Common Place Writing
O Pioneers!
Example 1
I must say she got real clever. You’d
come up to where she was playing on
the floor, in those rare times when she
was out of her room, and there’d be a
book there, open beside her, and you
would inspect it and it would look
perfectly alright.
“The Baby”
Donald Barthelme
Example 1
I must say it was real old. You’d
come up to where it was displayed in
the case, in those rare times when it
was out of its vault, and there’d be a
guard there, watching over it, and you
would read it and it would portray a
sense of freedom.
1)
Example 2
Jim stepped inside the door, as immovable as a
setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed
upon Della, and there was an expression in them
that she could not read, and it terrified her. It
was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor
horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had
been prepared for. He simply stared at her
fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.
“The Gift of the Magi”
O. Henry
Example 2
Chipper Jones stepped up to the plate, as
sturdy as hundred year old trees in a breeze.
His eyes were fixed upon Randy Johnson,
and there was an expression in them that the
pitcher could not read, and it intimidated him.
It was not fear, nor pressure, nor excitement,
nor nervousness, nor any of the feelings that
the pitcher had been ready for. Chipper
simply glared at Johnson with that
concentrated look on his face.
1)
Example 3
Oh, but by now you are tired of all this
looking, and you want to reach your
destination—your hotel, your room. You
long to refresh yourself; long to eat some
nice lobster, some nice local food.
A Small Place (p.12)
Jamaica Kincaid
Example 3
Oh, but by the end of the semester
you are tired of all this studying, and you
want to go home—to your own room,
your own bed. You long to rest yourself;
long to eat some of mama’s home
cooking, some nice fried chicken and
sweet tea.
1)
Example 4
“Ain’t so high and mighty now, are you!” I
screamed, sailing in again. He was still on
the bed, and I couldn’t get a firm stance, so I
threw myself at him as hard as I could
hitting, pulling, pinching, gouging. What
had begun as a fistfight became a brawl. We
were still struggling when Atticus separated
us.
To Kill a Mockingbird (p. 138)
Harper Lee
Example 4
“Ain’t so fast and agile now, are you!” I
bragged, looking at it again. It was still on
the TV and I couldn’t get a good angle, so
I swatted at it as fast as I could hitting,
running, swinging, flinging. What had
begun as a small buzz of a fly became a
chase. It was still twitching when I threw
it in the trash can.