YEAR 10 ENGLISH

Creative Writing

HUMAN NATURE

30/11/23
 thinking
decisions
life and good vs evil passion
death
behaviours
choices Human Nature

motivation
why do we
do the nature vs
things that nurture
we do?
Today's Points 01 Human Nature

02 Positive and Negative qualities

03 Flight Mode

04 Creative Writing

05 Share the ending

Positive and negative qualities

Positive Negative
Flight Mode
 Write your own

Create your own short story that explores

positive or negative characteristics. Include an
unexpected ending!
 YEAR 10 ENGLISH

Creative Writing
HUMAN NATURE
what makes a complex
character?
Complex characters are usually a mix
of positive and negative traits.
Create your own complex
character
Character Name
Personality Traits
Good Habits / Bad Habits
Relationships
Lifestyle Choices
Goals for Life
Biography
Experiences that form their backstory.
 Creating and Constructing
Narratives
■Human behaviour is fascinating!
■How people react in pleasant or difficult situations is the basis
of story-telling.

■Consider the images in the next few slides…

 What is going on?
■Who are these people? How do they feel in this moment?
■What is event? Is it enjoyable or frightening?
 Show Don’t Tell…

Tell: Two girls are hugging. They are very happy that their sport team has won.
Show:
Amira and Robin met at the bus stop. They had woken early to make sure they did
not miss a moment of this special day – the day their team finally made it to the
Grand Final.
“Have you got the snacks, Robin?”
“Yep, stashed in my backpack, ready for the day! But,” Amira reflected, “I am
probably going to be too psyched to eat anything.”
The whoosh of the breaks on the bus alerted them to its arrival. Collecting their
bags, they climbed the steps of the bus, barely containing the excitement they were
feeling. They were on their way to see their favourite team battle it out for the win
of the year.
What is going on? Teen BBQ?
■Who are these people? How do they feel in this moment?
■What is event? Is it enjoyable or frightening?

Show the story

 Reading the Writing of Others
■Irony = is usually a kind of humour where a situation appears to be one thing – but
is actually the opposite.
For example: an English teacher who cannot splle; a fireman is also an arsonist

■Dramatic Irony = the audience knows something the characters, in the narrative,
do not know.
For example: the audience may know who a murderer is well before the protagonist.

■Sarcasm = a statement that usually means the opposite of what is really

happening.
For example: on a very windy day – just a slight breeze; a little bit pregnant
 The Writing of Others: Lamb To The
Slaughter By Roald Dahl
■Genre = Mystery, Comedy
Mary Maloney, who loves her husband Patrick, who is a Detective on the police force, and waits
for him to come home each day at 5:00 pm. She runs her home well and keeps it very tidy. Her
husband is a respectable police officer. They are expecting their first baby.
For her, this was always a blissful time of day. She knew he didn’t want to speak much until the
first drink was finished, and she, on her side, was content to sit quietly, enjoying his company
after the long hours alone in the house. She loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man, and to
feel – almost as a sunbather feels the sun – that warm male glow that came out of him to her
when they were alone together. She loved him for the way he moved slowly across the room with
long strides. She loved the intent look in his eyes as he drank his whisky.
 The Writing of Others: Lamb To The
Slaughter By Roald Dahl
■Patrick tells his wife he is leaving her just as she is about to make dinner. She has taken meat
out of the freezer and turned the oven on.
At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung
the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back
of his head.
She might as well have hit him with a steel club.
He remained standing for a few seconds then crashed to the carpet – dead.
oOo
Mary Maloney puts the lamb in the oven and calls the police to report a crime.
 The Writing of Others: Lamb To The
Slaughter By Roald Dahl
■The police have arrived to investigate the death of Mary’s husband and their colleague. After
a few hours searching for evidence – especially the murder weapon, Mary offers the police
supper.
“Well,” she said. “Here you all are, and good friends of dear Patrick, helping to catch the man
who killed him. You must be terrible hungry by now. Why don’t you eat that lamb that’s in the
oven? It will be well-cooked by now.”
As the policemen ate the lamb, they discussed where the weapon could be.
“Probably right under our noses,” replied the officer.
oOo
 Using your created character…

■Describe an event in which your character may be involved

■Identify and describe the emotions experienced by your character
■Include a moment where positive qualities may switch to negative qualities
■Focus on including some narrative features to enhance your story