In English, we completed another narrative unit. Similar to the narrative unit during junior year, the purpose of this unit was to improve our storytelling abilities, conveying need vs want through characterization and plot. However, during this unit, our stories were driven by dialogue. I wrote the same story three times, from three different perspectives. You can read them all below.
It was a comfortable silence. A warm, soothing silence that enveloped you like a cozy sweater. In this moment, a calmness endured, normally consumed by the noisy existence of his three roommates. Only the occasional flipping sound of Maurice’s “AnOther Man” magazine was allowed to permeate the peace he treasured so much.
But the silence couldn’t last forever. Something Maurice didn’t allow pierced through his delicate bubble of tranquility. The slam of the front door signified the return of one of Maurice’s roommates--commotion came along as a package deal. He closed his eyes to keep his senses from being overloaded to prepare for the inevitable, “MAURICE!!! LOOK WHAT I’VE GOT TODAY!” The sound of Carla’s studded boots vibrated throughout the house as she stormed up the stairs, slamming Maurice’s door open with another, “MAURICE!!!!!” His eyes still shut and the AnOther Man over his face, Maurice inhaled deeply, fresh magazine fumes filling his nostrils, and prepared himself for the conversation that he was sure would go on for much longer than he would prefer.
“So I was on my way to get a new A-string for my guitar--remember how it snapped last night (my A-strings always snap)--so I was gonna get another A-string and on my way back from Elixir (because Strings and More wasn’t open today) I saw like the greATEST thing in the world! Like literally Maurice, you won’t even believe it. I can’t wait for you to see this I am so so so excited!!”
Despite Maurice’s silence , Carla rambled on. Each word shot out of her mouth, fracturing the fragile fort of serenity he had been able to spend so little time in.
The fort Maurice had tried so hard to preserve came crashing down.
“Carla, please stop.” She didn’t stop. “Carla, can you go away.” She didn’t go away. “CARLA SHUT UP,” Maurice barked. “I am so tired-I am so done with you and Jordan and Eric AND ESPECIALLY YOU always being so noisy, barging into my room, getting into my space. Can’t you see--can’t you hear how irritating you are? Christ Carla, I don’t know what it is but your voice could be the most annoying thing I am forced to listen to--and that’s including that trash you’re always playing on your stupid little guitar. All I want is just a little peace and quiet so can you please shut up and get out. Right. Now.”
For once, Carla could not speak. She stormed down the stairs and out the door the way she came. As soon as she left, the silence returned, engulfing the house once again. But this time, it wasn’t so satisfying.
The house trembled with violent silence. Maurice had never not been at home in the stillness and noiselessness. Oddly, his usual desire for silence was replaced by the urge to break it.
Maurice stood, the magazine that was over his face falling to the ground with a slap. Through his window, he could see Carla hunched over on a bench. Was she crying?
Well now he felt guilty. Maurice went outside to apologize to Carla, and make himself feel better in the process. Her back was to him when he approached her.
“Hey. I guess I went a little overboard back there...that was gonna come out sooner or later. Like I’m always feeling like no one respects my personal space and it’s really frustrating and today I was just so tired. It’s just that you guys kinda somehow manage to be everywhere and all up in my space all at once and it gets a little bit much sometimes, you know? I mean, I really shouldn’t have said what I said to you...I’m sorry for being a jerk.”
Still facing away from Maurice, Carla began to speak. “Yeah, you are a jerk. But that’s okay. We’re all kind of jerks in a way...I didn’t get a chance to show you what I brought home. Here. This is yours.”
Carla spun around, exuberance gushing back into her voice and body. She held out something black and fuzzy. It appeared to be breathing.
“Look Maurice, he’s perfect for you. You both have black hair, he has black fur, you like quiet, he makes, like, no sound, and didn’t you mention something about wanting a cat? Ooh ouch! His claws need a little trim. So Maurice, I get why you kinda exploded and I accept your apology and I’m sorry too for being so loud all the time (I mean I’m just kind of a loud person) and also barging into your room without being invited. I’ll try to tone it down and respect your privacy better.”
