The Marymount Literary Connection serves as a forum for students to further discuss the literature they read both at home and at school.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Grade 8: Due before Tuesday, October 4th
How might the story "I Just Kept on Smiling" change if told from Nicky Carver's point of view? From the teacher's? Explain using examples from the text. Comment on at least one other person's post.
The perspective would have changed dramatically if told from nicky carvers point of view. Instead of being told from a lying thief, it would have been told by someone who was honest. You would be able to find out what Nicky was thinking during all of those times that his friend was stealing. He never sais anything in the story, but I was dying to find out what he really thought of his mysterios friend. You would also know his reasoning for telling a lie to the Dom. In the story, this part never really made sense, but with it being told from Nicky's point of view.
The story "I just kept on smiling" would change if it were told from the Nicky Carver's point of view because all of the narrator's thoughts and feelings would be hidden from us; we would not be able to understand what influences the character to react as he does. For example: if Nick Carver were narrating the story, when Nicky's parents ask the protagonist to spend the holidays with them, the reader would not know that the main character's parents did not consult him before accepting. But their lack of attention towards the narrator could be one of the reasons he stole the exercise books. Not knowing what causes the narrator to do what he does would make him seem mean and deceitful. The story would change completely if it were told from the teacher’s point of view because we would never know that the narrator had stolen the exercise books. This is because when the narrator owns up, the teacher does not believe him and asks him ‘who made you do this’. Also, in the end the teacher accepts that Nicky Carver was the culprit.
I feel that the story "I Just Kept On Smiling" would definitely change ,if written from Nicky Carver's point of view because it would show why he confessed to something he hadn't done. It would also explain more about how he really felt when he found out what the real protagonist had done, instead of just telling us that he kept on staring. But on the other hand, I feel the ending would be slightly different from what the original ending was because, either way, the story ends with the protagonist smiling. Perhaps we could find out how Nicky felt being humiliated.If the story was written from the point of view of the teacher-Don Francis , the story would be modified completely. The teacher would definitely have a different view on the series of event that had taken place. The reader would be able to know what went on in his head when he discovered the books were missing or if he was shocked when the narrator confessed. Hence, I conclude that the story could be molded into many different ways depending on the character narrating it.
Owen- I didn't even think about how, if the story were told from Nicky Carver's point of view, we would know why Nicky confessed in the end. That's a really good point. I had completely forgotten about it.
If the story were written from Nicky Carver's point of view, we would learn a lot of interesting things. For instance we could tell if he really was friends with the main character, and his feelings about him. Most of all though, we would learn why he took the blame of the textbook incident, and confessed to cover his friend. This was something that really pestered me, and I still wonder how he could do such a thing, even when the whole incident was closed, as the whole class had been punished. It was a very courageous and at the same time weird thing to do, and unfortunately we will never know what pushed Nicky Carver to do such a thing.
If "I just kept Smiling" were told by Nicky Carvers point of view it would be definitely different. As a starter all of the main characters feelings would be unknown and we wouldn't know what happens to the textbooks. Instead we would know what Nicky thinks about his friend stealing the books and what happens between the teacher and Nicky. Most importantly we would know why Nicky confessed and what it felt to be smiled and stared at while he was humiliated. For sure the story wouldn't be named "I just kept on Smiling" and maybe the story would be longer of how Nicky's parents thought about his deed. If the story was to be written by the teachers point of view it wouldn't be as interesting and the main part of the story wouldn't be on the fact that someone stole textbooks. It might have been based on the issues that Dom Francis might have had fitting in or something.
Devika- I agree on how you said that we would know on how Nicky Carver felt when he was humiliated. We would also know why he took the punishment for himself. Also if it were narrated through the teacher we would also know why he didn't believe the narrator when he confessed.
I completely agree with all 3 of you, you basically took the words out of my mouth!! I can't possibly imagine if the story were the same if there was a different narrator!!
