ELA10 - Creative Writing (2 credit), CSS, Melnyk

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies): Recognize and appreciate the role of story, narrative, and oral tradition in expressing First Peoples' perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view  Recognize and appreciate the diversity within and across First Peoples' societies as represented in texts Respectfully exchange ideas and viewpoints from diverse perspectives to build shared understanding and extend thinking

Task:

Point of View

A story has an author, a narrator, and characters, not to be confused with each other. If the narrator and a character in the story are one and the same, you have a story told in first person. If they are separate, you have a story told in third person, of which there are three different types, depending on the amount of knowledge the narrator has about the inner feelings and thoughts of the characters.

Here's a really simple one! Read Charles Simic's poem, "Stone". This poem is from an inanimate object's point of view in the first person. We know this because of the use of the first person pronoun "I".

Here comes the complicated part! Now read "I Lost My Talk" by Rita Joe. Consider the point of view. Ask yourself the 5 questions as you read the poem.

Not only is it important to ask yourself who is the narrator and what is she saying in her poetry, it is also important to understand the background of the poet. Read the background information provided on the next page on Rita Joe, a famous Mi'kmaw poet and songwriter, so you can better understand her point of view. What is her message? Why has she chosen the first person? What is the impact of this point of view?

You must watch this video on Rita Joe before you begin to write such an emotionally charged assignment.

Your task is to write either a poem/song or a short piece of fiction or non-fiction from the point of view of a person of indigenous descent who has communicated their thoughts on disempowerment, as well. You might consider doing some background research on residential schools and other Canadian Aboriginal writers.

Here is an example of a student song based on Rita Joe's poem.