Point of View – the angle from which the story is told

Thailand‘s Goals

ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY

5. Point of View – the angle from which the story is told

Here are three different parts of a story. On the blank after each paragraph, write whether the given part is the beginning, middle and end of the story.

Suddenly, the boat tilted to the left. ―Steady!‖ cried our teacher, ―stay where you are!‖ We kept calm .We prayed hard and followed all of our teacher‘s instructions.

Answer: ---

Finally, the fox grumbled. ―I don‘t want those grapes anyway. I know they must be sour.‖

Then, he went away.

Answer: ---

Once there was a child who liked summer best. He lived on a farm and every summer, he enjoyed harvesting corn, vegetables and fruits.

Answer: ---

3. Conflict - It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.

There are two types of conflict:

a. External – refers to outside forces that may cause conflict, like another human being, circumstances, environment, etc.

b. Internal - refers a struggle within oneself. The character maybe debating inside himself about what to do.

4. Character – there are two meanings for the word character: the person in a work of fiction and the characteristics of a person. He may be the protagonist, the good-natured character, or the antagonist, the opponent of the main character.

The author may reveal a character in several ways: his physical appearance, what he/she says, thinks feels and dreams; what he/she does or does not do; and what others say about him/her.

5. Point of View – the angle from which the story is told

6. Theme – it is the controlling idea or value in a piece of fiction. The theme maybe the author‗s idea about a topic or view of human nature.

(For further information, visit http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca?engramja/elements.html.)

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Activity 10: MATCHING

From the pool of words below, choose the appropriate answer to the following descriptions.

Climax Introduction Denouement Falling Action Rising Action

___________1. The setting and characters are revealed.

___________2. The highest point of interest in the story

___________3. The main character faces a conflict or problem.

___________4. The ending where the final outcome of the story is shown ___________5. The problems and complications are resolved.

Language Recall: Coordinate Conjunctions Observe the following sentences:

1. Makato never idled and never complained.

2. He did every kind of work, yet he remained cheerful.

3. Makato had no sister or a brother to take care of him.

4. He tried his luck in a far-off land, so he became successful.

5. Makato was an orphan, but he was able to achieve his goals.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:

1. What words are connected by and in sentence 1?

_________________________________________________________

2. What are the two clauses that are joined by yet in sentence 2?

_________________________________________________________

3. What are the phrases that are connected by or in sentence 3?

_________________________________________________________

4. What are the clauses that are joined by so in sentence 4?

_________________________________________________________

5. What are the clauses that are joined by but in sentence 5?

_________________________________________________________

Sentence 1 uses and to show addition of thought or ideas.

Sentence 2 uses yet to show contrast of idea.

Sentence 3 uses or to join nouns of equal rank.

Sentence 4 uses so to show result.

Sentence 5 uses but to show contrast of idea.

Therefore, when you want to link and join words, phrases and clauses, use a conjunction.

Coordinating conjunctions join words, phrases and clauses of equal rank.

And is used to connect words, phrases and clauses of which are equal.

Or/ Nor implies a consequence or choice.

But / Yet is used to express contrast of idea. It joins an affirmative and negative sentence pattern.

So is used to show a result.

Activity 11: WORK WITH COORDINATES

Directions: Read the sentence carefully and encircle the conjunction.

Underline the words, phrases and clauses it joins.

1. Philippines and Thailand are both Asian countries.

2. Thailand shifted from agriculture to manufacturing, so she gained a thirty percent economic growth.

3. Philippines, like Thailand, enjoys a tropical climate, so both are tourist destinations in Asia.

4. The tourism sector is Thailand‘s highest income generator and largest foreign exchange contributor.

5. Thailand focused on food processing, but she developed heavily in export promotion.

6. Much of Thailand‘s success was attributed to the growing independence of countries in the Asia –Pacific Region and the shift to the area of manufacturing and tourism.

Activity 12: COMBINE/FUSE

1. Most cars are now equipped with radial tires. The chances for common blowouts are reduced.

_______________________________________________________________________

2. The magazine contained only six articles .They were all about politics or sports.

_______________________________________________________________________

3. The meat was spoiled by the time I returned home .I had forgotten to put it in the refrigerator when I left.

_______________________________________________________________________

Directions: Combine the following sentences below using the coordinate conjunctions. Write your sentences in the blanks provided.

