Kevin Herrin, ENG 4 Pre-writing Graphic Oragnizer
Instructions: Choose the teen from the list below that most inspires your imagination, and plan your narrative. Remember, you are
planning a narrative based on your chosen teen. You are not writing a summary of the articles.
• Bethany Hamilton
• Jordan Romero
• Khadijah Williams
Topic—Which topic did you choose?
Bethany Hamilton
Who? List and describe the characters involved in the narrative you are creating.
Character Name: Bethany
How would you describe this character? Support
Physical
Appearance Story indicates her
Tall, lean, and tan with blonde hair
description
Still wanting to surf the
Relaxed and enjoying her early morning surf session, she
Feelings anticipation of getting a
lost her arm and became depressed, but her faith helped
prosthesis she can
her rise above the depression. Passionate
continue to play guitar and
surf
She knew she was not
Attitude
going to die, and she said
Calm, accepting, determined, competitive
that if she quit surfing, she
would never really love it.
Character Name: Alana Blanchard and Alana’s father Holt –best friend and best friends father
How would you describe this character? Support
Physical Appearance
There is no description in
None were mentioned in the articles.
the articles
Feelings
Tourniquet out of surf
Holt, a quick thinker
leash
Attitude
Going out at 5 AM to surf
Loyal and trusted friends yet concerned with her best friend's
father.
Character Name: Tom Hamilton – Bethany’s father
How would you describe this character? Support
Tom is about to have surgery when
Physical Appearance they are informed the room is needed
In a hospital gown on the surgical table for a 13-year-old who has been bitten
by a shark bit. He realized it was
Bethany.
Feelings
He just knew it was Bethany of her
Anxious, and scared, he loves his daughter
friend Alana.
Attitude Tom believes Bethany’s faith got her
Concerned yet reassuring and the family through the ordeal as
mentioned in the story
What? Conflict
Characters Conflict Experienced How do they respond?
Bethany
Fearful she would never surf again;
Bethany was determined to get back out there and With her faith, determination, and
surf despite the substantial obstacles she had to passion, Bethany gets back out there, and
overcome. before you know it, she is back on the
Bethany went back and forth about going back out to Championship boards.
surf; however, she said that this is where God wanted
her to be
Where?
Write some words or phrases that will help you describe the setting of your story. Where do the events take place? What does it look
like there? What does it feel like there? The early morning brought crystal clear water; the plan was to have a day of surfing and
relaxation. Then, the sense of urgency switched to getting her out of the water to shore so she could be transported to the hospital
where her dad was about to have knee surgery.
Organization
When?
Plan the course of events in your narrative.
Exposition Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution
Learning about
Bethany and the
challenges
She would have
She was unsure of
to face her road to Bethany's passion for Nothing keeps Bethany from
She is the most getting back in the water.
recovery. water and surfing aided what she loves to do: her
sought-after teen However, she knew that
her recovery, allowing faith, passion, and
for interviews and if she were an actual
her to return to sport determination got her
surfing contest surfer, she would go back
quickly. through and back on top.
again.
Voice
How?
Think of the overall effect you would like your narrative to have on the reader. How will you create that effect? Brainstorm ways to
establish voice.
Point of View:
Tone—What is the attitude of your story? Pace—How fast is your story going to move?
Words to describe the tone:
What pace fits your narrative:
Calm, encouraging, passionate, and determined, belief she
would be fine and back out in the water before long Slow to moderate
Why?
How will you communicate that tone? This story can be told with an encouraging tone for others who think they
cannot overcome obstacles, life challenges, and other situations that can
arise.
This will have a positive tone filled with anxiety, hope,
passion, determination, and strength to overcome obstacles.
How will you create that pace?
How do you want readers to feel after they read your
story? Creating a pace or flow to this story has ups and downs. To begin with, it
will have a slow pace, leading up to a moderate pace after the shark’s
Like they can conquer their fears and overcome any initial attack.
challenges they face. Have faith that the outcome will be
