Short Stories

OVERVIEW: Some stories resonate so deeply with people that they’re passed down generation after generation, often taking on new forms and styles, even while the basic premise and themes remain. After all, artistic production often involves building on or modifying what’s already been produced and proven powerful.

ASSIGNMENT: Select one of the short stories from the reading list and produce a new version by changing at least one major narrative element—i.e., setting, characters, plot, and/or point of view. If you want to change more than one narrative element, that’s fine, so long as the adaptation you produce has clear echoes of the original story. Your adaptation should be at least 1500 words, though depending on the story you’ve chosen and the direction you’ve taken, it may need to be longer.

GRADING CRITERIA: Your score will be based in the following—

Creativity: Is your adaptation imaginative? Does it present the original story in an interesting new way while preserving its spirit?
Coherence: Does your adaptation make sense? Do all the narrative elements fit together? Are the characters and events consistent and believable?
Style: Does the language suit the adaptation? Does it allow the reader to follow along without frustration or confusion?