“TAP” Lesson
Lesson 1.05 Evaluate Mediums
Objectives (Learning Goals)
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
-Identify different media
-Identify how different media represent stories in diverse ways through interpretation and dramatic
license.
Academic Vocabulary
*Use the paragraph and activities below to help you define and understand these words:
- Medium
○ Definition:
○ Examples: Written(short story, novel, newspaper, website), Audio (podcast, music),
Visual(movie, play, screenplay, webcast, video, powerpoint)
- Interpretation
○ Definition:
○ Examples:
-
Dramatic License
○ Definition:
○ NON-Examples: (is NOT an “official/legal document from the government” like a driver’s
license)
In this lesson we will see a FILM version of the short story “A Retrieved Reformation” about Jimmy
Valentine. FILM is one type of MEDIUM (form of communication) that an author may choose to tell his or
her story. Oftentimes, one author will write a TEXT medium, such as a short story or novel, and then
another author will adapt that story into a screenplay for a movie or play. Think about all the books you
have read that eventually turn into movies (The Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, etc.). Usually, if
you read the book first and then see the movie, you’ll find yourself disagreeing with the screenwriter’s
INTERPRETATION (the way a person understands a story or brings it to life) of some of the events of the
story. That is because when you read the story, you pictured in your mind something a little different
than what you saw on the big screen. It’s okay if you interpret the story differently. Actors and directors
have the DRAMATIC LICENSE (the way an artist or actor interprets a story) to interpret a story in any
way they choose…and so do you!
Let’s see if that is what happens when you WATCH the FILM medium of a portion of the short story “A
Retrieved Reformation.” Do you agree with the screenwriter’s interpretation of the events in the story?
GO TO PAGE 9 OF LESSON 1.05 TO WATCH THE MOVIE
After watching the film, decide which was MORE effective at telling the story of “A Retrieved
Reformation” --- the TEXT of O. Henry’s short story OR the FILM version of it. Consider ALL the
elements of character, setting, music, lighting, and emotional connection to the story. This
question is a 30pt. question on your 1.05 quiz, so think and plan carefully NOW! Use the graphic
organizer below to help you.
Film
Short Story
Characters
Characters
Setting
Setting
Music
Music
Lighting
Lighting
Emotional Connection
Emotional Connection
Fill in this Paragraph Outline:
After reading the short story “A Retrieved Reformation” by ____________________ and watching the film
adaptation, I feel that the _______________________ (text or film) version is more effective at telling the story.
I felt the SETTING of the text version of the story was ___________________________. In the film version, I felt
the setting was______________________________________________.
In the text version, I imagined the main CHARACTERS to ___________________________________________.
On the other hand, in the film version the main CHARACTERS seemed__________________________________.
In the text version of the story, the music and lighting was only described by the author’s words.
However, in the film version, the music and lighting played a very important part of the story because
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Finally, in the text version of the story the EMOTIONAL CONNECTION to the story was
________________________________________________________________. In the film, the EMOTIONAL CONNECTION was
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
After considering all the elements like setting, characters, music, lighting, and emotional connection, I feel
like ___________________________(film or text) version of “A Retrieved Revived Reformation” was better at
telling the story of Jimmy Valentine.
Good Luck on your 1.05 Quiz!