Using your Shadow Spinner novel (you'll need to take it home). Write a short passage from the story where Susan Fletcher (the author) builds suspense. Put the passage in quotes.
After you write the quote, discuss what the author does to build the suspense in the story. What words or literary devices does she use?
Also, agree or disagree with what other bloggers have written and give some feedback.
Lastly, please review the rubric so you can make sure you receive maximum points.
""Where are we going? I asked again, louder
ReplyDelete"To see my sister," the girl said over her shoulder.
"Your ... sister?"
"Yes! My sister ... Shaharazad." pg. 10
I thought that was very suspenseful as after Marjan told the story to the Sultan's sister she took Marjan and Marjan did not know where she was going. When she finally got a respnse out of Shaharazads sister she says that she is going to see her sister. Then marjan asks who her sister was and Shaharazads siter says that she is taking her to Shaharazad. I thought that that was very suspenseful and exiting.
also I AM #1. OH YEAH.
"It was a boring tale! I could see that now, thought I had not before. It would never save her!.............. (Skip lines.)
ReplyDeleteWhere was that Mordecai?
At last, I heard the courtyard door creak open. I froze, afraid, now, to know. Auntie Chava appeared in the archway to her quarters; Uncle Eli caem up beside her.
'Well?' Uncle Eli asked.
Old Mordecai smiled his toothless smile and raised his skinny arms high. 'She lives.'" (Pg. 25)
I thought this quote was exiciting because you didn't know if Shahrazad lived after telling the story to the sultan. Surely, Dunyazad would want to get revenge on Marjan or throw her in jail. (Maybe.) When Marjan said that it was a boring tale it made me wonder if she would live or not. Also, when the author used "creak open" it made me that something bad was going to happen. In my mind, there was a long pause between when Uncle Eli asked the question and when Old Mordecai replied.
Chris Bow- I agree with you, but why didn't you just say Dunyazad instead of Shahrazad's sister? What was suspenseful to me was when she said Shahrazad because I thought "What does Shahrazad want with her???"
Auntie Chava says " Look to your own survival child"
ReplyDeleteI think that this is suspenseful because after visiting the Harem and meeting Shaharazad and telling her the story, the Eunuch goes to Marjans house and takes her to the Harem, but Marjan does not know why. She is leaving her Auntie Chava and Uncle Eli behind, she barely gets any time to say goodbye. she will probably never see auntie chava and uncle eli again.
Don't forget to post page #'s!
ReplyDeleteoh, i found my quote on page 29.
ReplyDeletesrry I meant Dunyazad but I kept on thinking of the quote and got used to saying Sister so I wrote Marjans sister not Dunyazad.
ReplyDelete"and that is why i didnt hear the knock when it came" on page 27. i thought this was very suspenseful because it makes you go, "a Knock?? who is It?!?!?" and it scares you a bit.
ReplyDelete"My eyelids felt heavy, but i would not sleep. i would only rest for a moment. I jolted awake. I had slept! but for how long?...voices. two of them: an older and a younger. One- unmistakable- was the Khatan. Was this her own private terrace?" pg 56.
ReplyDeletefor me, this was the most suspensful part so far. when she is outside, it makes you terrified that she will be found. I couldn't stop reading. I think the author is really good about using suspense. she uses really good description that makes the reader feel as if they were actually in marjan's position, waiting for the next part to happen. Also, in this quote, she uses dramatic statements lyk: I froze. this makes you almost freeze yourself.
I found this quote starting at page 33: "But this woman had hastened from chamber to chamber...But why was she rushing? Where was she taking me next?...
ReplyDelete'Where?' I demanded, not budging. 'Where are you taking me now?'
The woman started to say something, then snapped her mouth shut, seeming to consider. At last, she spoke.
'I am taking you,' she said, 'to the Khatun.' "
I think this is suspenseful because there's a lot of building up, with Marjan running thoughts through her head while the woman is rushing her through the baths. Then at last she finally gets an answer...And you immediately wonder, who is the Khatun? What's the big deal about her?
"Did she..." Dunyazad paused. "Well, never mind. Shaharazad's waiting. Quickly, now.
ReplyDelete"she needs you" pg. 42
here it is very suspenseful because dunyazad is about to ask her something but pauses and changes the subject like she was worried if she would say it. to me it makes me feel like she knows something Marjan doesnt know and it might be a bad thing
for my last post it almost makes me feel that dunyazad is afraid of telling marjan, like shel get in trouble if she doesnt
ReplyDeletei mean does he he
ReplyDelete'The copper-haired girl snickered; she had fallen for my trick. But the Khatun had not. She stared at me, and the silence hung betwen us longer than before. At last she spoke.
