Lesson 1Narrative Hooks

“You may go to jail, or you may go to Camp Green Lake.”

Lesson 1

In this lesson we will:

1. Identify ways in which writers and movie makers can “hook” an audience

2. Analyse techniques used by Sachar to “hook” his readers in the opening chapter of “Holes”

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of different types of opening hooks

4. Develop narrative devices to “hook” in our own readers

A Good Hook

• How do writers get a reader to read their novel? How many techniques can you think of that would hook a reader?

• What methods do you think would be the best to hook the reader and WHY?

A Good Hook• How do writer’s get a reader to read their novel?

How many techniques can you think of that would hook a reader?

Action

Dialogue

Dramatic vocabulary

Powerful adjectives

Unusual description

Short sentences Questions

Humour

A RIDDLE...

• What do an author and an angler have in common?

ANSWER!

• A HOOK!

KEY WORD: A Narrative Hook is a device used by a writer to pique the interest of a reader.

• They are often used at the start of the novel to draw the reader into the story.

TASK: Read the “Holes- openings” document. Match the type of opening in the right column to the extract in the left column.

Trailer time!• They are also used in movies to grab the attention of an

audience. Identify and tick in the boxes provided how the director has hooked in the audience in these movies:

• Casino Royale:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNvzNWuzI9Y

• Once Upon a Time in the West:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA3rlIHLFco

• Wall-E:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx-4Hz_W-TY

Movie HooksMovie Devices used to hook

Casino Royale

Once Upon A Time In The West

Wall-E

Class DiscussionWhich opening was the most effective? WHY?

DevicesMovie Devices used to hook

Casino Royale Mystery, atmosphere, action, dramatic dialogue, interesting/shady characters

Once Upon A Time In The West Camera shots. Tension, dialogue, mystery, atmosphere

Wall-E Camera shots, music, mystery, action, genre, questions

Chapter 1

There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. There once was a very large lake here, the largest lake in Texas. That was over a hundred years ago. Now it is just a dry, flat wasteland.

There used to be a town of Green Lake as well. The town shriveled and dried up along with the lake, and the people who lived there.

During the summer the daytime temperature hovers around ninety-five degrees in the shade- if you can find any shade. There’s not much shade in a big dry lake.

The only trees are two old oaks on the eastern edge of the “lake.” A hammock is stretched between the two trees, and a log cabin stands behind that.The campers are forbidden to lie in the hammock. It belongs to the Warden. The Warden owns the shade.

Chapter 1 (cont)Out on the lake, rattlesnakes and scorpions find shade under rocks and in the holes dug

by campers. Here’s a good rule to remember about rattlesnakes and scorpions: if you don’t bother

them, they won’t bother you.Usually. Being bitten by a scorpion or even a rattlesnake is not the worst thing that can happen to

you. You won’t die. Usually.

Sometimes a camper will try to be bitten by a scorpion, or even a rattlesnake. Then he will get to spend a day or two recovering in his tent, instead of having to dig a hole out on the lake.

But you don’t want to be bitten by a yellow-spotted lizard. That’s the worst thing that can happen to you. You will die a painful death.

Always. If you get bitten by a yellow-spotted lizard, you might as well go into the shade of the oak

trees and lie in the hammock.There is nothing anyone can do to you anymore.

Chapter 2

The reader is probably asking: Why would anyone go to Camp Green Lake?

Most campers weren’t given a choice. Camp Green Lake is a camp for bad boys.

If you take a bad boy and make him dig a hole every day in the hot sun, it will turn him into a good boy.

That was what some people thought. Stanley Yelnats was given a choice. The judge said, “You

may go to jail, or you may go to Camp Green Lake.”Stanley was from a poor family. He had never been to

camp before.

Device Example Intended Effect (HOW DOES IT HOOK IN THE

READER?)Dramatic Vocabulary (Words) “You will die a slow and

painful death.”Creates mood and

atmosphere

Read chapters 1 and 2 of “Holes”. Identify FOUR different techniques used by Sachar to hook his readers. Find an example of each technique and explain its effect.

Descriptive Writing

TASK: Group or whole class activityUsing the writing frame in the next slide, write a paragraph about a desert using the same techniques as Sachar.

Techniques:• Dramatic Vocabulary• Powerful Adjectives• Short sentences• Tension• Repetition

• PLACE:• A desert

Writing Frame• There are no_______________ in the desert. There used

to be___________. That was _______________. During the Summer________________. The only trees are__________________. Out in the desert____________. Here’s a good rule to remember about______________. If you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.______________. Being bitten by a _________________is not the worst thing that can happen. _______________. But you don’t want to be bitten by a ____________. That’s the worst thing that can happen to you. You will die a ____________ and __________ death. _____________

Individual Task

Write your own narrative hook to a novel called, “Forgotten”. Your opening paragraph must include at least 10 sentences and showcase the narrative techniques you have learnt this lesson.

This lesson was adapted from a unit of study by Katherine Cooper on tes.co.uk