Story elements

                              “When Gertrude Grew Great”  

1. Author’s Purpose: inform  

Why did the author write this? 

2.  Genre: fiction    Subgenre: Informational 

Ex: Nonfiction, fiction, or folklore           Ex: Autobiography, science fiction, fable, informational writing, etc. 

3.  Narrator’s Point of View:Narrator

1st-person, 2nd-person, 3rd-person objective, 3rd-person limited, or 3rd-person omniscient 

4 & 5. Summarize the text:  

     Its about this girl named Gertrude who thinks that she can only be an average person in life so she only helps out at home a little, she did enough homework where she wouldn't get into trouble, and she got C's in all her classes. But then one night she had a dream, and it was ten years in the future and she still lived with her mom in an average neighborhood, in an average house with her mom, and she couldn't find and average job because all the above average people had the jobs. Then a voice said: “The present is nothing more than the outcome of the choices made in the 

past.  The future will only be the results of the choices we make today.” when she woke up she was crying, and from then on she tried her best at school, helped out more at home, and she felt better about herself.

   

6.  Exposition 

A.  Setting: A small average town. 

When and where does the story take place?   

B.  Conflict: The conflict in the story is that Gertrude isn't trying her best because she thinks all she will ever be is an average person.

Describe the conflict in the story. 

   

7.  Rising Action: List some events that occur before the climax. 

1. Gertrude helps out around the house just enough to slide by.

2. Gertrude does just enough homework to not get into trouble. 

3. Gertrude gets C's in all her classes.

Climax: I think the climax is when she has the dream because after that point in the story every thing changes for her.

Falling Action: List some events that occur after the climax. 

1. Gertrude helped more around the house, and took more time getting ready for school.

2. Gertrude did better in school, and that made her feel smarter

Resolution:  

The conflict is solved when she has the dream, and the voice tells her “The present is nothing more than the outcome of the choices made in the 

past.  The future will only be the results of the choices we make today.”