Maurice stared at the kitten in Carla’s hands. He could see his own reflection in the kitten’s dilated pupils as it stared back at him.
“Ohh no am I doing it again?” Carla lowered the kitten. “I can take him back if you don’t want--”
“Carla, he’s great. You’re great,” Maurice interrupted. He delicately scooped the kitten up from Carla’s arms. “I can’t believe you remembered me saying that I missed my cat after moving out of my parents house. I’m sorry I assumed you never considered my feelings. I’m sorry I thought you didn’t get me at all when I actually didn’t get you.”
Snuggled up against Maurice’s oversized hoodie, the kitten’s purrs reverberated like gentle roars.
Maurice glanced down and smiled. “I guess sometimes a bit of noise can be pretty nice... Come on Carla, let’s go look up cute kitten names.”
Man, I am so tired. I definitely have the worst job in the world. Who even sells magazines door to door anymore? Or for that matter, who even reads these dumb things? Well, that old lady I guess. I was at her doorstep for almost an hour describing every single magazine to her because she didn’t know what any of them were. I can’t believe this is my life. It’s been such a long day if I have to force myself to be nice to one more person I swear I will hit something. Thank God no one’s home. No Jordan, no Eric, no Carla to deal with. Just peace and quiet...NO WHAT WAS THAT. Please don’t be the door, please don’t be the door I only had like three seconds to unwind.
“MAURICE!!! LOOK WHAT I’VE GOT TODAY!”
Great. It’s Carla. Is she coming upstairs now? She better not be coming in here…
“MAURICE!!!!!”
...Aaaand she’s in my room. Great. Does she expect me to talk to her? Seriously? Does she not understand what a closed door means? Can’t she just be respectful of my space for once in her life? What is she even saying--you know what, I don’t even care anymore I’m just gonna try to tune her out. Maybe if I ignore her for long enough she’ll just go away. Okay just breathe Maurice, you can make it through this...
Why isn’t she leaving. Why won’t she shut up. Shut up and leave shut up and leave shut up and leave shut up and leave shut up and leave. “Carla, please stop.” Stop stop stop stop stop. “Carla, can you go away.” Go away go away go away go awaygoawaygoawaystopgoawayleavestopgoawayleaveshutupleavestopshutupgoawaygo awaysTOP.
“CARLA SHUT UP, I am so done with you and Jordan and Eric AND ESPECIALLY YOU always being so noisy, barging into my room, getting into my space. Can’t you see--can’t you hear how irritating you are? Christ Carla, I don’t know what it is but your voice could be the most annoying thing I am forced to listen to--and that’s including that trash you’re always playing on your stupid little guitar. All I want is just a little peace and quiet so can you please shut up and get out. Right. Now.”
...Is she gone? Yep, sounds like it. Finally, the peace and quiet I deserve…
It is so quiet in here why is it so quiet in here? Alright thats enough I’m getting up. Is that Carla outside? Is she crying? Ugh now I feel bad. Well I guess I should probably apologize.
Alright, here goes. “Hey. I guess I went a little overboard back there...that was gonna come out sooner or later. Like I’m always feeling like no one respects my personal space and it’s really frustrating and today I was just so tired. It’s just that you guys kinda somehow manage to be everywhere and all up in my space all at once and it gets a little bit much sometimes, you know? I mean, I really shouldn’t have said what I said to you...I’m sorry for being a jerk.”
“Yeah, you are a jerk.” Okay...rude. “But that’s okay. We’re all kind of jerks in a way...I didn’t get a chance to show you what I brought home. Here. This is yours.”
Oh my god that is a kitten.
“Didn’t you mention something about wanting a cat?”
Oh my god she knew I wanted a kitten
“I get why you kinda exploded and I accept your apology and I’m sorry too for being so loud all the time (I mean I’m just kind of a loud person) and also barging into your room without being invited. I’ll try to tone it down and respect your privacy better. ”
Oh my god I am a horrible person.
