Act as though you were going to write a story similar to "Flower Children" about your own family or The Kinkaid School. Write an introductory paragraph using a 3rd person, "they", omniscient narrator (see the first paragraph of "Flower Children" for reference) in which the reader gets a clear idea about the family or students, home or school, and values of the characters. Insert your paragraph into a comment below this post.
They tend to walk in groups, only a few walk alone. Oftentimes they are in a hurry. Many run through the halls, occasionally brushing by one another. Once they rush into a classroom they seem relaxed, although out of breath. Many seem stressed, comparing homework, notes, grades in the hall, whispering between themselves. They relish when they can go to lunch, they leap out of their classes and walk chattily through the new, modern looking hallways. Their attitudes seem different, they are much more reserved and calm in class. At the end of the day the girls shed their boots for athletic shoes, and the boys their t-shirts and khaki's for athletic clothes. They're most relaxed at the end of the day, when they pull out their iphones and drive away, exhausted, from school.
ReplyDeleteThey spend the majority of the day together with each other. Although this is true, they wake up together and spend the night together. Every morning they eat breakfast and dinner together, reading the newspaper together and sharing stories. At night they tell what happened to them that day, eat the same things, and think about the missing one. They say prayer together each night, thinking the same things as each other. After dinner they take time out of their busy day to watch T.V. with each other. They always watch the Office together pondering why they still watch the show after seeing every episode on their DVD. Then they have to split up and do their work. They each have their own hobbies to do at night but they always end up back together for dessert. They make the same dessert every night and eat chocolate chip covered Nutella crackers. Each night they fall asleep at different times looking forward to the next morning where they wake up and see each other again at breakfast.
ReplyDeleteThey tend to walk alone even though when they get home they are a tight nit group sharing everything that happens that day. Every day at lunch they sit by one another because the other kids at school see them as different or awkward even though they are most likely smarter than each and everyone else at the school. Other than this they spend no time side by side they each have there own friend circle one hangs with athletes, the other with nerds, and another with the semi athletic semi nerds. Oddly they don't share a class together but they all have the same teachers like it was set up for them to never meet. After school they all go there own separate ways one to sports one , goes home, and the other stays and does homework until the person they call Mom picks them up .
ReplyDeleteThey come in early, dreary from the ride over. Some come in groups, carpool or by way of the shuttle; some come alone, those who have their license as well as a parking spot; some are dropped off, by parents or many cases nannies. Some come in relaxed, some come in rushed, some come in worried for the day ahead. They all arrive at different times, a bell rings and they all sigh. They sluggishly get up, leaving their friends to go to their lockers then meeting again to go to class. They sit with many of the same friends once in the classroom, the teacher begins. They either listen intently or gaze off. They gaze off to the posters everywhere, some funny, some informative, some meaningful. Posters in every room are different, but two remain the same: one is yellow, stating "ON MY HONOR, I PLEDGE THAT I HAVE NOT VIOLATED THE HONOR CODE" the other contains four words, "Honesty, Responsibility, Respect, and Kindness".
ReplyDeleteThey spend time together, yet they spend time apart. Most nights, they go to sleep under the same roof, and wake up in the same house. They talk to each other, yet keep their distance. They're mean to each other and love each other at the same time. They retreat back to our rooms and make an appearance for dinner. At dinner, they always end up arguing and leaving the table, furious. They comfort each other when they're upset. From the outside looking in, they appear close, and they are. When one appears upset , they can easily to tell. They are cliquey; the young and the old, the girls and the boys. They are different people but in times of need, they come together as a family.
ReplyDeleteThey come in droves early in the morning; most are dreary eyed from the lack of sleep, yet some are perky. Most walk through the halls in small groups while a few dare to face the world alone. They acknowledge each others' presence with a nod or a wave that is generally sincere. When the bell rings, the halls crowd with people rushing to their next class, dreading an upcoming test or quiz. In every class, these people try to be perfect, and they are let down when there performance is less than that. In class there is silence, and excuses are rarely made if homework was not down, but most people feel the obligation to do it anyway. When they leave after the final bell, most go off to their designated sports while some head strate home. By the time everyone has gotten home, all the bonds of friendship are forgotten in the rush to complete their homework.
ReplyDeleteThey are all united by a common bond. Many do not acknowledge this but all know it is there. They spend their time daydreaming trying to stay attentive but never succeeding. They hear the bell and are relieved they have 5 minutes they can say a quick hello to their friends. They wait anxiously for lunch, and most for their free period as well. They juggle their way through the day; finish an assignment before class, get that last second of studying in, try to find some time to relax. They trudge through the year; through the many ups and downs. They cannot contain themselves when holidays come around, filling the halls with laughter and gaiety. They are constantly forced to look forward toward the future. They have to think about future tests, projects, assignments, games, days away from the madness. They are hard-working and overworked. They are students.