I think the story "I Just Kept On Smiling" would change drastically ,if it were told from Nicky Carver's point of view. This is because it would tell us why he ending up confessing for stealing the books even though he didn't. It would also give us an isight into how Nicky felt when he found out what the protagonist had done and how he felt when he saw the protagonist stealing. The ending would also changing quite a bit because he would tell us about how he felt looking down at the crowd. The point of view of the teacher would also change the story a lot. He would tell us about his rage over the missing book and how surprised he was when someone owned up to something he had already punished people for. So in conclusion I think the story really depends on who is telling it
If This story was told from Nicky Carver's point of view, it would have been a completely different story. None of the stuff that happens at the beginning, like the stealing of the books or the hiding in the chapel, would ever have been caught in action, let alone heard about for all we know. Little details would not have been caught either. I believe the story might have been a little boring. Like Devika said, we would've known why Nicky decided to Confess after the whole thing is over anyways and what possessed him to do so.
Instead, if it were in the point of view of the teacher, it might have been a little confusing. When the 2 students when to confess to the teacher, he might of thought things like 'why did they both confess' or 'why do I think that he sounds more believable'. We would've had a different feelings and thoughts expressed. All the other things that the teacher did would've been explained with more detail. In the teacher's point of view, we would've gone through a lot of decision making on the punishments to be given, and a recap on the situation. that would be pretty much it.
From both points of view, we would be relieved(?) from the narrator's passing. We might've found out what the Narrator's name is. We wouldn't really understand the track that the story takes, nonetheless the real situation.
Alice-
I think you made a very good point on how we wouldn't know what influences the Narrator to react the way he does. What's intriguing is that we don't know what influenced him to react the way he does, even if he is narrating the story which is what makes him a character us readers would leave several inquisitions upon.
If the story was told by Dom Francis point of view the story would have changed completely. For instance the story would become a mystery. If this was the case beginning, the middle and the end would have changed. At the beginning for example we would see Dom Francis teaching and then while the kids where playing he would have look everywhere for the three books and he would have understand that they were stolen. Then there would have begin a mystery story. Probably the Dom would have investigate and we would see what he thought about the main character confessing and why he didn't believe it was him. F The ending would be completely different, instead of our main character entering the classroom and seeing his friend that confessed for him and he just keeping smiling we would have seen Nicky confessing and understand why the Dom chose to believe him and not the main in character. Even the characters would be different because instead of seeing the bullies and Nicky and the other kids we would have seen the other teachers and staff.
Devika- I thought that you said a really intelligent thing by saying that the story would have ended with both of them smiling. I had never noticed it.
The perspective would have changed dramatically if told from nicky carvers point of view. Instead of being told from a lying thief, it would have been told by someone who was honest. You would be able to find out what Nicky was thinking during all of those times that his friend was stealing. He never sais anything in the story, but I was dying to find out what he really thought of his mysterios friend. You would also know his reasoning for telling a lie to the Dom. In the story, this part never really made sense, but with it being told from Nicky's point of view.
ReplyDeleteThe story "I just kept on smiling" would change if it were told from the Nicky Carver's point of view because all of the narrator's thoughts and feelings would be hidden from us; we would not be able to understand what influences the character to react as he does. For example: if Nick Carver were narrating the story, when Nicky's parents ask the protagonist to spend the holidays with them, the reader would not know that the main character's parents did not consult him before accepting. But their lack of attention towards the narrator could be one of the reasons he stole the exercise books. Not knowing what causes the narrator to do what he does would make him seem mean and deceitful.
ReplyDeleteThe story would change completely if it were told from the teacher’s point of view because we would never know that the narrator had stolen the exercise books. This is because when the narrator owns up, the teacher does not believe him and asks him ‘who made you do this’. Also, in the end the teacher accepts that Nicky Carver was the culprit.
I feel that the story "I Just Kept On Smiling" would definitely change ,if written from Nicky Carver's point of view because it would show why he confessed to something he hadn't done. It would also explain more about how he really felt when he found out what the real protagonist had done, instead of just telling us that he kept on staring. But on the other hand, I feel the ending would be slightly different from what the original ending was because, either way, the story ends with the protagonist smiling. Perhaps we could find out how Nicky felt being humiliated.If the story was written from the point of view of the teacher-Don Francis , the story would be modified completely. The teacher would definitely have a different view on the series of event that had taken place. The reader would be able to know what went on in his head when he discovered the books were missing or if he was shocked when the narrator confessed. Hence, I conclude that the story could be molded into many different ways depending on the character narrating it.
ReplyDeleteOwen-
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think about how, if the story were told from Nicky Carver's point of view, we would know why Nicky confessed in the end. That's a really good point. I had completely forgotten about it.
