. Learning to tell good
stories begins with analyzing older stories that have been so successful as to be passed down for
generations and generations.

1) Research a short story, folktale, nursery rhyme, myth, etc. that is over ≈200 years old.
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fairy_tales
o http://www.aesopfables.com/
o http://www.allfolktales.com
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_poetry
o http://www.mythweb.com/
o http://www.americanfolklore.net/

2) Write an essay describing the narrative and its social context.

o Give a brief synopsis of the story (plot, characters, setting) in 80-160 words.
o Describe the historical background of the story and its ethnic context in 80-160 words.
o List and describe at least three (3) social themes that are implied in the story that may be
very obvious or hidden deep within the story in 80-160 words.
3) Re-write or Re-tell this story for a contemporary audience in 160-320 words.
o You may set the story in present time, you may re-interpret and change some of the
specifics, you may write the story in screenplay format (and describe all visuals)
o You may change or subvert the narrative of the famous story
o You may ‘re-cast’ the characters with current/recent celebrities or with people you know.
o You must follow the general rules of structure, plot, characters and point of view.
(exposition, rising action, complication[s], climax/catastrophe, denouement)
o You may not tell a story about yourself. (e.g. avoid first-person narrative)
o Most importantly – You must engage & entertain your audience, look for universal ideas.

Your written essay is due by 4pm on Tuesday, February 9th.

It must be submitted via the Digital Dropbox feature within UDC’s Blackboard website.

You may perform (read and interpret) your story during the class meeting on Tuesday, February 9th,
Thursday, February 11th or Friday February 12th
You may wish to provide visual aids, musical instruments or other enhancements.
(you may also select a class mate and force them to read/interpret your story with you)