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4. Philippines and Thailand are members of the ASEAN. They work for unity, peace and progress in the region.

_______________________________________________________________________

5. Both countries have diversity of culture. Their traditions and beliefs bring harmony and unity.

_______________________________________________________________________

Activity 13: SUPPLY THE PARTS

Directions: Complete the sentences by supplying additional words, phrases and clauses. Write your sentences on the blanks.

1. Thais love spicy food and Chinese_______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2. Filipinos and Thais have water dwellers so________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

3. Riverside markets are attractions for small businessmen and___________________

___________________________________________________________________

4. Sidewalk eateries mushroomed along the streets yet_________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. Traffic jams and pedicabs are both a sight to see and to experience and__________

___________________________________________________________________

Activity 14: GUESS WHAT?

Directions: Read each sentence carefully and choose from the word pool the character traits are inferred in the following lines. Write your answer at the end of the statements.

1. Makato had no brother or sister to take care of him. His father and mother died._____

2. He never idled, fed the pigs, and cleaned the forests._________

3. He never complained and was satisfied. ____________

4. He did every kind of work, like carrying heavy things.__________

5. He tried his luck in a far-off land.__________________

honest orphaned good-natured ambitious hardworking proactive adventurous grateful industrious naturalist

6. Makato thought about what he liked to do in the future.__________

7. He picked up the shell and handed it to the king._______

8. He planted the ground with more seedlings._________

9. He knelt down and gave the king lettuces.____________

Activity 15: CONSTRUCTING

Directions: Construct sentences using the words found in the word pool.

Work with your seatmate and do peer-checking. Find out if the words were used properly in the sentence.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

The selection which you are about to read is a Thai folktale. Its theme is centered on the Buddhist principle of suppressing one‘s earthly desire to achieve enlightenment.

Draw out the Filipino values and traits of the character which enable him to become successful and better person. Find out the author‘s purpose of writing this selection.

Discover also Thai‘s traditions and beliefs, as well as its diversity of culture which shaped you as a Filipino.

Makato and the Cowrie Shell (A Thai Folktale)

by Supanee Khanchanathiti

O

nce upon a time, there was a boy whose name was Makato. He was an orphan, for his father and mother died when he was very young. He had no brothers, sisters, cousins or friends to take care of him, so he had to make a living for himself. He did every kind of work—carrying heavy things, clearing away the forest, or feeding pigs. He never idled. Although he was paid only small wages, he was satisfied.

He knew that if he would not work, he would starve. Wherever he went, his employers praised him for being sensible, hardworking, good-tempered and cheerful.

One fine evening after he had finished chopping up a big pile of wood, he sat down to rest and thought of all he would like to do in the future. He wanted to try his luck in far–

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off strange lands, for he longed for exciting adventures.

―What are you thinking about so deeply, my boy?‖ asked his employer.

―I would like to go on a journey for adventure,‖ said Makato, pointing to the northeast. ―I heard that the called Sukhothai,‖ said his employer.

―They say Pra Ruang of Sukhothai is a very kind–hearted king. You might be lucky if you could go there.‖

Sometime later, Makato decided to try his fortune. He left his

village and set out in the wide world .He walked along cheerfully, enjoying new insights and talking to the people he met on the way. After a month‘s journey, he reached a village on the boundary of the Kingdom of Sukhothai.

―Please, can I have some water to drink?‖ Makato asked an old woman with a big water pot on her head. ―I‘m so thirsty.‖

―Where did you come from? Why are you here alone? You look as if you‘ve come a long way,‖ said the old woman, pouring cold water from her pot into a small cup and handling it to Makato.

―Thank you so much,‖ said the boy. ―Who are your father and mother? Haven‘t you any family?‖ the old woman asked again.

―I come from the City of Mon over there,‖ replied Makato. ―Good heavens! Have you really come from Môn? How is it that you are travelling alone, such a young boy as you are?‖

―I wanted to see Pra Ruang of Sukhothai,‖ replied Makato.‖They say he is a very kind-hearted king.‖ ―You are a very determined boy!‖ said the woman.‖Come along with me .Who knows? You might see Pra Ruang someday.‖

Makato was glad to go with her. If he could work with this kind of woman, he would have a place to sleep, some food to eat and perhaps someday, he might be lucky enough to see the king.