ReplyDeleteThey uphold the values of respect, kindness, honesty, and responsibility. Everyday they work with equipped teachers and coaches ready to teach them subjects of the arts, athletics, and academics. Most of them are excited to learn whereas others are not. They come to school either worried for the test that they have scheduled or concerned about not finishing the previous night’s homework. In first period, most students are still half asleep, wishing they could crawl back into bed. People pass each other in the hallways, with a smile, a nod, or no expression at all. Most of them are too preoccupied to even notice the other person approaching them. Once 5th period rolls around, everyone begins thinking what their mom put in their lunch bag or what they will purchase from the cafeteria. At the end of the day, some go home, go to sports, or some take part in an extracurricular activity. Once at home, they begin their homework to prepare themselves for the following day at the Kinkaid School.
ReplyDeleteEveryday, except for some Fridays, they gather in the room upstairs, entitled "debate", and can be found there at almost any point in the day. They spend tutorial there, their free periods there, lunches there, and even after school. In that "sacred" area, they talk and talk and talk. They talk about everything they don't talk about outside of the room. They talk about arguments, and about everything else. But most of all, they joke around, push each other around, and laugh it off at the end of the day. Even the couple of "I hate you"'s are brushed off and exchanged for jokes all around. They become different people in that room. The once quiet, introverted ones, become the most popular ones because of their all-knowing minds, wittiness, and willingness. On Fridays and onwards, they come together as one and travel together as one, under the prestigious name, "Kinkaid Debate".
ReplyDeleteHe feels relived and complete when the brother and sister come home. He has been looking forward to this weekend for days. The sister comes more frequently than the brother. When they are united, they feel happy. Glad to be together again. Then every-so-often, a comment is made. The woman's comment has the power to bring the cheer and laughter to a halt. They roll their eyes and become impatient as the words roll off her tongue. Even though they are use to the harsh comments, they still sit in anger. They all have looks of disbelief. A moment or two goes by, they forget it happened. It has become a part of their daily routine. Then the brother is gone. He gets the chance to be with the sister more often. He lays in his bed at night, counting down the days until they are together. Nothing allows him to feel the same joy without them. Apart, they are able to get by. Together, they feel happy and united. Nothing can stop them.
ReplyDeleteThey drive through the carpool lane every week, Monday through Friday. During each drive, they are worn out from school work from the previous day. They seem either worried about a grade or anxious about starting the day. They walk into school. They slowly head towards their locker to put up their books. Their eyes show the exhaust they feel. They go to the Moran Upper School Library and do some last minute studying or homework.The bell rings that signals 5 minutes until first period. They retrieve their books and meet up with a friend in the same class. They start to walk to the class together while they talk. They see teachers all around them and know that they have to be on their best behavior. They have to follow the core values of the school: honesty, responsibility, respect, and kindness. They fear to get in trouble. They enter the classroom... The school day has officially started.
ReplyDeleteAt the sound of the bell, they emerge and begin scurrying from place to place. the emerge from a variety of places-- the library with hands full of books, the cafeteria with the last bite of breakfast disintegrating in their mouths, classrooms relieved with looks on their faces. As they rush, some make pit stops at their lockers and some dash straight into their first class, scared of another tardy. Some linger in the halls or in the library while in transit to their class and finish or pause their conversations and debates from tutorial, giving one last argument for their point or promising to pick up the topic when they meet again at lunch. When they finally arrive in class, some of them whip out their computers, some of them yank out notebooks and pens, some stare off aimlessly into space while others decide to strike up new conversations. No matter what, they all wait for the bell, some dread it, few look forward to it, but all of them hear it. Once that bell rings, the day has officially begun for all of them. They all know that for the next six and a half hours, they are going to be working. Whether they are singing, writing, dancing, or reading, they are all one student body.
ReplyDeleteThey walk the halls. The jocks, the loners, the scholars, and the socialites walk, talk and breathe Kinkiad. They intermingle, often switching groups throughout the day. They feel anxiety towards all tests, yet take quizes with a grain of salt. They live as cells, working for the betterment of the organism, a.k.a their de facto day home. They chatter their way through the halls to their hypnosis chambers, interrupting the indoctrination only for lunch, and during this time is when their anxiety or ebullient froth flows over the rim of the pot.
ReplyDeleteThey come to school early in the morning, usually holding a mug of coffee and looking extremely tired. Before the first bell rings, they hang out in groups, talking and laughing as they sit in the hallways, the library, the commons, or the cafeteria. They sometimes gather together, all four grades, when there are assemblies. In them, they doze off at least once in a semester. When school starts, they panic and start speed-walking wherever they go. They dart out of their classes when the bell rings, snatch a book or two from their lockers, and dash to their next class like they’re running relays. They are nearly always in a hurry when school starts, but there are those few moments when they get to relax and chat with friends while eating lunch out of crackly Styrofoam boxes. They all study under the four core values. They are all one group, one population. They are all one family of extremely stressed students.
