26 stories, dreams, fantasies

Grading 26 student short stories has really gotten me thinking about dialog and what it takes to make a character seem and sound real. As a species we speak with so many idioms and with such poor grammar that I am pretty sure I am going to have to make some major revisions to the more intense dialog sections.

The other thing that struck me is how transparent my students (all 8th grade) are about their fantasies when they have an opportunity to write creatively. Aside from the true Freudian stuff (long, thick swords, for instance), I have delighted in reading about how they see their lives and adventures when they become true adults in an adult world. They range from sweet (getting pregnant with a loving husband) to violent (shooting up the neighborhood), to the hero's journey.

However, 25 out of 26 stories were at least not an embarrassment to the English language. A few of them show real promise, and make me wonder if I shouldn't sponsor a creative writing club next year.