4RL5- Poems, Drama, and Prose
Read the story and then the play. Answer the questions that follow.
The Talker
By Ari Washington
“Mary, I’m not kidding,” Clarisse giggled into the phone. “He was great, and now the whole
school knows my brother can dance.”
“Clarisse, it’s already 7:15. You need to get off the phone and get busy on your homework!
You’ve got a pile of work right next to you on the kitchen table. This is no time to be talking to friends.”
“Mom, I was just telling Mary about Jerome winning the dance contest,” Clarisse said in a
wounded tone. “And-“
“You can tell her all about it at school tomorrow, but tonight is not the time. I will get up from
this chair and take away your phone if I have to.”
“See you tomorrow Mary,” Clarisse said, sighing.
Turning back to her magazine, Clarisse’s mother sighed and furrowed her brow. Why did she
have to remind Clarisse to quit talking and get down to work? How would things turn out for her if she
didn’t start getting better grades? All day and night she did nothing but talk, talk, talk. That wasn’t a
recipe for success.
It wasn’t a matter of intelligence: Clarisse was as smart as any straight- A student. No, it was a
matter of discipline. At this rate, Clarisse would probably wake up one day with no skills and discover
herself stuck in a boring job. How would she talk her way out of that kind of unrewarding situation?
“Mama,” Clarisse announced just then, “I was so excited about Jerome winning the dance
contest that I forgot to tell you what else happened today! The communications Club at school is
starting a real AM radio station, and every Thursday they’re going to broadcast a live talk show after
school, called “Talk Time.” So guess who they invited to host it? The biggest little talker you
know…….me!”
The Talker
Based on the short story by Ari Washington
CLARISSE……….a 6th grade student
Mother……………Clarisse’s mother
(Setting: A bare stage with a kitchen table, four chairs, and a refrigerator. MOTHER and CLARISSE are at
the table. MOTHER is reading a magazine. CLARISSE is talking on a phone.)
CLARISSE (into the phone): Mary, I’m not kidding. He was great, and now the whole school knows my
brother can really dance!
MOTHER: Clarisse, it’s already 7:15. You need to get off the phone and get busy on your homework!
CLARISSE (putting her hand over the phone): Mom, I was just telling Mary about Jerome winning the
dance contest, and--MOTHER: You can tell her all about it at school tomorrow, but tonight is not the time.
CLARISSE (rolling her eyes): See you tomorrow Mary. (hangs up)
MOTHER: (shaking her head): Clarisse, all you do all day is talk, talk, talk! Why do I constantly have to
remind you to get to work? When are you going to figure out it’s the right thing to do?
CLARISSE: But mom, talking isn’t so bad, you know. Why, just today at school—
MOTHER (flipping through her magazine): I mean, really Clarisse. All that talking is no recipe for
success. Nobody got anywhere just by talking.
CLARISSE: But that’s what I’m trying to tell you, just today—
MOTHER (worried): You know, one of these days you’re going to wake up with no skills and have to go
to a boring job everyday that you hate. That’s not right. Don’t you want a rewarding career?
CLARISSE: Like as a radio talk show host?
MOTHER (finally looking up from her magazine): What?
CLARISSE: I’ve been trying to tell you. The Communications Club at school is starting a real AM radio
station, and every Thursday they’re going to broadcast a live talk show after school, called “Talk Time.”
So guess who they invited to host it? The biggest little talker you know…….me!
MOTHER (laughing): Wow! That’s great! (Reaches across to give Clarisse a high- five). But you’re still
going to get serious about your homework. There’s no talking your way out of this.
(CLARISSE groans and puts her head down on the table. MOTHER smiles, obviously proud. Curtain)
1. Look at the table below.
Type of Literature
Story of “The Talker”
Major features of Work
paragraphs, narration, and dialogue
Play of “The Talker”
?
Which of the following correctly completes the table?
a. stanzas, dialogue, and meter
b. cast of characters, paragraphs, and rhyme
c. verse, meter, rhythm
d. description, stage directions, and dialogue
2. Part of the play of “The Talker” is shown below.
(A bare stage with a kitchen table, four chairs, and a refrigerator. MOTHER and CLARISSE are at the
table. MOTHER is reading a magazine. CLARISSE is talking on a phone.)
