Inspired by: The Lost Happy Endings - Week 5

Inspired by Carol Ann Duffy's "The Lost Happy Endings," students delve into the author's craft, analyzing how language and literary devices captivate the reader. The lesson invites students to evaluate Duffy's vocabulary choices, punctuation, and sentence structure, examining how each element contributes to the narrative's allure. Through close reading, learners identify examples of figurative language, such as similes, metaphors, and personification, and discuss their effects. This exploration not only enhances their appreciation of Duffy's style but also informs their understanding of how authors manipulate language to evoke emotions and responses in their audience.

Another activity centers on Jub's Short Story, teaching students the art of précising longer passages. After Jub's tale catches the attention of a local radio station, she must condense her story to fit a brief time slot. This exercise challenges students to distil the essence of the narrative, stripping away extraneous details to convey the core events succinctly. Similarly, an exercise based on Jub's Diary Entry focuses on the use of punctuation for clarity and effect. Students examine how Jub's use of brackets, dashes, and commas provides additional information and prevents ambiguity. By identifying these punctuation marks in various texts, learners work towards establishing generalized rules for their usage, enhancing their writing skills.