If the story were written from Nicky Carver's point of view, we would learn a lot of interesting things. For instance we could tell if he really was friends with the main character, and his feelings about him. Most of all though, we would learn why he took the blame of the textbook incident, and confessed to cover his friend. This was something that really pestered me, and I still wonder how he could do such a thing, even when the whole incident was closed, as the whole class had been punished. It was a very courageous and at the same time weird thing to do, and unfortunately we will never know what pushed Nicky Carver to do such a thing.
ReplyDeleteAll your comments, guys, made me think twice about the book. In particular, what did Nicky Carver think of the main character.
ReplyDeleteIf "I just kept Smiling" were told by Nicky Carvers point of view it would be definitely different. As a starter all of the main characters feelings would be unknown and we wouldn't know what happens to the textbooks. Instead we would know what Nicky thinks about his friend stealing the books and what happens between the teacher and Nicky. Most importantly we would know why Nicky confessed and what it felt to be smiled and stared at while he was humiliated. For sure the story wouldn't be named "I just kept on Smiling" and maybe the story would be longer of how Nicky's parents thought about his deed. If the story was to be written by the teachers point of view it wouldn't be as interesting and the main part of the story wouldn't be on the fact that someone stole textbooks. It might have been based on the issues that Dom Francis might have had fitting in or something.
ReplyDeleteDevika-
ReplyDeleteI agree on how you said that we would know on how Nicky Carver felt when he was humiliated. We would also know why he took the punishment for himself. Also if it were narrated through the teacher we would also know why he didn't believe the narrator when he confessed.
I completely agree with all 3 of you, you basically took the words out of my mouth!! I can't possibly imagine if the story were the same if there was a different narrator!!
ReplyDeleteI think the story "I Just Kept On Smiling" would change drastically ,if it were told from Nicky Carver's point of view. This is because it would tell us why he ending up confessing for stealing the books even though he didn't. It would also give us an isight into how Nicky felt when he found out what the protagonist had done and how he felt when he saw the protagonist stealing. The ending would also changing quite a bit because he would tell us about how he felt looking down at the crowd. The point of view of the teacher would also change the story a lot. He would tell us about his rage over the missing book and how surprised he was when someone owned up to something he had already punished people for. So in conclusion I think the story really depends on who is telling it
ReplyDeleteIf This story was told from Nicky Carver's point of view, it would have been a completely different story. None of the stuff that happens at the beginning, like the stealing of the books or the hiding in the chapel, would ever have been caught in action, let alone heard about for all we know. Little details would not have been caught either. I believe the story might have been a little boring. Like Devika said, we would've known why Nicky decided to Confess after the whole thing is over anyways and what possessed him to do so.
ReplyDeleteInstead, if it were in the point of view of the teacher, it might have been a little confusing. When the 2 students when to confess to the teacher, he might of thought things like 'why did they both confess' or 'why do I think that he sounds more believable'. We would've had a different feelings and thoughts expressed. All the other things that the teacher did would've been explained with more detail. In the teacher's point of view, we would've gone through a lot of decision making on the punishments to be given, and a recap on the situation. that would be pretty much it.
From both points of view, we would be relieved(?) from the narrator's passing. We might've found out what the Narrator's name is. We wouldn't really understand the track that the story takes, nonetheless the real situation.
Alice-
I think you made a very good point on how we wouldn't know what influences the Narrator to react the way he does. What's intriguing is that we don't know what influenced him to react the way he does, even if he is narrating the story which is what makes him a character us readers would leave several inquisitions upon.
If the story was told by Dom Francis point of view the story would have changed completely. For instance the story would become a mystery. If this was the case beginning, the middle and the end would have changed. At the beginning for example we would see Dom Francis teaching and then while the kids where playing he would have look everywhere for the three books and he would have understand that they were stolen. Then there would have begin a mystery story. Probably the Dom would have investigate and we would see what he thought about the main character confessing and why he didn't believe it was him. F The ending would be completely different, instead of our main character entering the classroom and seeing his friend that confessed for him and he just keeping smiling we would have seen Nicky confessing and understand why the Dom chose to believe him and not the main
ReplyDeletein character. Even the characters would be different because instead of seeing the bullies and Nicky and the other kids we would have seen the other teachers and staff.
Devika-
ReplyDeleteI thought that you said a really intelligent thing by saying that the story would have ended with both of them smiling. I had never noticed it.