CAS 100A Standard Storytelling Outline Format fill in the blanks Adapted from Stephen Buzard Storytelling Paper CAS 280W September 2002 Note Name and Assignment on Outline Stephen Buzard Storytelling Paper September 30 2002 I Introduction Opening sentence to introduce the central idea or thesis Sometimes when someone insults or threatens us we jump right into physical confrontation Story or description that gives Audience an imaginative experience One student in my dorm used to go the the bars looking for a fight He would come home disappointed sometimes blustering loudly about not having anyone in town with the guts to face him Yet there were other nights when he arrived home tanked black and blue sometimes even bloody It was clear that physical violence didn t work because he was an average to small build I always thought that it would be wiser for him to use his brains instead of his brawn perhaps using a game of pool or a video game to show his enemies up Close with a Transition to the Central Idea Thesis and do the same for each paragraph Sum up the idea in the paragraph that matches the thesis which follows immediately at the beginning of the next pgh This can be as short as a sentence closing the first paragraph or as long as another paragraph My friend never seemed to get the idea The rest of us in the dorm did however We all decided to use our heads from something other than a battering ram II Central Idea Thesis at the Beginning of a Paragraph 2nd or 3rd The theme of the story I will present is one of outsmarting your adversary by using your head instead of your muscles Or as a Moral It is better to use your head and not your muscles to solve a problem III Preview Partition in the Central Idea Thesis paragraph covering Setting Characters Plot and Language One sentence or Phrase for each of the topics linking them to the theme This may be one sentence for each section or longer as below The theme can be seen in the dangerous chasm the goats much cross in the scary appearance of the troll versus the more reasonable goats the action showing the troll s arrogance changing to defeat and in the language that describes Transition Last sentence signals the end of the preview and guides the reader to the first point the author s relationship to the theme by mentioning Kingsolver These themes can be found reflected in the actions suggested by the story beginning with those that act out the story s setting IV Body With Topic Sentences Beginning Each Paragraph Each Linking to a Theme like using your brain rather than your brawn A Setting The setting of the story suggests a passage in life that is blocked by a difficult obstacle Follow with three ways in which you can show the setting to the audience For each you should have a line or event in the story that suggests the action a description of the action in concrete terms smiling emphasizing a word and a reason for doing it that matches your theme All these emphasize using brains rather than brawn to solve problems 1 The action takes place is along side a great chasm near a big grassy hillside where there is a stone bridge I will be able to suggest to the audience how wide the chasm is by using my arms and expanding them wide for all of the audience to see 2 For the stone bridge I will be able to advocate that it is long and flat by using my arms with my palms facing down and spreading my arms out to create distance from one hand to the other 3 I can also show how the goats long for the long grass on the other side by licking my lips Summary Transition These actions should suggest that the goats had a difficult task to perform B Character The four characters in this story exemplify the theme through the image of the bully the small but wiley billy goats and the big brother of billy goats The main point B opens the idea of character with a reminder of the theme Follow with one action of voice or body for each character and or teller in the story 1 The first is the scary troll who is ugly and short I will use a raspy deep voice for this character to show to the audience that the troll is wicked 2 The first of the billy goat gruffs is the little one I will use a small humble voice to show that he is small and vulnerable 3 The second goat is the big billy goat gruff for him I will use a deeper voice to show that he his bigger than the first goat 4 The final and third billy goat gruff is the biggest for him I will use a great deep voice to show that he is the biggest and strongest Summary Transition The audience should be able to see the theme in the loud troll compared to the less imposing smaller goats as well as the threat to the troll when the Big Billy Goat arrives C Plot The plot of this story suggests that it is better to use mind than muscle Follow with three actions that can show the audience key moments in the story 1 The first billy goat gruff shapes the idea because instead of trying to fight with the troll he simply outsmarts him a He does this by telling the troll to wait for his bigger brother who has more meat b I can nod slowly with wide eyes to show that this makes sense to the troll and so he lets the Little Goat go c I can then use a gravelly quality as I describe the trolls stomach rumbling as he awaits the meatier brother 2 The second billy goat gruff comes across the bridge as promised by his little brother a He too is faced with the option of facing the troll Knowing he has no chance of winning he simply outsmarts the troll b He tells him to leave him alone and again wait for yet his bigger brother I can show his clever thinking by widening my eyes like an enthusiastic salesman c The foolish troll can think with a wrinkled eyebrow before he agrees and lets him leave 3 Now the biggest billy goat gruff is on the bridge a This billy goat is the biggest and is stronger and smarter than the troll b He knows what awaits him on the bridge So he simply sneaks up and knocks the troll off the bridge c Now everybody can pass the bridge if they desire In this way the plot is molded through the interaction of the goats and the troll Summary Transition The first two goats simply outsmart the troll and let the more capable goat of the brothers face him D Language There are many actions of voice or face that can help an audience imagine through the parts …