ReplyDeleteThey only had ten years of living under the same roof, but they haven't let the inevitable separation of life tear them apart; rather, they have become best friends. They share a steel bond that has very nearly broken on several occasions but that ends up tighter once it has been stretched. They come together, the young, middle, and old, maybe four times a year, but there is no need for catching up since they are constantly texting their group thread. There is no competition between them; they are one another's biggest fans. They share advice and wisdom and each one paves the way for the next. Sometimes they do each other's work, although they are all more than capable on their own. They have lived comfortably their whole lives but they have seen things that no one else will understand, not if you aren't them. But they relish the fact that no one is quite like them; they embrace their oddity, and they like it.
ReplyDeleteThey storm into the halls as soon as the bell rings, overwhelmed by the environment of a classroom. They linger in the hallways, savoring every moment away from "school." They see kids of all different races eagerly racing to their next class, and cannot understand the joviality that other kids experience from learning. It seems like a routine to them, simply moving from class to class in a monotonous fashion. The final bell rings, and their day has begun. They excitedly meet up with their friends and walk to the locker room with a sense of urgency. Then, they change from their clothes to a uniform and trot out to their playing field. They endure rigorous training and conditioning and enjoy every minute of it. They escape the stress and anxiety of the classroom. They feel a sense of accomplishment once practice has ended, until they realize that they must go home and return to "school," which is homework.
ReplyDeleteThey pile on the bus at 3:05 sharp. They put on headphones and time their speeches, making last minute changes. They stand in the back of the bus and change into nice pants, wanting to look their best. As the bus pulls up to their jail for the weekend, they stumble off and file into the cafeteria. They check room assignments and scope out the competition, sizing everybody up and down in their minds. When the time comes, they go their separate ways with nothing tying them together except the name. The name makes them a team, and a very elite one at that. They stand with their heads high, spewing out statistics and information to make sure that the judge across the room knows that THEY are right. And as they are questioned, they fire back replies easily and without hesitation. They debate. Then, as the clock approaches midnight and yawns begin to fill the room, they climb back on the bus. And they ride home to a world were all it is seen as is a wasted friday night.
ReplyDeleteThere's something special about the way they look at each other. It's like they're all six soul mates in some sort of heavenly plan. In each of their eyes, a twinkle hovers over their pupils and sings a calming lullaby. Their blood remains thick and strong. Every time they look at each other you can see that they'd jump in front of a bullet for each other without even thinking. Their smiles flash like floods, consuming everything but the peace. They gather close every friday for "Friday Family Fun Night," where they watch a movie in dimmed lights under warm blankets. They stay close to each other because that's what it means to be a family; it means that they must continue to hold on to each other as long as they can. In the night, they pray that there will be some sort of change with the universe, that they'll never have to leave each other. They want life to continue on as it is without their twinkled eyes fading over time. But they know that eventually it will end. They know that time won't cease, and eventually families must end the way everything ends. But they'll still hold each other. They'll ignore the fact that they don't have long.
ReplyDeleteThey are quite a daring group. There are very few people, especially in Texas, who are brave enough to play a sport that is so often regarded as a sport only for girls. At four o'clock each day, they run laps in the gym. They stretch, sometimes counting in German or Latin, which is funny, because by no means are they language nerds. They then proceed to the court, where they jump and whack leather and rubber balls as hard as they can over the 8 foot high net. At six o'clock, they go home, ready to come back early tomorrow to leave for Dallas, where they will play the few other teams in the state.
ReplyDeleteThey stumble through the halls at an early 8:00 in the morning, not eager to go to their first class. They try to keep their eyes open during class, but it is hard due to their lack of sleep. Hours and hours of work keep them up at night, and they wish more than anything for a break. They go through the day just waiting for lunch so they can converse with their friends and stop worrying about school for at least 45 minutes. They seem stressed as they rush through the school with their heads buried far into their books full of notes; doing their homework until the last second it is due. Once the day is over, they go to various places: some go to sports practice, some go to tutors, and some just go home and rest. They are thankful the school day is over and they can go home, but then they remember about...homework.
