Literacy Reflection

For the last few weeks in literacy, we have been looking at how the authors and directors tell and show the reader or viewer about the character. A few of the ways authors and directors do this is by looking at the different elements: Actions, speech, environment, costume and general appearance of the characters. 

We looked at a few different scenes from the Harry Potter series and read some pieces from the book. We were looking at the elements and deliberate choices the authors and directors use to introduce a character. 

An example is the way Hermione talks properly and speaks the full words compared to how Ron speaks when he speaks all the words together and uses slang. 

In the following scene Jessica and I have included the use of the different elements to introduce our characters. One of my friends gave me feedback on my script by highlighting the different elements in my script. Appearance: Yellow, Environment: Green, Actions: Red and Speech/Words: Blue.

I think my script turned out well and I did a good job creating the characters because I have thought about the characters words, attitude, appearance and more. 

My next steps are to organise my time and make sure I have enough time to finish my work. I also need to work on including more words to describe the appearance and environment in a scene.

Vera is in science class. She is asked to be buddies for the session. Ada is the only other girl in the class without a partner. She has never met this girl before and is shy. Once they start on the science project, Ada thinks it's funny to stuff up by using rare potions as a joke, even though she doesn’t know how they work. But Vera does. So once Ada pours the potion in the mix the two spark with friendship magic. The next day they become instant friends, the potion was a friendship potion. Of course!

Teacher: “Does anyone not have a partner?”

Ada: (calls out loudly, waving her hand)  “Me! I don’t have a partner.”

Teacher: “Okay anyone else?”

Vera mumbles that she doesn’t have a partner but the teacher can’t understand what she is trying to say. 

Teacher: “What was that Vera?”

Vera: mumbles again.

Teacher: “Ada, you can go with Vera.”

Ada: confidently walks over to Vera’s table and sits down next to her.

Ada: (talking nonstop really fast.) “Hi, I’m Ada. Nice to meet you, how’s your day going? Mine is just fine, I got to hang out with the popular girls at break time!” 

Ada rants off about her day as if she's met Vera before

Ada: (Really fast talking and what she's ranting about.) “My little brother fell down today and I laughed and it turned out that he almost broke his leg… and he cried all day haha. It was also kind of scary but of course I knew he would be fine. Dad got angry with me because I didn’t listen and refused to make my bed. Gosh parents are annoying.”

Vera thought Ada was a little strange and didn’t particularly like her.

Vera: (harsh voice)“Do you mind?! I don’t actually care about you I’m only with you because of this stupid science project!”

Ada: “Geez. Didn’t realise you had a bad temper. Maybe you should fix that for next time.”

The girls behind snigger at Ada’s small joke. 

Vera: “Maybe you should get started on the science project.” (the word ‘you’ is spoken back to her, based off of her past sentence)

Ada: (Enthusiastic voice) “Okay, let’s go then. What do we have to do?”

Vera: “Didn’t you listen?!”

Ada (Sighing): “I guess not.”

Vera: “Well we have to make a science potion so we can get better grades.”

Ada: “I’m putting this into the potion and also I don’t care about my grades, they don’t matter anyway.”

Ada holds up a bottle of fraelin and tips it into the large container. 

Vera: “Ada, NO!”

Ada: “Why not smarty pants. I can do whatever I want.”

Vera: “Can’t you see?! I’m wanting to get good grades here for once and you think it’s funny to add whatever you want into this potion. It will do something deadly, I’ve read all about these chemicals.”

Ada: “You can’t stop me.”

Teacher: “What’s happening here?”

Ada: “I’m just pouring stuff into the potion glass.”

The teacher glances over at Ada. 

Teacher: “And do you know what those chemicals are?”

Ada: “No but that doesn’t matter. Nothing bad will happen.”

The rest of the session Ada is pouring random stuff into the glass and Vera is about to storm out of the room, but she doesn’t. 

Vera:  (calm voice) Ada...for the last time, please, can we just do the right thing.”

Ada: “Fine, okay. Do whatever you want. Please yourself you clearly don’t want me here helping so see you.”

Ada leaves the science room.

Vera: (Sarcastic voice) “Thank god she’s gone.”

Vera finishes her project before the girls’ break. She is given an A+ while Ada is given a D- for her effort in her work but not listening to her teacher. 

Ada comes back.

Vera: (enthusiastically) “Yay I got an A+!”

Ada: (grumbling and sarcastic) “Yay (eye roll), I got a D-.”