State what feature of the play “The Talker” this part indicates to the reader.
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Look back at the story of “The Talker”. State how this story gives the same information to the reader.
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State why the play and the story present the same information in different ways. Explain your answer.
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3. Look at the table below. It contains part of the story and part of the play. These parts tell about the
same events.
From the Story
From the Play
At this rate, Clarisse would probably wake up one
MOTHER (worried): You know, one of these days
day with no skills and discover herself stuck in a
you’re going to wake up with no skills and have to
boring job. How would she talk her way out of
go to a boring job everyday that you hate. That’s
that kind of unrewarding situation?
not right. Don’t you want a rewarding career?
Describe one feature of prose that the story uses to show what mother thinks about Clarisse’s future.
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Now describe two features of drama that the play uses to show how mother feels and thinks about
Clarisse’s future.
Feature one:
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Feature two:
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Finally, explain why the story and the play show mother’s thoughts in different ways.
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Read the story and the poem. Then answer the questions that follow.
The Escape
A story by John Martin
Carl picked at the lock of the prison cell he shared with Kasper. He almost had it, he was sure.
They didn’t have much time before the prince’s guards returned for them.
The only light in the dungeon came from two bad- smelling torches on the walls. His friend
Kasper lay groaning on the cold damp floor by his feet.
“What a foolish thing we’ve done,” Kasper said, “Did we do the right thing to help that old
couple?”
“The prince’s men were stealing the last of their food,” Carl said. “We had to try and help
them.”
“The two of us, with our shovels and hoes, we weren’t much of a match for those two thugs,
were we? Kasper said, laughing. “But we put up a good fight!” He let out a sharp moan, “But oh, my
leg is hurt bad!”
“We’ve got to get you help,” Carl said. “The monks at the monastery will know what to do. But
first, we must escape.” He picked at the lock a moment more, then smiled and pushed the creaking
door open.
“I can barely stand, let alone walk,” Kasper said. “You might make it alone, but you won’t have a
chance with me.”
Carl stood in silence thinking. What Kasper said may very well be true. But more than likely, he
would not survive here.
“To escape alone would be no escape at all,” Carl said firmly. “I’d be a prisoner trapped and
wandering in the labyrinth if my mind if I left my brave friend behind.”
Carl raised Kasper up, stooped, and lifted him on to his shoulders. Together they escaped as
one into the moonlit night.
The Escape
A poem by John Martin
Two strong and brave men were locked in a cell
For fighting the prince and his ne’er-do-well men.
One man was injured, the other stayed well,
But both swore they’d rise up and do it again.
The well man, he picked at the lock of the door,
And then faced a choice—leave his sick friend behind?
The well man, he knew, that would lead, ever more
To making a cage of his own guilty mind.
1. What does the word “labyrinth” mean as it is used in paragraph 9 of the story?
a. castle
b. forest
c. maze
d. city
2. The sentence below is from paragraph six of the story
He picked at the lock a moment more, then smiled and pushed the creaking door open.
What element in the text of a play would most likely give this information to the reader?
a. stage directions
b. dialogue
c. setting
d. cast of characters
3. How would the story be different if it were told from Kasper’s point of view?
a. The reader would feel sad about Kasper’s time in prison.
b. The reader would know Kasper’s inner thoughts instead of Carl’s.
c. The reader would know how Kasper’s injury happened.
d. The reader would understand more about Carl’s feelings than Kasper’s.
4. What is the meaning of “guilty” as it is used in the last line of the poem?
a. troubled
b. excited
c. curious
d. honest
5. How does the organization of the poem into stanzas help the reader understand its meaning?
Include examples to support your answer.
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6. The box below lists six features related to stories, plays, and poems.
TERMS
Stanzas
Meter
Paragraphs
Stage Directions
Dialogue in quotes
Cast of characters
Complete the table below by writing each feature in the correct column, write down each feature only
once.
Story
Play
Poem
7. Both the story and the poem of “The Escape” tell how Carl and Kasper came to be in prison.
Compare how the story and the poem present this event. Refer to at least one feature of the story and
one feature of the poem in your answer.
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