ReplyDeleteThe small children wallow in purple paint as though they were elephants at the watering hole. They paint not only the paper, but themselves and each other as their mother, bright as the dawn, laughs and smiles whilst the children proclaim themselves "Purple Paint Monsters". Soon the children grow tired of chasing each other, and, after rinsing off their paint laden limbs in the rainbow spray of water from the hose, they collapse in a pile, snuggled up on the couch like tired puppies. Their mother extends a graceful arm and selects a book to read to the tired puppy children. What will it be today? She asks. The gold headed girl pipes up- Harry Potter, Mom!, and for once the cherubic son agrees. They have a great interest in Harry Potter and await their own 11th birthdays with bated breath. As they all delve in to the world of magic and intrigue, their father swings the door wide as he strides into the warm, cozy home. The children leap from their seats and hug their beloved father. The mother smiles a smile that brightens the whole house, and the father leans down, with a child on each ankle, to kiss their mother. They eat dinner as a family, discussing their days and laughing at their father's quick witted jokes. After dinner, the parents draw their children close and tell them how much they love them. How much? The children ask. More than anything you could imagine, the parents reply as they tuck them into their beds. The children try to stay awake, but sleep, being a powerful thing, takes the children to new lands, new adventures and new days.
ReplyDeleteThey stand in the back of the cavernous room filled with curving rows of black chairs and music stands, stepping over loose tambourines, dented woodblocks, instrument cases and open backpacks but never stopping to pick them up. They hold their sticks, whether they need them at the moment or not, tossing them back and forth or idly tapping them on random objects or twirling them between their fingers. Sometimes one of them drops a stick and it hits the carpeted floor with a soft, hollow thud as another nearby looks on, amused. They talk the entire period, about everything from rolls and flams and technique to teachers to jokes to memories. Once in a while, one of them mentions how much they miss football season, when they stood with their breath billowing in front of them and the bleachers cold against their legs through their jeans, fingers going numb around their sticks, watching the game, cheering, laughing, and playing the fight song over and over. They always sneak in their homework, not out of boredom but out of necessity, to work on and complain about as they prop it up on their music stands and pretend they're annotating their sheet music as they talk. They talk during both songs and silence, until the director addresses them with his serious voice and imposing stare. The older ones tap the younger ones on their shoulders and motion at them to turn around, we don't want to get in trouble do we? And besides, I think this is important. And then, when the music starts back up, the ones who aren't keeping time continue their conversations where they left off. The older ones tell the younger ones about when they were freshmen or eighth graders themselves, so the younger ones know all of the inside jokes and traditions and stories. They wonder if the other sections are as close as they are. You never see seniors hanging out with sophomores and eighth graders just because they all play the trumpet or the clarinet or the tuba. They're different, though; they're all friends and the other sections are just classmates. That's why they have their own rehearsals, their own names and matching shirts. It's why they start showing up in the heat of early August to the empty band hall, before school starts, to learn cadences and improv and talk with each other in their last few days of freedom before school. It's why they're the drumline.
ReplyDeleteThey don't know what’s coming next, unless the teacher announced that they had a test or quiz the next day. The amounts of homework given are staggering, and the students feel the pressure. They know that if they don't do their work now they will have to work later that night, the next day or right before class. They wake up early every weekday to go to the place that will prepare them for life. With their minds so focused on school, they don't have time for much else during the week. They spend the day walking from class to class, waiting for free period, lunch and the end of school (though not necessarily in that order.) After the mental exhaustion of school, most of the students have sports. They play these sports to have fun, be active and test themselves against their friends. After sports it's back home or to a friend's house to work on the dreaded homework. This process is repeated according to the national calendar, skipping holidays as instructed. When the year of school ends, the students have a 2-3 month respite before its back to school.
ReplyDeleteThe two teenagers walk into their home. The home they have been living in since ages 4 and 6. The male teen decides to go straight to his overjoyed dog, in order to counterbalance the newly received affection being given to the cat. The female teen decides to dart upstairs to take a nap in her meticulously organized room. As for the guy named Selim, he returns to a mildly organized rooms and takes out his planner. As their mother enters the clean cut marble kitchen with additions of tan pieces of wood, she immediately prepares tea and calls for her children. Both respond,"One minute mom!" Selim comes down after 10 minutes and the girl, Mirel, appears to have vanished, attention to recover from sleep deprivation from the nights before. Later the father comes in and the family dog barks with glee. The father sets his suit case down, only his son to greet him, then he retreats upstairs to watch the news and learn about the ever-changing economy.
ReplyDeleteThey live in a quaint little cul-de-sac surround by neighbors, both young and old. They live in a house with brick floors and big windows. Their rooms are classic mixed with a modern twist. They are symmetric and reflect a certain style. They are an average family of four and two of them are twins. The other two are parents that both work hard at their jobs. Sometimes they disagree but mostly they get along. They value honest morals and hard work. They go to church every Sunday that they can. They alternate celebrating the holidays with each side of the family every year. They go to school to receive an education for about 7 hours a day and five days out of the week. They watch the news to be updated about the ever-changing world around them. They love each other and would do anything for each other.
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