Exercise 1.
My favorite opener out of all the stories in the anthology section of our textbook would have to be Tim O'Brien's opener on the story “On the Rainy River.” The way he opened the story was amazing. He starts by saying this is a story no one has every heard. By saying what he said and that he had not told this story to the closest people to him, it makes you interested in the story right there. Within the first few sentences I wanted to read this story. I think I would almost start my story the same way he did, as I have never told anyone a story of how it was in Syria for me. There are many experiences I have had in my childhood in Syria that I have never told anyone. Tim O'Brien says that this story would only cause embarra**ment and how it has affected him for so long and yet he has not told anyone. This is how I would start my opener based on how he did it.
The story I am about to tell you I have always kept to myself. I never thought anyone would understand. The embarra**ing childhood compared to everyone else. Would people understand it? Should I keep such a story to myself? For years I have never told anyone about my childhood, but it has made me who I am. It is a hard story to tell about where I was in my childhood compared to where I am now. Would people believe me because of how I have adopted to this new culture? Do I leave it behind me and not tell anyone? My childhood of living in such poverty has always stood behind me and in my head. Putting these experiences on paper may relief some pressure in my head and become proud of where I come from. It all starts with being born in the middle of nowhere. Literally, nowhere.
And that's how I would start my story in similarity to the way Tim O'Brien opened his story of “On the Rainy River.”
Exercise 2.
1. Living in Syria is not as easy as one might think.
2. How rewarding was your childhood?
3. “Where do you think you're going?” says the guard holding his rifle.
4. We have to do what we were born to do, and that is to make sure he does not do what he was born to do.
5. This is the story of a boy who was as brave as a seven year old can be.
6. The bus was full of kids separated into two groups that could not stand each other.
7. “Why can't we hurt him more?” Why can't we hurt him more?!”
8. And there they were hiding behind the mountain, waiting.
9. Not everyone's childhood is the same; so let me tell you about mine.
10. Here I go, I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you about what I have never told anyone else.
I came up with these off the top of my head as I went. After going through them, I felt like some of them were too boring. That would eliminate the first two sentences, in my opinion. I like starting the story with a quote, as it puts you into a scene right away. From the get go, the readers are witnessing something happening. It is almost like those movies that start with a fight scene or some sort of action right away that gets you excited. Taking from that, I like number 3, 7. I also like 6 and 8 as they put you in a scene right away without having to use quotes. I like 4 as it gets kind of deep and could mean almost anything. I also liked 10 as it could be exciting to the reader that they are about to hear something others have not, a very similar way that Tim O'Brien started his story of “On the Rainy River.”