The Born Storytellers Prendiville Catholic College 2015 Session 3: The Storyworld

Storyworld Sometimes called ‘Setting’, Storyworld is a better expression of the act of creating, whereas ‘setting’ is more a way of looking at what already is created

Storyworld The created space and time in which the events of the narrative take place.

Storyworld It must grow out of the protagonist and their desires

Storyworld It must provide a physical and cultural landscape that means the story could not take place anywhere else

Storyworld It should play a part in the narrative of events, affecting the lives of the characters, acting as an impediment to progress or an ease of movement

Start with a few facts

The story as we know it Resisting school work leads to outstanding scholarship Premise Snapshot Sammeer’s school attendance is falling because she is addicted to a computer game and her father hires a world champion to assassinate her virtual identity. She outplays the assassin, but then the virtual assassination attempts turn real.

Who is in this story? Sameer The Assassin (Zhang) Father (Philip)Uncle Neville

Sameer Zhang Father (Philip)Uncle Neville The desires driving the story Wants to win the game Wants to help and protect Wants to hinder and deflect Wants to prevent Sameer winning

Sameer Zhang Father (Philip)Uncle Neville Other pertinent facts Wants to win the game Wants to help and protect Wants to hinder and deflect Wants to prevent Sameer winning Entered into a contract Worked on game development Skilled gamer, ninja and parkor International weapons business Highly intelligent, top scholar Sacked from game company for theft Highly intelligent, skilled martial artist

Narrative locations Protagonist The World of the Everyday Threshold Mythological woods Return Altered World of the Everyday Guardian Contagonist Antagonist Sidekick & Emotion Sceptic & Reason

Sameer’s narrative locations The story begins in the protagonist’s ‘world of the everyday’ where life is normal: Home, where she lives with her father. School, from where she is absent The gaming world where she spends her time The night world where she practises Parkor

Sameer’s narrative locations The threat is realised in the gaming world where her virtual identity is suddenly under attack. She is on the threshold: The threshold. The Guardian (Uncle Nev) stands in her way initially She can’t cross the threshold until she is ready Uncle Nev prepares her and is prepared to protect her

Sameer’s narrative locations The Mythological woods is a strange space: Sameer gets lured into a part of the game she has never been before Once she’s passed the threshold she can’t return the same way She faces the kinds of challenges she has never before faced She finds friends and helpers; she runs into false allies Her gaming skills are tested; it’s do or die

Sameer’s narrative locations The Mythological woods is transferred to reality: She overcomes the threat in the virtual world and is lured to a strange space in the real world Sameer’s father plays a part in preventing her return the way she came Uncle Neville’s ability to protect her is limited Her physical skills are tested

Sameer’s narrative locations The return Sameer finds herself in a space that favours the Antagonist’s skills The confrontation is played out to the end Sameer makes a thrilling escape

Sameer’s narrative locations The altered World of the Everyday Something must change in Sameer’s character or world Her return brings a victory that is celebrated by her community A contrite father, perhaps

Mapping the world The virtual world

Sameer’s Home Zhang’s Home Sameer is lured into here Danger #1 Danger #2 Showdown World of the Everyday Mythological Woods Threshold

Mapping the world Transferring to the real world

Sameer’s home Zhang arrives Sameer is lured Mythological Woods

Storyworld details to come In the virtual world, what separates the two sides, what is the objective of the game? In the real world how does the seedy side of Fremantle become the trap for Sameer? How is Uncle Nev taken out of the picture? How is Dad compromised?