ReplyDelete"I think," she said slowly, "that this cripple of Shahrazad's... is cleverer than she looks."'
I think this builds up suspense because the Katun thinks that Marjan is up to something. Also i think the Katun will now keep a really close eye on marjan beccause she is suspicious of her.
ReplyDelete* khatun
ReplyDeleteo nd page 38
ReplyDeletepg 39 "Without a word she led me down a colonnaded hallway to a flight of wooden stairs." this builds suspense because you aren't sure wut well happen next and you can't be completely sure wut well happen next.
ReplyDelete""Where are we going? I asked again, louder."
ReplyDelete"To see my sister," the girl said over her shoulder.
"Your ... sister?"
"Yes! My sister ... Shahrazad."
(pg. 10)
I thought this was very suspenseful because this girl had just heard her story and now she is taking her somewhere mysterious. It was odd, and left you guessing. I pretty much agree with Chrisbow
pg 17
ReplyDelete"I knew it would take time for the stories to do their work, but ... Nine hundred eighty-nine nights it's been! Nine hundred eighty-nine nights!"
I thought that was a good line which if your teacher stopped on that page and that line you would want to read more of the book.
pg 82
ReplyDelete"Searching, I moved through the crowd. I looked for her face; I watched the swaying movement of long veils and robes for her walk; I listened through the clamor for her voice-complaining that the quinces were bruised or the price dates disgraceful. I would know Aunti Chava. I knew her by heart.
She wasn't there."
I thought this was suspenceful because you don't know what happened to Aunti Chava. If she just wasn't there or if she is dead or has left.
"Shahrazad moved toward me until her face was so close i could have counted her eyelashes... She grasped my wrist hard-until it hurt- but i dared not protest. 'I've not heard this before,' she whispered, 'I've not heard this.'" - pg. 16
ReplyDeleteI thought this was suspenseful because after SO many stories, shahrazad finally has a reaction, but you don't know if its good or bad at first. Marjan is very nervous about telling a bad story to shahrazad because it might get shahrazad killed.
I also like the passage "The copper haired girl snickered; she had fallen for my trick.But the Khatun had not. She stared at me, and silence hung between us even longer than before. At last she spoke " I think, she said slowly, " that this criple of Shahrazad's...is cleverer than she look." PG.38"
ReplyDeleteI like this quote because i didnt know what would happen would the Khatun tell her son? or would she have her killed it was just so exciting to see what was happening next.
"Did she..." Dunyazad paused. "Well, never mind. Shaharazad's waiting. Quickly, now.
ReplyDelete"she needs you" pg. 42
I agree with zach this kindof made me wonder what secret is being kept from shahrazad. i think it might be something about her family.
Usually chapter endings have good suspense built into them. That's the most likely stopping point when someone is reading, and you want to keep them engaged so they continue reading the next time, and recommend the books to others so the author gets more money (not much for a single case, but it does make a difference if it happens to a lot of people).
ReplyDeleteNow after that you might expect a quote from the end of a chapter. Well, you were wrong. My quote is from pages 13 and 14 of the book.
"From the narrowed hallway where I stood, I could see only a narrow strip of one wall of the room beyond the arch. Sunlight streamed in through a high mosaic of colored glass and through a carved wooden screen below."
This is suspenseful to me simply because it tells you a little bit about where she is about to go. Even though you're probably not interested in what the wall looks like, you probably are interested in what's past the wall.
In case others want to use the italics, < i > without the spaces, and then < / i > to close off the italicized text. Bold and underline don't work, for an unknown reason.
and im not really sure what she needs shaheazad for because she said that shaharazad only gave her one story she han't herd before so im not sure what else shaharazad can do for her.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with nicky.
ReplyDelete"Rise. The voice was rough, hoarse, commanding.The beak nosed woman stood, moved to one side and then I could see her clearly."Pg 35
ReplyDeleteThis really was very descriptive and got you nervous on if the Khatun would kill her or just dismiss her. I got really anxious when the paragraph ended, because I made me think something terrible was going to happen.It got me on my toes and hooked. The author does a good job with making every simple thing seem like an adventure.
"I jloted aed awake. I had slept! For how long?
ReplyDeletethe shadow had moved across the floor and had begun to creep up the stone railing.
Voices. Two of them: an older and a younger. One-unmistaklable- was the Khatun.
I thought that this was really suspendful. From previous reading you already know that the Khatun does not like marjan and if she is on her private terance she will probalby think that marjan is spying on her and will get super mad. I also think that it is very supenseful because there seems like no way for marjan to get out of the situation. Lastly it is very discriptive and so it makes you feel like you are there. This puts some of marjans fear into you.
sorry forgot the page number the quote was one page: 56
ReplyDelete