The old woman was one of the Pra Ruang Mahouts, which meant that she helped the mahout find the food for the elephant and clean out the elephants‘ sheds. He worked hard and well, and the mahout and his wife grew fond of him.

One day, the sky was clear and the weather so fine, it seemed to Makato that it must be a lucky day. As he worked in the elephants‘ sheds, a tall young man in a splendid costume, followed by attendants, came in. It was Pra Ruang himself. Makato bowed low at once with his hands clasped together before him.

His heart beat fast. ―Where did the boy come from?‖ the king asked the mahout, who was attending him. ―How old is he?‖ the king asked further. ―12 years old, your Majesty,‖

replied the mahout. ―A good-looking and hardworking boy,‖ said the king. ―Take good care of him.‖

As the king walked away, Makato saw a little cowrie shell lying on the ground .He ran to pick up and held it to the king, but the king said with a smile, ―You may keep it.‖

―How wonderful!‖ Makato thought, ―the king has given me a cowrie shell.‖

At the time, the people of Sukhothai used cowrie shells as money. Although one cowrie had little value, Makato wanted to make as much use of it as possible, for it was the king‘s gift. For a long time, he could not think of a way to use it so that it would earn money for him.

One day, he passed by a stall in the market where the seeds of many different plants were sold. He looked along the stall and caught sight of a basket full of lettuce seed.

Lettuces! He could grow small plants like that. He asked the joyful woman at the stall, ―Can I buy some lettuce seed?‖

―Oh yes, my boy. How much do you want?‖ said the old woman. ―I have one cowrie shell!‖ said Makato. ―One cowrie shell!‖ said the woman, laughing.‖ That won‘t buy anything. I can‘t even measure that much.‖

―Look!‖ said Makato eagerly. ―I will dip my finger into the pile of seeds. Then, I will take the seeds that stick to it. That must be right for one cowrie shell.‖ ―Well, why not?‖ said the amused woman at his suggestions. ―All right boy. Help yourself.‖

Makato paid the woman his one cowrie shell .Then, he dipped his finger into the pile of seeds. When he pulled his wet finger out, it was covered with seeds. He carefully scraped them of his finger into the palm of his hand and went away, happily clutching the seeds.

Now that he had seeds, Makato broke the soil and sowed them at once. He watered the seed bed every day and soon, the young plants appeared. Day by day, he cleared more ground and planted more lettuce seedlings until the kitchen garden was covered with them. He was very proud of himself because he had done so well.

―I wish I could give the king some lettuces,‖ he thought.

One day, the king passed by the elephants‘ sheds again. Makato waited for an opportunity, then knelt down and proudly presented his biggest lettuces to the king.

―Where did you get this?‖ the king asked, surprised. ―I grew them from the cowrie shell you gave me, Your Majesty,‖ answered Makato, beaming with a smile.

―How could you do that?‖ asked the puzzled king. Makato told the king the whole story. The king was impressed with his intelligence and industry, so much so that later on, he gave Makato a job in the palace.

As the years passed, Makato grew tall and handsome. He mastered every grace and served the king well. He was so loyal that the king trusted him absolutely. He was promoted to higher positions until he was given a title of Kun Wang, which meant that he was the most important person in the king‘s court. He was also happily married to the beautiful young daughter of the king. After that, the king made him the ruler of the Mon.

So it was that Makato, who had once been a poor orphan, became the king of that prosperous kingdom.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:

1. Describe Makato. What character traits does he possess?

2. What could be the reason why Makato left his place?

3. Through inferring what the character says, does and thinks, one can recognize the traits of a literary character. Cite lines, actions and thoughts which show Makato‘s traits..

4. What were those changes in Makato‘s life after meeting the king?

Enumerate.

5. Which of Makato‘s traits are similar to yours?

6. How would you nurture and enhance your positive traits? In what ways?

7. What lessons in life does the author want to convey to you? Are these true to all ages and races?

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Activity 16: PAINT A PICTURE

What are Makato‘s character traits? Describe his appearance, attitude, action and speech. Fill up the character web with your answers and explain each trait.

