Diary entries, role biographies and interior monologues
In a diary entry, you describe feelings, thoughts, hopes, wishes, problems and experienced events through the eyes of yourself or another person. You are having these thoughts right now – so write about them in the present tense (except if you are speaking about past or future events!). You can start like this: “Dear Diary, today …”
A role biography is written like a diary in complete sentences. For example, talk about your family and your relationship to them, your everyday life, your neighbourhood, your past, and your hopes for the future. Tell your reader what is important to you and what causes you problems.
An interior monologue contains thoughts and feelings of a character as they are passing through his or her mind. They do not need to have a certain structure, not even a chronological order. Make sure that you reflect events experienced by this character accurately and display their state of mind and feelings well.
Practise these forms now. You have got the choice between two characters and writing forms:
Option 1: Role biography – Walt Kowalski
Write a role biography for Walt Kowalski. Use the information you collected in your previous tasks. Add his thoughts and opinions where appropriate. The following questions should be addressed:
- What has shaped Walt’s identity so far?
- In what areas are his identity and his sense of belonging put into question?
Option 2: Interior monologue – Thao
After Spider and his gang have shown Thao the Gran Torino, he is left alone. What is going on in his mind? Write an interior monologue. Use information you have collected in your previous tasks. The following questions should be addressed:
- What factors are shaping Thao’s identity?
- When and how is his sense of belonging challenged?