Dotson Reading #2

- Read, in Dotson’s book, pages 43 thru 55. Respond to what you read, and use these questions if you get stuck: What strikes you as interesting? In what ways do you agree or disagree with him? How does this fit where you are as a writer, and how will it help you become a better one?
(100 words minimum)

 I think it was very interesting reading about the script itself.  I never knew the Americans put immigrants in camps because they felt threatened by them.  It amazes me that to this day, those three men still love America and don’t feel hate towards us for what they went through.  I liked how he commented on gaining an emotion from the story and really emphasizing it.  Not having to many emotions where the audience/viewers feel like they cant relate or follow because the story is all over the place.  I also liked how he said to put words in three.  I think it catches the viewer's attention much more if they can say it out loud and it's easy to remember.  

 - Read this story and watch this one (a bit of a sports theme this week). Write two paragraphs (one about each) that explains how the story uses/handles at least three of these aspects. Give specific examples (100 words in each paragraph, so at least 200 total words).

 Paragraph #1: The number one thing the hockey story emphasizes from the one of the aspects is the surprise.  It builds us up to something we never expected.  It surprised us at first when they switch places and the wrong twin goes out to shoot it and ends up making it but it leads up to surprising us when the next day, they end up giving the half a million dollars back.  They also built up the story’s natural drama well.  They played out every part, from when they’re playing outside to when he makes the shot and the crowd goes wild, to when his brother jumps up and down.  They don’t cut out the after parts of when he makes it.  “When a farming family that could really use the money turns down the money because of their own morality? That's news. That gets rewarded.”  That is an example of how to defeat the remote control.  They add that little sentence and it gets people wanting to know more and being more interested in what’s going to happen next. 

Paragraph #2:  This was a very interesting and unique story.  One of the aspects it uses if "Be Conversational."  They sit down with the reporter and before getting into the focus of the story; the reporter makes little conversation with them and talks about their family and the way their home looks.  Another aspect is "How to defeat the remote control" because it starts out with talking about it being cold and then it makes a comparison to the mother's eyes watering because of the cold weather but because it’s the end of her youngest sons season after twenty-four years of being a fan.  One last aspect it emphasizes is "Surprises."  At the end, the audience expects the story to just end because the youngest boy is done but instead it continues on to say that there is 49 grandchildren and they will continue the rein of the football era.