Skip to main content
Humanities LibreTexts

2.5: Creative Nonfiction Reading Discussion Questions

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  • Page ID
    129183

    • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    Discuss

    1. Setting: Consider the setting of a creative nonfiction story. Where is the story set? How does the author describe the setting? At what point in the story do they describe the setting? Which senses are used when describing the setting (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, feeling)? What metaphors, similes, or surprising word choices (called diction) does the author use when describing the setting?
    2. Characterization: Who are the major characters in the story? What are their names? What do we know about these characters? Does one character seem to be the hero or protagonist of the story? Who or what seems to be the villain or antagonist in the story? Do characters change or develop over the course of the story? If so, how so?
    3. Plot: Summarize the story in one or two sentences. What happens in the story? What is the conflict of the story? Another way to answer this question: does anything bad happen to the characters in the story? If so, describe the challenges the characters face. Now go deeper. How is the story structured? How is the passage of time represented? Is the story chronological (linear) or does it jump around in time (nonlinear)?
    4. Title: Why do you think the author chose the title they did for this story? In what ways might the title reflect deeper themes or meanings in the story?

    Apply

    1. What's Your Story? Think about a time you faced a challenge in your life. Brainstorm a list of 5 moments that could be developed into a story.
    2. Setting: Where is the setting of each of these moments? Where did the moments take place? Pick one of the moments from question #1 and describe the setting, either writing your description down on paper or telling it to a partner.
    3. Characterization: Who were the important characters in the moment you chose to describe? You were probably one of the characters. How would you describe yourself to someone who has never met you? What other characters are important to your story? Describe them to someone who has never met them.
    4. Plot: Write a list of the important events of the story. You can use bullet points or numbers to track these events. What led up to the conflict of your story? What happened during the challenge? What happened after the challenge, or how did you resolve it? What did you learn through this experience?
    5. Title: What title would you give your story?

    This page titled 2.5: Creative Nonfiction Reading Discussion Questions is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Heather Ringo & Athena Kashyap (ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative) .