Character _______________

_______________

Articulation Action

Attitude Appearance

what the character does

what the character says

what the character looks like

how the character feels

Activity 17: COMPARE AND SHARE

Using the Venn diagram on the next page, compare yourself with Makato.

Be guided by the following questions:

1. What traits do you both share? Write your answers between two circles.

2. Write your character traits, which are different from Makato‘s, inside the right circle.

3. Write Makato‘s character traits, which are different from yours, inside the left circle.

4. Which of those traits would you like to improve? Explain.

Activity 18: LAY THE ROAD MAP

Using the timeline, plot the events which led to Makato‘s success. Be guided by the following key questions:

1. What kind of life did he have at the beginning of the story? Describe.

2. What motivated him to leave his place?

3. How did the king recognize him? Cite the incident that showed it.

4. What did he do with the cowrie shell?

5. What was his reward from the king?

Past

Future

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Activity 19: DARE TO CLIMB?

Plot the events in the story by writing them inside the space provided. Be able to answer the guide questions below. Explain your work.

1. What is the beginning of the story?

2. What is the rising action?

3. What is the climax of the story?

4. What is the falling action?

5. What is the denouement?

Climax

Introduction

Falling Action Rising Action

Denouement

Activity 20: INTROSPECTING

What lessons in life have you learned from Makato‘s experiences? Write a 5-7 sentence paragraph. Provide your own title.

__________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Activity 21: CONNECTING...PAIRING

Directions: Compose sentences describing the character traits of Makato using coordinate conjunctions. Work with a partner and brainstorm ideas to come up with a 5-7 sentence paragraph.

__________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

You are going to read your work orally in front of the class. You may choose from the following topics:

 Makato, the Teenager

 My Brief Encounter With Makato

 Makato‘s Dream and My Dream

 How Makato Influenced My Life

 In What Ways Can I Build Peace and Unity

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We are embarking on the next activity by learning about another Asian neighbour, Egypt. The selection enables you to deeply appreciate its customs and beliefs which are similar to ours.

Find out if your focus questions, ―How does diversity contribute to unity?‖ and ―How do traditions and beliefs bring about diversity and or harmony?‖ can be answered.

Let us discover and explore one of the most interesting Arab countries. Find out its unique traditions and beliefs.

Egypt is famous for its Pyramid at Giza and the Giant Statue known as The Sphinx. She is considered a modern nation in an ancient land and considered the most populous country.

Discover this country by observing the pictures on top or watching a documentary film. Activate your senses to draw out information.

Activity 22: PAIRED APPROACH

Work with a partner and discuss relevant issues. Be guided by the following questions:

1. What country is described in the film/pictures?

2. What knowledge and information did you get after watching/ observing?

3. Describe what you see, feel, hear and/or touch.

4. What attracted you most about this country? Do you think you have common interests, culture, or similar customs and traditions? What make Egyptians different from Filipinos or Thais?

Activity 23: SENSE IT!

Using the sense web on the next page, fill in the circles with your answers and compare your work with your seatmate. Do you have similar answers?

What impressed you most about this country?

Sound Sight

EGYPT

Touch

Taste

Smell SENSE WEB

Activity 24: SUMMING UP!

Write a 5-7 sentence paragraph describing Egypt using the information you placed in the sense web. Find a partner and discuss relevant information about the country.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

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Activity 25: WHAT ELEMENT?

To prepare you to fully understand the text you are about to read, review the elements of a short story by answering the activity below.

Rearrange the letters of the words below.

TRACREHAR - ______________

TLOP - ______________

GITETNS - ______________

TCFIOCNL - ______________

ETLIT - ______________

Now, you are slowly going deeper into understanding human nature and the experiences of other people of different races. Have you realized something? Are human thoughts, feelings and emotions universal? Do they manifest in every race and culture?

Let us see how you will work on the next activity but first, let us recall our lessons on idioms or idiomatic expressions to be able to fully appreciate the beauty of these in the next reading text you are about to read.

In document Grade 8 English Learner's Material.pdf Complete (Page 158-176)