“Ohh no am I doing it again? I can take him back if you don’t want--”
“Carla, he’s great. You’re great. I can’t believe you remembered me saying that I missed my cat after moving out of my parents house. I’m sorry I assumed you never considered my feelings. I’m sorry I thought you didn’t get me at all when I actually didn’t get you.”
Awww now he’s purring. “I guess sometimes a bit of noise can be pretty nice... Come on Carla, let’s go look up cute kitten names.”
When I saw the kitten in the pet shop I knew he would be perfect for Maurice. He'd been so down in the dumps lately it was making me feel dumpy too. I really hoped this would make him feel better. I couldn’t wait to show Maurice, he was gonna love it! So when I got home I ran straight upstairs to Maurice’s room to surprise him.
MAURICE!!! LOOK WHAT I’VE GOT TODAY!”
The kitten I got for him was going to be exactly what needed to happen to get Maurice to stop being a wet blanket all the time. I didn't want him to like freak out so before he could get up and see it I just started trying to explain this whole situation from the beginning.
“CARLA SHUT UP”
Woah Maurice, rude much?
“I am so tired-I am so done with you and Jordan and Eric AND ESPECIALLY YOU always being so noisy, barging into my room, getting into my space. Can’t you see--can’t you hear how irritating you are? Christ Carla, I don’t know what it is but your voice could be the most annoying thing I am forced to listen to--and that’s including that trash you’re always playing on your stupid little guitar. All I want is just a little peace and quiet so can you please shut up and get out. Right. Now.”
That was just straight up mean. I really didn't want to be yelled at by Maurice anymore so I just went outside. Taking the kitten with me, I plopped myself down on a bench near the house.
“Well kitty, I’m glad you don’t speak English because that was brutal. Like that was so uncool and totally uncalled for...wasn’t it? I hate him--no I don’t. I hope you don’t hate Maurice either--he usually doesn’t yell like that. He really isn’t that bad you know, he’s just been a little moody lately and I’m hoping you can make him feel better. And I bet you will since you’re the cutest thing in the world.”
That’s when Maurice came up behind me. It seemed like he was finished with the yelling because at a normal Maurice volume he said, “hey. I guess I went a little overboard back there...that was gonna come out sooner or later. Like I’m always feeling like no one respects my personal space and it’s really frustrating and today I was just so tired. It’s just that you guys kinda somehow manage to be everywhere and all up in my space all at once and it gets a little bit much sometimes, you know? I mean, I really shouldn’t have said what I said to you...I’m sorry for being a jerk.”
I’ve always been told that I can be a lot to take on sometimes but I never really understood what people meant by that.Maybe alt-metal/rock music isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and rooms have doors for a reason.
“Yeah, you are a jerk. But that’s okay. We’re all kind of jerks in a way.”
I couldn’t be mad at Maurice for long--well who could be mad when they’re holding a tiny adorable fuzzball? I held up the kitten for him to see.
Maurice just stared. I was expecting a different reaction; the one I envisioned involved smiling, multiple thank yous, and overall cheeriness but I just got a blank.
This was not what I had planned. I wanted Maurice to be happy, not whatever this was. Why wasn’t he happy? Was this not what he wanted? Was it me again?
“Ohh no am I doing it again? I can take him back if you don’t want,” I began.
“Carla, he’s great. You’re great,” Maurice interrupted, taking the kitten. “I’m sorry I assumed you never considered my feelings. I’m sorry I thought you didn’t get me at all when I actually didn’t get you.”
Yes! I got a smile out of Maurice!! He and his new kitten are so super cute together. I almost squealed in excitement but I held myself back because no noises were going to ruin this moment.
Then Maurice broke the silence with something I never would have expected...“I guess sometimes a bit of noise can be pretty nice... Come on Carla, let’s go look up cute kitten names.”
After the narrative unit, we ventured into surrealism. We created a collection of writing modeled off surrealist writing exercises and games.
During the blink unit, we began each day with meditation followed by a quick write. The purpose of this unit was to explore our automatic thinking by reacting to a prompt. We had to write down each thought that came into our minds, writing continuously without overanalyzing our thoughts.
